A Second Chance at Eden - Peter F. Hamilton

     1998; 420 pages.  New Author? : No.  Genres : Science Fiction; Genetic Engineering; Space Opera; Anthology.  Overall Rating : 7*/10.

 

    Here’s a bit of recommended reading for those who are into epic space-opera: Peter F. Hamilton’s The Night’s Dawn Trilogy.  I read it back in 2011, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

    There are some caveats.  My science fiction tastes may not be the same as yours, thus you might not be as enamored by Peter F. Hamilton’s writing as I was.  There’s also the small matter of that trilogy being 3,563 pages long (1094, 1137, 1332 pages per tome).  The books are not standalones; you’re committing to all three when you begin the series.

 

    Ah, if only there was some way to get a smaller taste of this trilogy and the author’s writing style.  Or, if you’ve already read this series, perhaps a brief aftertaste of the fascinating 27^th-century universe Hamilton creates in this series.

 

    Well, that’s where A Second Chance at Eden enters in.  Seven short stories set at various stages between now and the 27^th century, and a total of only 420 pages.  That's more than a big enough sample to see if Peter F. Hamilton’s novels are your kind of sci-fi before committing several months of reading time to it.

 

What’s To Like...

   The seven tales in A Second Chance at Eden are:

01) Sonnie’s Edge (Earth-2070, 24 pages, dueling bots)

02) A Second Chance at Eden (Jupiter-2090, 175 pages, whodunit)

03) New Days Old Times (Nyvan-2345, 25 pages, killing for God)

04) Candy Buds (Tropicana-2393, 42 pages, virtual reality in 400 years)

05) Deathday (Jubarra-2405, 20 pages, sauropod shapeshifters)

06) The Lives and Loves of Tiarella Rosa (Tropicana-2447, 62 pages, fun with parthenogenesis)

07) Escape Route (Sonora Asteroid-2556, 69 pages, the worth of gold vs. salvage)

 

    A couple of the stories are written in the first-person POV, but most are in third-person.  Between each tale, Peter F. Hamilton lists a short timeline to let you know what technological and exploratory advancements have been made.  The book is written in “English”, not “American”, so distances are in kilometres, words like speciality and aluminium have an extra “i” in them, and I had to suss out what narked meant.

 

    My favorite tale was the eponymous A Second Chance at Eden, which had a clever murder-mystery plotline that kept me turning the pages and guessing (incorrectly) who the perp was.  It is also by far the longest tale, comprising more than 40% of the text.  It should be noted that in almost all cases when I’m reading an anthology, my favorite happens to be the longest entry.

 

    I enjoyed reading the backstory to the vital ability of “affinity” in The Night’s Dawn universe.  This is a psychic bond between people, or with animals (think: “spirit animal”), or even between a human and a spaceship or orbiting space colony, which is what the titular “Eden” is this book.  It’s a great way to carry on secret conversations, and here we learn about the person who first developed it.  I can’t wait for it to be invented in our present time.

 

    Interspersed among all the excitement are some keen insights into more serious topics.  Is there some way to still exist after we die?  Can different religions, particularly the three main Western ones, learn to coexist?  Can tarot cards give us insight into what lies ahead for us?  But rest assured, such musings never overshadow the main storylines in these stories.

 

Kewlest New Word ...

Narked (v.) : annoyed, exasperated.  (Britishism).

 

Ratings…
    Amazon:  4.3/5 based on 469 ratings and 78 reviews.

    Goodreads: 4.04/5 based on 4,889 ratings and 107 reviews.

 

Excerpts...

    “I think the personality memory of her death is perfectly accurate.  She walked out to the lake, and the chimp shot her.”

    “Thanks.  Now what can you tell me about Penny Maowkavitz herself?  So far all I’ve heard is that she could be a prickly character.”

    Corrine’s face puckered up.  “True enough; basically, Penny was a complete pain.  Back at the university hospital where I trained we always used to say doctors make the worst patients.  Wrong.  Geneticists make the worst patients.”

    “You didn’t like her?”

    “I didn’t say that.  And you should be nicer to someone who’s scheduled to cut your skull open in an hour.”  (pg. 53)

 

    Guy climbed up the low wall and sat on top, his skinny legs dangling over the other side.  “I didn’t like today,” he said solemnly.

    She leant forward against the wall, and put her arm round his shoulder.  “Me neither.”

    “Was the fat woman really a police officer?”

    “Yes, I’m afraid so.”

    “She didn’t like anybody.  Are all police officers like that?”

    “No.  You don’t have to be a police officer to hate other kinds of people.  Everybody on Nyvan does it.”  (pg. 220)

 

I tried to tell myself the day couldn’t get any worse.  But I lacked faith. (pg. 42)

    There are a couple of quibbles.  There’s a moderate amount of cussing: 16 instances in the first 10% (42 pages) of the book.  There are at least three rolls-in-the-hay and, more disturbing, one clear allusion to intimate relations with a minor.

 

   None of the characters carry over from one tale to the next, so you have a whole new slate of people to keep track of every time a new story begins.  This of course, is inherent with reading any anthology, and that's why I don’t read them very often.

 

    My least-favorite stories are #1 and #3, which are among the shorter entries, and which is also the norm for me.  They just didn’t fit well into the Night’s Dawn timeline.  But to be fair, Peter F. Hamilton addresses this in the Introduction section: “As to the stories themselves, some are new, some have appeared in magazines before, in which case I’ve altered them slightly so they fit into the Confederation timeline.”

 

    7 Stars.  I found the seven stories in A Second Chance at Eden to be a mixed-bag in quality.  The majority were good-to-fantastic, but a couple were so-so.  But that’s the usual spread for anthologies.  If you’re wavering as to whether to plunge into The Night’s Dawn trilogy, this book will be a great help in making your decision.  And personally, my recommendation is to dive into it.

Judas Unchained - Peter F. Hamilton

    2006; 1,008 pages.  New Author? : No.  Book Two (and final book) of the Commonwealth Saga series.  Genre : Hard Science Fiction; Space Opera; Epic Science Fiction; First Contact.  Overall Rating : 9½*/10.

    Round Two of the galactic Armageddon is imminent!

    The first round, covered in the Pandora’s Star and reviewed here, resulted in a Pyrrhic victory for mankind.  Yes, the invasion by the evil force called the Prime was beaten back.  But we lost 23 planets (in a single day!) to the aliens, along with most of our star fleet.  One more “victory” like that, and we will surely be obliterated into space dust.

    Moreover, we’ve learned that their wormhole capability is more advanced than ours, and that the concept of coexistence doesn’t exist in their annihilation-only mindset.

    But there is still a chance for us.  Our galactic navy is working on a couple new types of mega-bombs.  Those are still in the development stage, but they have obviously been moved up to Priority One.  They’re also designing some  improved FTL (Faster Than Light) starships, and Wormhole Technology.  It’s all a matter of whether we have enough time before the Prime strikes again.

    And if all else fails, we can always do like the rich-and-powerful dynasties are doing.  Build your own FTL spaceships and hightail it out of this end of the galaxy to a much more remote section f it.

    Of course, for us peasants, bumming a ride with them may be a life-or-death challenge.

What’s To Like...

    Judas Unchained is not a standalone novel; it’s really just the second half of a 2,000-page epic that starts with Pandora’s Star.  There are a bunch of complex and interweaving storylines, which are listed in the linked review above, so instead of repeating them, here’s a list of who’s fighting who:

    1.) The Commonwealth vs. the Prime

    2.) SI (Sentient Intelligence) vs. the Guradians vs. the Starflyer vs. maybe the Commonwealth

    3.) The Barsoomians vs. anyone fighting the Guardians

    4.) The Guardians vs. the Institute

    5.) The Raiel and the Silfen don’t seem t care who wins, but they enjoy watching us fight for our lives.

    There is a Dramatis Personae at the start of the book.  Mark it, as you’ll be referring to it a lot.  I kept a separate list of characters in my notes.  It turned out to be 2½ pages long, and that didn’t include a bunch of minor characters. 

    The writing is once again topnotch.  The storylines are complex, but Peter F. Hamilton keeps switching from one to another, so things never get boring.  There are 20 chapters covering 1,008 pages, but frankly, you can stop anytime there’s a switch in the plot threads, and those are indicated by a line of four dots at the end of a paragraph.

    There’s a fair amount of both cussing and sex.  A bunch of characters die, although that’s a rather nebulous term since most humans can be “re-lifed”, along with selective memory erasures and genetic enhancements.  But for all the warfare and killing, I don’t recall a lot of gore., and it should be noted that Peter F. Hamilton mixes in a mild but persistent strain of humor throughout the story, most of it coming during the long side-trek undertaken by Ozzie, Orion, and Tochee.

    I liked the all-purpose cuss phrase, “Dreaming Heavens”, which, for some reason, replaced the “Jesus Wept” epithet used in Pandora’s Star.  Hypergliding returns here, a recreation which makes hang-gliding seem like a sport for wussies.  The first half of Judas Unchained is mostly about and games of deadly intrigue perpetrated by the various factions.  But after the Prime launches its second invasion (page 544), the last half of the book is almost all space opera action and adventure.

    The ending is simply superb.  The tension keeps building throughout the book, and, like Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, we’re treated to an epic final struggle lasting more than 100 pages.  There’s even an epilogue-like “whatever happened to so-and-so…” addendum that I really liked.  The series may be over, but I still wanted to know what happened to a bunch of the characters. 

Kewlest New Word...

Sulci (n., plural) : grooves or furrows.  (the singular is 'sulcus'.)

Others: Triturated (v.); Decussation (n.).

Excerpts...

    “So far so good,” he muttered.

    “Absolutely.  Here’s hoping we don’t have a Fermi moment.”

    “A what?”  Mac rally didn’t like the uncertainty in her voice.

    “During the Trinity test of the very first atom bomb, Fermi wondered if the detonation would ignite the Earth’s atmosphere.  They just didn’t know, you see.  We think the quantum disruption won’t propagate.  If it does the whole universe gets converted into energy.”

    “Oh, great, thanks for sharing.”  (pg. 342)

    “Who are you?” Ozzie asked.

    The Silfen’s circular mouth opened wide, allowing the long slender tongue to vibrate between his rows of teeth.  “I am the one who dances in the endless wind streams which flow along the tumbling white clouds as they circle in eternal orbit within the star of life.”  He gave a sharp whistle.  “But you may call me Clouddancer.  I know how you humans have to be so quick and shallow.”

    “Thanks.”  Ozzie tipped his head to one side.  “Why the German accent?”

    Clouddancer’s tongue quivered.  “Authority.  I look like one of your legendary demons.  If I start talking like some stoner hippie then I’ve got a serious credibility problem, right?”  (pg. 579)

“Humm, remind me.  How many angels have we counted on that pinhead now?”  (pg. 616)

    I can’t think of anything to quibble about.  Some reviewers grumbled at the length of the book, but hey, you know going in that it’s gonna be a long read.  And it’s more interesting than Russian Lit.

    So the real question is – is this 2,000-page duology (how come no one wants to call this a 'bilogy'?) worth your time and effort?  I asked myself that same thing back in 2011 when I tackled Peter F. Hamilton’s 3,600-page Night’s Dawn trilogy, and my answer is the same.

    If you’re a fan of science-fiction, especially space opera, and you don’t have a book report due tomorrow, and reading something a thousand pages long doesn’t make you break out in a cold sweat, then yes, both of these series are well worth your time, and are highly recommended.  I thought they were great.

    9½ Stars.    Subtract 2 stars if you didn’t read Pandora’s Star first.  You’ll still be drawn in by all the fascinating things going on, but you will probably find yourself lost as to the “why” of them.

Pandora's Star - Peter F. Hamilton

    2004; 986 pages.  New Author? : No, but it’s been a while.  Book One (out of two) of the (completed) Commonwealth Saga series.  Genre : Hard Science Fiction; Space Opera; Epic Science Fiction; First Contact.  Overall Rating : 8½*/10.

    It happened in a flash.  Well okay, make that an “unflash”.  Astronomer Dudley Bose was watching a star through his telescope when it just “winked out”.   Gone.  Instantly.  Right in front of his eyes.  And he checked, it wasn't a matter of equipment failure.

     The bad news is, he didn’t have his instruments set to record the event when it occurred.  The good news is, he’s living in an age where wormholes are available, so a quick trip to another star system allows Dudley to observe the event a second time (you gotta love faster-than-light [aka “FTL”] travel), and confirm the event.

     But the missing star, dubbed “Dyson Alpha”, is far away – clear at the other end of the galaxy, and far beyond where wormholes can reach.  So until someone in a starship can get there, it’s a matter of conjecture as to what happened.  Dyson Alpha didn’t go supernova, so it seems unlikely that it just “blew up”.  It’s more probable that something, or someone, simply turned off a switch, or threw a cloak over the it.  Yet the magnitude of such an explanation defies logic.  How do you build something big enough to envelop a complete solar system?

    But Dyson Alpha is part of a binary star system.  And when its sister star, Dyson Beta, similarly winks out a short time later, that “cloaking” theory becomes a lot more likely.

    Hmm.  Anyone that can do that sort of thing is more technologically advanced than we are, making them a formidable foe if they have aggressive intentions.  It might be prudent to get an FTL starship heading that way as quickly as possible, no matter what cost.

What’s To Like...

    At almost a thousand pages in length, Pandora’s Star is truly an Epic Science-Fiction tale.  Other sci-fi writers do world-building; Peter F. Hamilton does galaxy-building, featuring detailed descriptions of a bunch of planets and star systems.  The book also falls into the Hard Science Fiction category, where wormholes, FTL travel, Dyson structures, maidbots-&-e-butlers, cloning, and starships all exist.

    There are multiple plotlines to follow.  I counted at least seven of them:

    1.) The disappearance of the Dyson Pair.

    2.) Paula Myo chasing Adam Elvin.

    3.) Paula investigating a double murder.

    4.) The Guardians of Selfhood and the Starflyer.

    5.) Ozzie and Orion’s travels.

    6.) Kazimir and Justine’s relationship.

    7.) Mark Vernon doing who-knows-what.

    Some of these threads cross paths along the way, but only peripherally.  The jumping from one storyline to another keeps the reader on his toes, yet somehow it never gets confusing.

    This is also a “First Contact” saga, and it is enlightening to see how an alien species, in most ways more advanced than we humans, treats us when the two cultures meet.  It was also fun to see Peter F. Hamilton exploring the concept a cult’s “Doomsday” mentality.  We always assume cultists are a bunch of crackpots.  How would it be if their bizarre belief(s) turned out to be valid?

    For me, the most fascinating aspect of the book’s 24^th-century technology was “rejuvenation”.  People no longer die.  Their save their entire memories (or an edited version of it, if they so desire), and every so often get a new body via a process called “relife” (with whatever genetic modifications one can afford).  Voila!   You’re young again!  You never died; you just have a memory gap of a few years! The effect this has on things like birthrates, murder rates, capital punishment, marriages, etc. is culture-shattering.

    The details that are woven into the story are both amazing and amusing.  I chuckled at the “Niven Ring” (a nod to a fellow sci-fi writer), as well as a ship christened the Marie Celeste.  Justine’s “hypergliding” experience was thrillingly portrayed.  Ozzie’s conversation with the Silfen was hilarious; and I liked the all-purpose cuss-phrase, “Jesus Wept”.

Kewlest New Word...

Manky (adj.) : worthless; rotten; in bad taste; dirty; filthy.  (a Britishism)

Others: Doughty (adj.); Rucked (v.).

Excerpts...

    “Couldn’t you just give the drive array some verbal instructions?” Dudley asked.

    “Now what would be the point in that?  My way I have control over technology.  Machinery does as I command.  That’s how it should be.  Anything else is mechanthropomorphism.  You don’t treat a lump of moving metal as an equal and ask it pretty please to do what you’d like.  Who’s in charge here, us or them?”

    “I see.”  Dudley smiled, actually warming to the man.  “Is mechanthropomorphism a real word?”

    LionWalker shrugged.  It ought to be, the whole bloody Commonwealth practices it like some sort of religion.”  (pg. 25)

    “May I ask with whom I speak,” Ozzie asked.

    “I am the flower that walks beneath the nine sky moons, the fissure of light that pierces the darkest glade at midnight, the spring that bubbles forth from the oasis; from all this I came.”

    “Okeydokey.”  He took a moment to compose a sentence.  “I think I’ll just call you Nine Sky, if you don’t mind.”

    “Evermore you hurry thus, unknowing of that which binds all into the joy which is tomorrow’s golden dawn.”

    “Well,” Ozzie muttered to himself in English, “it was never going to be easy.”  (pg. 250)

“Life’s a bitch, then you rejuvenate and do it all over again.”  (pg. 547)

    I don’t have any quibbles with Pandora’s Star, but readers new to Peter F. Hamilton should know a couple things.

    First, this is not a standalone novel.  None of the plotlines get resolved in the book, nor do they even converge much on each other.  The book ends with every thread at a cliffhanger point.  So when you sit down to read this thousand-page opus, you are also committing to read the sequel, Judas Unchained, which is of similar length.

    Second, the descriptions of the settings are plentiful and meticulously detailed.  Almost every chapter starts with one, and most are several paragraphs, or even pages, in length.  If you’re not into that, the reading can get tedious.  Also, a plethora of storylines means a poopload of characters, and not all of the significant ones might seem that way when introduced.  (eg.: Carys Panther).  Make bookmarks, or take notes.

    Finally, keep in mind that Peter F. Hamilton has written several epic series, and they’re all structured like this one.  I read his “Night’s Dawn” trilogy back in 2011, and the same caveats apply.

    8½ Stars.      Bottom line: If 1000+ page books don’t faze you, and if you like being scared to pieces by the prospect of an alien species obliterating and enslaving us, you may find (as I did) that Peter F. Hamilton is one heckuva science-fiction writer and storyteller.

The Naked God - Peter F. Hamilton

2000; 1332 pages.  New Author? : No.  Book #3 of the "Night's Dawn" trilogy.  Genre : Epic Space Opera.  Overall Rating : 9½*/10.

    The galaxy-wide battle between Possessed and Unpossessed rages unabated.  Quinn Dexter has infiltrated Earth, despite all efforts to stop him.  Al Capone's starfleet has the Confederation on the brink of collapse.  And when cornered, the Possessed use their collective will to move entire planets to some unknown, faraway haven.

    The only hope appears to be some old Tyrathcan myth about some "Sleeping God".  But no one (including the Tyrathcans) have any idea what it is, let alone where to find it.  So you just know Joshua Calvert is going to be sent out on this wild goose chase.

What's To Like...
    The characters are superb.  There are decent Possessed folk, and even the arch-fiend Quinn is not completely "black".  Some of the Unpossessed, and the methods they use to combat possession, are ethically pretty shaky.

    The tension continues to build steadily.  Both sides score some much-needed victories.  The storylines keep expanding until, with only 300 pages to go, I questioned whether Peter F. Hamilton could bring it all back together and tidily tie everything up.  I shouldn't've worried.

    The ending was well-done, with multiple resolutions instead of a single Deus Ex Machina (the Sleeping God) taking care of everything.  Some found it contrived, but that's kind of necessary if we also expect all the storylines to conveniently culminate at the same time.  My only beef is that, as feared, The Neutronium Alchemist (Book 2) appears to have been a monumental tangent.

Kewlest New Word...
Hypergolic : igniting spontaneously when mixed together.

Excerpts...
    "I wouldn't have been so generous," Kiera said.  "You shouldn't show so much kindness.  People will see it as a weakness."
    "You're dealing with people, not mechanoids," Jezzibella said blankly.  "You have to make allowances for the odd mistake.  If you shoot every waiter who spills a cup of coffee over your skirt, you wind up with a self service bar."
    Kiera smiled condescendingly at her.  "What you'll actually wind up with is a group of highly efficient waiters who can do the job effectively."   (pg. 110)

    "Quinn, what happens after?"
    "After what?"
    "After the Light Bringer comes and, you know, we kill everyone that doesn't do as we say?"
    "We live in His Kingdom, under His  light, and our serpent beasts will run free and wild for the rest of time.  He will have saved us from enslavement inside the false lord's prison city; that heaven the dumb-ass religions keep singing about."
    "Oh.  Okay, that sounds pretty cool."  (pg. 1113)

"What kind of a universe is this anyway?"  (pg. 1099)
    The Naked God is the concluding book of the trilogy.  The first two books are reviewed here (The Reality Dysfunction) and here (The Neutronium Alchemist).  Naturally, the question you have to ask is : "At 3600 pages, is it worth my time?"

    Well, Peter F. Hamilton gives you a struggle of cosmic proportions, dozen of worlds to explore, and lots of people (human, alien, living, dead, undead, and various combinations thereof) to follow along with.  Every 30-50 pages, he hops to another thread, so things stay varied.  There is life, death, romance, drama, action, hope, and  despair; and even a little comic relief to occasionally lighten the way.

    In the end, Hamilton succeeded in keeping me entertained for 3600 pages, and that's no small feat.  I'd recommend this to any Sci-Fi fan, particularly those who enjoy Space Opera.  OTOH, if you aren't such an enthusiast or you think any book that takes more than a day to read is too long, you might not want to tackle this.  9½ Stars.

The Neutronium Alchemist - Peter F. Hamilton

1997; 1137 pages.  New Author? : No.  Book #2 of the Night's Dawn Trilogy.  Genre : Space Opera.  Overall Rating : 8½*/10.

    The battle between the Possessed and the Unpossessed rages throughout the galaxy.  The Possessed hasten to infect as many habitats as they can; the Unpossessed struggle with immense logistical issues while learning ways to repel the menace.

    In the midst of all the chaos, a new danger emerges.  Dr. Alkad Mzu has escaped her 30-year house asrrest on the habitat Tranquility and seeks to reclaim the Doomsday device she developed, called the Neutronium Alchemist.  And while it is a threat to all, it is also a prize.  If either side manages to seize the Neutronium Alchemist, or even just capture Dr. Mzu, they gain the upper hand in the cosmic warfare.

What's To Like...
    This is epic Space Opera - a multitude of detailed worlds, races, gadgets and characters to explore and get acquainted with.  There is despair and brutality, but there is also hope and goodness.  The sex has been toned down in this second book, and a bit of comic relief has been added. most notably through a flower child possessor with a magic bus, who's helping to save a bunch of unpossessed children.  Hamilton even brings back two historical figures, Al Capone and Fletcher Christian, and both occupy important roles in the drama.

    There are very few purely Good or Evil characters.  Indeed, there are a lot of what we old AD&Ders call "chaotic evil" and "chaotic good" players, who often hinder their causes more than they help it.  It's fun to watch "lawful evil" Al Capone as he gets frustrated with his chaotic minions.

    There is a "Cast of Characters" at the back of the book, which is very helpful because there are a zillion storylines and people to keep track of.  It is hard to see how everything will be tidily resolved in one more book, but that's the "hook" to keep reading.  Oh yeah, there are also a couple "super agents" who act as observers in the action, and their presence offers tantalizing possibilities of this whole crisis being manipulated by higher powers.

Kewlest New Word...
Orrery : a mechanical model of the solar system.

Excerpts...
    "I'm sorry, Ralph, but as I said, you simply cannot threaten me.  Have you worked out why yet?  Have you worked out the real reason I will win?  It is because you will ultimately join me.  You are going to die, Ralph.  Today.  Tomorrow.  A year from now.  If you're lucky, in fifty years time.  It doesn't matter when.  It is entropy, it is fate, it is the way the universe works.  Death, not love, conquers all in the end.  And when you die, you will find yourself in the beyond.  That is when you and I will become brother and sister in the same fellowship.  United against the living.  Coveting the living."  (pg. 165)

    Al knew all about kilometres; they were what the French called miles.  (pg. 93)

    "Wait!  What are you observing us for?"
    "To see what happens, of course."
    "Happens?  You mean when the Kingdom attacks?"
    "No, that's not really important.  I want to see what the outcome is for your entire race now that the beyond has been revealed to you.  I must say, I'm becoming quite excited by the prospect.  After all, I have been waiting for this for a very long time.  It's my designated goal function."
    Moyo simply stared at him, astonishment and indignation taking the place of fear.  "How long?" was all he managed to whisper.
    "Eighteen centuries."  Rosler raised an arm in a cheery wave and walked away into the shadows...  (pg. 909)

"And what is the purpose of life?"  "To experience."  (pg. 388)
    For all its entertaining Space Opera theatrics, Peter F. Hamilton's The Neutronium Alchemist also gives you some fascinating spiritual what-if's to ponder.  What if all your soul does when you die is fall into a giant repository of other souls?  If that was your eternal fate, what would you do if, say after 600 years,  you were given the opportunity of coming back, albeit at the expense of taking over someone else's body and life?  And if you were among the living when such a "beyond" was revealed, how would it affect your actions and spiritual beliefs?

    The Neutronium Alchemist, like any Book 2 in a trilogy, is neither the beginning or the end of the tale.  It is action-packed from page one; but I can't say whether the Doomsday device plays a vital part in the story, or is just a tangent whose only purpose is to tide you over until Book 3.  The Neutronium Alchemist is not a stand-alone book, so you commit to reading 3600 pages when you take up this trilogy.  So far, I'd say it's worth it.  8½ Stars. 

The Reality Dysfunction - Peter F. Hamilton

1996; 1,094 pages (whew!). New Author? : Yes. Genre : Space Opera; Horror. Overall Rating : 9*/10.

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It's the 27th century. Mankind is exploring the galaxy and colonizing all sorts of inhabitable planets and asteroid systems. Bioengineering means most people live for more than a century; and something called an "affinity gene" can be implanted (to those who want it) which allows a "mind meld" with others with the gene; or even with a spaceship or an entire spaceport.

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But on a backwater, 3rd-rate planet called Lalonde, something has been unleashed. It takes over people's bodies and has incredible (but not infinite) powers. It overruns Lalonde and is now spreading to other planets. The ancients had a name for it : The Reality Dysfunction.

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What's To Like...

With 1100 pages to work with, Peter F. Hamilton gives you a vast, incredibly detailed, complex, and picturesque array of worlds. There is also a timeline at the beginning to cover the major points of the years 2000-2600 AD. That is a big help in getting acclimated to his universe.

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He also has time to develop a bunch of great characters. Even the bad guys are 3-D and a bit "gray". Best of all, a number of the developed characters get killed along the way, which makes it hard to guess whether they will survive a given crisis. I really like that.

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TRD is the first book of a trilogy, and most of it is focused on the good guys investigating the Reality Dysfunction - learning what it is, what its aims are, what its origins are, and (most importantly) how to combat it. The ending reminded me of the first Star Wars movie (Episode 4) - there is a climax of sorts, but on a grander scale, the stage is set for more epic things to come. Neither the Forces of Good nor the Forces of Evil are of one accord, which makes the conflict quite complicated.

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Be forewarned : there is a lot of sex (apparently a requisite for Space Opera), as well as a lot of graphic violence and gore. This is not one for the kiddies or anyone who's sensitive to these kinds of things. It is also not a stand-alone novel.

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Kewlest Word...

Shambolic : disorderly or chaotic (a Britishism).

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Excerpts...

"I wish I could stop you from feeling so much guilt," Peter had said. That was the day they had left the planet, the two of them waiting in the officers' mess of a navy spaceport while their shuttle was prepared.

"Wouldn't you feel guilty?" she asked irritably. She didn't want to talk, but she didn't want to be silent either.

"Yes. But not as much as you. You're taking the blame for the entire conflict. You shouldn't do that. Both of us, all of us, everyone on the planet, we're all being propelled by fate."

"How many despots and warlords have said that down through the centuries? I wonder," she retorted. (pgs. 11-12)

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Like most scavengers, Joshua thought he knew the Laymil well enough to build up a working image. In his mind they weren't so much different from humans. Weird shape, trisymmetric: three arms, three legs, three stumpy serpentlike sensor heads, standing slightly shorter than a man. Strange biochemistry: there were three sexes, one female egg-carrier, two male sperm-carriers. But essentially human in basic motivation; they ate and shitted, and had kids, and built machines, and put together a technological civilization, probably even cursed their boss and went for a drink after work. (pgs. 59-60)

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"I'm a futurologist ... on a one-way ride to eternity. I just get out of my time machine for a look round every now and then." (pg. 239)

You measure a Space Opera by how vibrant and believable its world is. You measure a Horror story by how much you feel the terror, which is no mean feat, considering you're simply sitting there reading the book. By both these criteria, The Reality Dysfunction is a first-rate story. Book 2 ("The Neutronium Alchemist") is on my TBR shelf. I'm sure it won't be long before I tackle it. 9 Stars.