Shadows of the Apt or Children of Time?
Empire in Black and Gold starts Shadows of the Apt. Children of Time and Shards of Earth are different Adrian Tchaikovsky series. Do not merge the shelves.
Short answer · Start here
Apt starts at Empire in Black and Gold.
Shadows of the Apt is ten novels beginning with Empire in Black and Gold (2008). Children of Time and Shards of Earth are other Tchaikovsky series, not Apt prequels or sequels.
Why one author looks like one series
Children of Time and Shards of Earth are the Tchaikovsky books most shops push. Shadows of the Apt is the earlier ten-book fantasy run. Echoes of the Fall (The Tiger and the Wolf) is yet another trilogy. None of them is book one of the others.
What this house does
If you want Apt: Empire in Black and Gold through Seal of the Worm, publication order. If you want the science-fiction trilogy, use the Children of Time guide. If you want the space-opera three, use the Final Architecture guide and start at Shards of Earth. The Apt table is on the Shadows of the Apt reading-order guide.
FAQ
Can I start Apt at The Air War or Seal of the Worm?
No. Book one is Empire in Black and Gold.
Are the Apt short stories required?
No.
Is the ten finished?
Yes.
Full maps
