This is the third book in 'The Final Architecture' trilogy. The first two novels in the series are Shards of Earth and Eyes of the Void.
Background: (Warning: there will be minor spoilers if you haven't read the first two books).
The
story takes place in the distant future, when humans have colonized
space and encountered many kinds of intergalactic species. The most
frightening of these entities are called Architects, each one as large
as a moon, with crystalline spikes radiating from its surface.
An
Architect will suddenly appear over an inhabited world, then quickly
reshape it into a gigantic sculpture, killing everything that lives
there. 
The
only planets, spaceships, orbitals (orbiting habitats), or
installations 'immune' to Architect demolition contain remains or ruins
left behind by mysterious entities called 'Originators.'
An
Architect destroyed Earth, and the remaining shards of humanity reside
elsewhere in the universe. Over time, humans became divided into rival
clans that compete with one another for power and control. At the same
time, humanity battles intergalactic beings and AIs. All this results in
constant conflict and death. 
Still,
all societies have a common enemy in the Architects, whose mission is
to demolish all sentient life. Thus alliances sometimes form between
organizations that would otherwise be at each other's throats.
The
Architects were unstoppable until a human girl named Xavienne Torino
was able to mentally connect with an Architect and persuade it to cease
its attack and go away.
Xavienne was termed an "Intermediary' (Int) and a program was developed to tinker with people's brains to make more Ints. 
In
addition to communicating with the Architects, the Ints are able to
navigate through a region called 'unspace', a dimension under the
universe that allows faster than light travel. 
The
most experienced and successful Int is Idris Telemmier, who's been
repeatedly abducted by gangs wanting to use his gifts. Luckily, Idris's
crewmates and friends have been able to mount rescue operations.
By
the conclusion of 'Eyes of the Void' (book two), Idris has made a
game-changing discovery. He's learned unspace contains the Architect
nursery, where the Architects originate.
In
addition, Idris and a few allies absconded with an Originator
installation, called the Eye, from a planet named Criccieth's Hell.
Idris and other Ints can use the Eye to penetrate deep into unspace, and
perhaps find a way to fight the Architects.
*****
When
Lords of Uncreation opens, an alliance called the 'Cartel' has been
formed to battle the Architects. The Cartel is comprised of
representatives from the following groups:
🞴🞴 Hugh: the governing body of Colonists (humans dispersed through the universe);
🞴🞴 The Parthenon: a faction of genetically engineered human women, called Partheni, bred to be warriors;
🞴🞴 Hivers: insectoid aliens;
🞴🞴
Broken Harvest: a criminal cartel of diverse species ruled by the
clam-like Essiel (aka The Unspeakable Aklu, the Razor and the Hook);
......and other political and commercial interests.
Two
groups aren't on board with the Cartel. One is the wealthy, powerful,
aristocratic Uskaro family from old Earth. The Uskaros want to use the
Eye - and the Int Idris Telemmier - for themselves. Their ultimate goal
is to establish 'superior' human communities and rule over them.
The
other opponents of the Cartel are a breakaway faction of the Parthenon
led by Executor Mercy. Executor Mercy and her followers think the Cartel
contains corrupt elements out to benefit themselves. Executor Mercy
also fears some Partheni have been compromised or corrupted.
All
this results in battles, kidnappings, imprisonments, deaths, and
rescues that comprise the first part of 'Lords of Uncreation.'
Once
the drama described above has been dealt with, the war against the
Architects goes into high gear. At this point, the Eye - now containing
Idris Telemmier and a coalition of Ints, humans, aliens, and AIs - is
connected to the salvage vessel Vulture God. 
In
the Eye, Idris and his colleagues study ways to neutralize or destroy
the Architects. This requires Idris and other Ints to repeatedly 'send
their minds' into unspace, an enterprise that's physically and mentally
draining, dangerous, and sometimes deadly. 
During
his visits to unspace, Idris discovers the presence of an enormously
powerful entity, connected to the Originators, that's directing the
Architects to destroy sentient life. The objective now is to deal with
this forceful being, so the attacks on life in the universe will stop. 
All
this is anything but simple, because the Vulture God has become a
target for the Architects. Thus the salvage vessel (and the attached
Eye) keep popping in and out of unspace while being pursued by the
Architects. 
To
complicate matters, the Vulture God needs to periodically resupply with
food, fuel, and other necessities, and any planet or orbital assisting
the Vulture God might attract the attention of the Architects.
By the end of the book, we learn the objective of the powerful being in unspace, and we see the resolution of all the chaos.
The book features popular ongoing characters, including:
🞴🞴 Kris - a lawyer;
🞴🞴
Olli - a human crew member of the Vulture God, who uses mobility aids
equipped with weapons. Olli acquires new appendages in this book;
🞴🞴 Kit - a Hannilambra (crab-like) crew member of the Vulture God;
🞴🞴 Solace - Idris's Partheni friend;
🞴🞴 Havaer Mundy - a Colonial intelligence agent;
🞴🞴 Emmaneth - an almost indestructible Tothiat (human-alien symbiont);
.... and more.
I
enjoyed the trilogy as a whole, but (for me) the first part of 'Lords
of Uncreation' contains battles similar to previous books, and doesn't
really move the story forward. That said, the remainder of the novel,
filled with action, adventure, and surreal explanations, is a fitting
finale to the series.
Recommended to fans of space operas.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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