SpaceIn Shroud, Adrian Tchaikovsky's intriguing new novel, two women marooned on a strange moon encounter alien life and struggle to recognise intelligence in other beings, finds Emily H. Wilson 5 February 2025 What might be lurking on the surface of the unusual moon Shroud?Shutterstock/IuriiShroudAdrian Tchaikovsky (Tor)The latest novel by Adrian Tchaikovsky, Shroud, examines the question of whether, faced with an alien intelligence, we would actually perceive it as intelligent. That and whether the aliens would recognise us as anything above pond life.The setting is the far future and a foray by a commercial vessel into a new star system. The ships culture is cruel, petty and highly corporate that is, entirely recognisable to humans alive today. The crew are unfrozen, used as needed, then summarily refrozen.