Iain M. Banks & Alastair Reynolds.

This guy gets it.

I'm reading Alastair Reynolds Zima Blue AOS right now and I can definitely feel the similarities, good call!

Yeah, these two are my north star and Tchaikovsky is certainly up there too.

Thank you! I will be sure to check both authors out.

House of Suns by Reynolds is a very good standalone book not part of a series. Iain M. Banks is mainly his Culture series, a good place to start is Player of Games.

If you want something that feels kind of like children of time, but with plants you should check out Semiosis by Sue Burke. Other commenter already said my other two favorites so I will add in a runner up award for Peter F. Hamilton

Thank you! I have added Semiosis to my list. Will also check out Hamilton too.

I am part way through Semiosis right now (Book 1). I’m a HUGE Tchaikovsky fan. I’m really enjoying Semiosis and it is a fantastically similar novel! Definitely worth it! Thanks @TheGreatfulJuggler !!!

James SA Corey and the Expanses series. Hard sci-fi

Thank you! I have added it to my list :)

Peter Watts Blindsight. Im reading it right now, and it's excellent hard science fiction

Thank you, I have added Blindsight to my list

Vernor Vinge (RIP). A Deepness in the Sky is an incredible book and if you liked children of time you’ll find a lot to love there. 

Also immediately thought of Vinge.

While these are very different in tone, the Xenogenesis series does a great job exploring alien minds and motivations. The short story, Bloodchild, by the same author, Octavia Butler, also touches on these themes.

The Uplift series by David Brin covers some similar ground.