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Pandora's Star

By Peter F. Hamilton

(58)

| Mass Market Paperback | 9780345479211

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Book Description

Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F. Hamilton to the classic sagas of such sf giants as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. But Hamilton’s bestselling fiction—powered by a fearless imagination and world-class storytelling skills—has also earned him comparison to Tolstoy and Dickens. Hugely ambitious, wildly entertaining, philosophically stimulating: the novels of Peter F. Hamilton will change the way you think about science fiction. Now, with Pandora’s Star, he begins a new multivolume adventure, one that promises to be his most mind-blowing yet.

The year is 2380. The Intersolar Commonwealth, a sphere of stars some four hundred light-years in diameter, contains more than six hundred worlds, interconnected by a web of transport “tunnels” known as wormholes. At the farthest edge of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose observes the impossible: Over one thousand light-years away, a star . . . vanishes. It does not go supernova. It does not collapse into a black hole. It simply disappears. Since the location is too distant to reach by wormhole, a faster-than-light starship, the Second Chance, is dispatched to learn what has occurred and whether it represents a threat. In command is Wilson Kime, a five-time rejuvenated ex-NASA pilot whose glory days are centuries behind him.

Opposed to the mission are the Guardians of Selfhood, a cult that believes the human race is being manipulated by an alien entity they call the Starflyer. Bradley Johansson, leader of the Guardians, warns of sabotage, fearing the Starflyer means to use the starship’s mission for its own ends,.

Pursued by a Commonwealth special agent convinced the Guardians are crazy but dangerous, Johansson flees. But the danger is not averted. Aboard the Second Chance, Kime wonders if his crew has been infiltrated. Soon enough, he will have other worries. A thousand light-years away, something truly incredible is waiting: a deadly discovery whose unleashing will threaten to destroy the Commonwealth . . . and humanity itself.

Could it be that Johansson was right?

From the Hardcover edition.

Critics

Green Review: Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton (Pan)

Pandora’s Star by Peter F. Hamilton Out Now in Paperback from Pan Macmillan (cover from the Sept ’10 reissue) There is only one place to start when talking about Pandora’s Star. It’s size. At 1152 pages of big. But it’s not only the time that you inv ... (read full critics)

nextread published on Fri, 24 Sep 2010

The Best Reviews: Peter F. Hamilton, Pandora's Star

"Powerfully compelling space opera" It is the golden age of humanity thanks to Nigel Sheldon and Ozzie Isaac, the two scientists who developed the math that made wormhole technology possible. Mankind travels between the six hundred colonized worlds b ... (read full critics)

thebestreviews published on Thu, 16 Sep 2010

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5 Reviews

1 person find this helpful

Amazing SCI-FI universe

Reading this book it is like to see a movie, or better, to live this sci-fi reality in first person. There are a lot of new exciting technologies, civilizations...I can't stop reading it

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MauCollu said on Nov 12, 2007 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback

*** This comment contains spoilers! ***

Pandora's Star will pull you in

You can read my complete review on my blog: http://laibcoms.com/pandoras-star
I applaud Hamilton in his way of building up the invasion. Because he introduced a lot of characters and let us lived with each as if we were them, the invasion gave an intense feeling as by this time we were already in t ... (continue)

You can read my complete review on my blog: http://laibcoms.com/pandoras-star
I applaud Hamilton in his way of building up the invasion. Because he introduced a lot of characters and let us lived with each as if we were them, the invasion gave an intense feeling as by this time we were already in their world. It also justifies the length of the book – 988 pages, font size 11.5, with a .8 line-spacing and why you should not skip anything.
Combine his method of thoroughly describing the world around, I can truly say that I was there during the invasion. The 800 pages or so building up the characters ended up being a built-up of the world and the invasion. It simply pulled me in. It immersed me. I was really there with them.
No other book brought this level of immersion to me. Hamilton disproved me that immersion is only possible with role-playing games – no, it is possible in books as well. First book and I am now a Hamilton fan. Different characters across 600 planets with independent stories all weaving together at the end. Peter Hamilton is indeed the best in Epic Space Operas.
You can read my complete review on my blog: http://laibcoms.com/pandoras-star

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JC John 施洗 Sese 謝 Cuneta said on Oct 6, 2010 | Add your feedback

If yu couldn't get enough of Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction, these books are for you. His style of story telling is masterfull. The characters come alive and once again the story line really keeps you turning the pages. The second book is called Judas Unchained.

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Duke441967 said on Oct 22, 2009 about the Others edition | Add your feedback

Vast numbers of characters spread across a very detailed world/galaxy. So many threads at the beginning make for a difficult and slow start. Some of the details also feel they are there just for the sake of detail. However, once the pace start picking up, I couldn't put it down. Going to read it ... (continue)

Vast numbers of characters spread across a very detailed world/galaxy. So many threads at the beginning make for a difficult and slow start. Some of the details also feel they are there just for the sake of detail. However, once the pace start picking up, I couldn't put it down. Going to read it again before moving onto Judas Unchained (the conclusion).

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Eric Lai said on Jun 22, 2009 | Add your feedback

Slow but excellent build up

It was a little boring to read at first; my guess, based on how this book ended, the author wanted to give as much detail about the story and characters as he could, which actually was great. I love all the detail that went into telling the story of the commonwealth, and the subsequent events that b ... (continue)

It was a little boring to read at first; my guess, based on how this book ended, the author wanted to give as much detail about the story and characters as he could, which actually was great. I love all the detail that went into telling the story of the commonwealth, and the subsequent events that befall it.
Can't wait to start the second book, Judas Unchained, later today.

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Omar said on Sep 27, 2008 about the Paperback edition | Add your feedback