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Review: Peter F. Hamilton builds his biggest space opera yet in The Temporal Void
Peter F. Hamilton builds big. Big concepts, big characters, big events. And that's really the only way to go with space opera. After all, who ever heard of a "miniaturist galactic empire"?
Since his debut in 1993, Hamilton has picked up all the traditional tools of the trade and made them uniquely his own. Vast interstellar distances and large constructions; assorted aliens and exotic humans; super-science technology and weird landscapes; deep time and long histories; decay and rebirth; restless travel and planetary rootedness; loner agents and institutional power structures.
You'll find all this and more in The Temporal Void, a sequel to The Dreaming Void (2008), itself connected to two previous novels explicating a future timeline of some 1500 years known as "the Commonwealth Saga."
This generously overstuffed new book (which will seduce even newbie readers with sufficient get-up-to-speed backstory) features not merely one star-spanning civilization—composed of real humans (baseline and modified), virtual humans, AIs and assorted aliens—but also a second well-rendered realm, a psychic-power- oriented, non-tech "medieval" culture contained within the eponymous Void, which is a mysterious presence/absence at the center of our galaxy that is threatening to destroy all creation as it lurches through a series of growth spurts triggered by interference from two "Dreamers" in our human realm.
And, of course, back in that familiar ekumene, numerous crisply delineated factions and individuals struggle believably for power, justice, pleasure and their dreams of a new life inside what they perceive to be the utopian Void. But to the inhabitants of the Void, such as crime investigator Edeard, such eternal features as politics and police work and sex continue to fill their "mundane" days.
Hamilton's vibrant language partakes of both old-fashioned space-opera thrills and postmodern conceits.
"The combatbots added three proton laser strikes to the impact ... The force field collapsed in a devastating shock wave ... " "An exotic energy scrambler field ... prevented anyone from teleporting in or opening a wormhole inside." "Secondary thought routines in her macrocellular clusters managed to resolve the man's features."
All leading up to the climactic metaphysical revelation about the true nature of the Void, revealed only 700 pages into this middle book of what will surely be a hailed as a landmark in the space opera mode.
By CharlesN at 8:26 AM ON 04/23/09
Peter Hamilton is one of the greatest talents out there. The worlds he builds are so detailed and three dimensional. The Night's Dawn trilogy is my favorite series of all time. I've read the first two books in the Void Trilogy and can't wait for the third to be released.
By reddwarf23 at 10:01 AM ON 04/23/09
Someone should option his commonwealth operas for a TV series. I think they would be great!!!
Is anyone listening hollywood?? SyFy????
By reddwarf23 at 10:02 AM ON 04/23/09
Someone should option his commonwealth operas for a TV series. I think they would be great!!!
Is anyone listening hollywood?? SyFy????
By Arcangel at 10:13 AM ON 04/23/09
Peter F. Hamilton is a Space Opera Author/Writing God! :)
I have enjoyed his work ever since picking up the first book in his mega series Reality Dysfunction/Nuetronium Alchemist/Naked God series!
I have yet to be disappointed by anything thing of his I have read!
I need to start reading the Commonwealth Saga ASAP before I pick up his newest one
By Someone Else at 2:13 PM ON 04/23/09
I first fell in love with his writing with the Commonwealth Saga, and have since read everything of his that I can get my hands on (so far I've only NOT read "Mispent Youth," "Second Chance at Eden," and the "The Confederation Handbook" -- not counting his short fiction, which I tend not to read anyways).
He immediately went to the upper echelons of my favorite authors list.
Can't wait to read the final book in the Void series!
As to a movie or TV series, I'd love it, but I think it would be too big, too expensive and too long to actually get picked up by anyone. Maybe, just maybe, somebody like HBO could do it right.
By PJK at 3:54 PM ON 04/23/09
I actually first encountered the work of Peter F. Hamilton when I read The Nano Flower (the third book in the Greg Mandel series).
This book immediately made me sit up and take notice. I worked my way backwards in the series, since these books where the only PFH books out at that time.
He's never disappointed me, except maybe with Mispent Youth which felt slightly off (although it works ok as a introductory book for the first commonwealth series).
By jKat at 5:50 PM ON 04/23/09
My all time favorite The Foundation Trilogy was bumped to second place by the Naked God series. Four augmented-thumbs up!
By Andreas at 2:47 AM ON 04/24/09
I love Hamilton, but I shall refrain from buying and reading this trilogy until the last book is out. I made that mistake with both "Commonwealth" and "Night's Dawn". The story is just too complex to keep in my head until I wait for the conclusion.
"so far I've only NOT read "Mispent Youth," "Second Chance at Eden," and the "The Confederation Handbook" -- not counting his short fiction, which I tend not to read anyways"
"Second Chance" is a short story collection. The Handbook is simply a guide to the "Night's Dawn" trilogy, not a work of fiction in itself.
"Naked God series". Properly monikered "Night's Dawn".
By Rick York at 8:17 PM ON 04/24/09
Andreas, et al.
I too am a huge Hamilton fan. But, buying the books when they come out gives me an excuse to re-read the earlier books in the series. And, Hamilton is as good the second (or third) time around.
By Tekzel at 10:26 PM ON 05/07/09
I know I am late to this story, but I have to throw in my support: Peter F. Hamilton is my favorite author out there right now. My first encounter with him was in "Fallen Dragon" and I instantly fell in love with his writing. Its comfortable, fun, and his characters come alive on the pages. They are absolutely believable. I read the Night's Dawn trilogy (which was 6 huge paperbacks) and while it was epic in scope, it didn't seem too big. The Greg Mandel series was great as well. Just an amazing author.
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Tekzel:
I know I am late to this story, but I have to throw in my support: Peter F. Hamilton is my favorite author out the...More »