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e_t_smith's review against another edition
1.0
By the time I finished it, I hated this book and it's put me off reading anything else by Hamilton.
The low points as I recall them with regret:
* The conflict filling up the first 80% of the book isn't what it's actually about. The story transitions (rather sloppily) to another plot entirely in that last remnant with only vague foreshadowing, leaving the first unresolved. The author probably thought this was clever, but it's actually frustrating.
* The protagonist is a petulant privileged man-child actively opposed to personal growth who, when
* The tone of the book is consistently cynical and pessimistic, repeatedly fumbling into a weak "screw it, why bother" message.
* There are long pointless digressions, the worst being a several-hundred page flashback to a farm on Earth adding no new insights and having no bearing on the rest of the story.
* Probably the most maddening thing about this book is that it has several interesting ideas worth building a good story around, but they get lost in the meandering text. This manuscript desperately needed the attentions of an ax-wielding editor to hack it down to something useful and box the author's ears until he got over his indulgent mid-life crisis sulk.
The low points as I recall them with regret:
* The conflict filling up the first 80% of the book isn't what it's actually about. The story transitions (rather sloppily) to another plot entirely in that last remnant with only vague foreshadowing, leaving the first unresolved. The author probably thought this was clever, but it's actually frustrating.
* The protagonist is a petulant privileged man-child actively opposed to personal growth who, when
Spoiler
offered the one-time opportunity to travel anywhere in time and space, squanders it on jumping back to high school so he can watch his favorite TV show and patch things up with his ex-girlfriend. Turns out this regressive ambition is the central goal of his adult life. By the way, said relationship with ex-girlfriend is fondly recalled almost entirely because she was sexually compliant.* The tone of the book is consistently cynical and pessimistic, repeatedly fumbling into a weak "screw it, why bother" message.
* There are long pointless digressions, the worst being a several-hundred page flashback to a farm on Earth adding no new insights and having no bearing on the rest of the story.
* Probably the most maddening thing about this book is that it has several interesting ideas worth building a good story around, but they get lost in the meandering text. This manuscript desperately needed the attentions of an ax-wielding editor to hack it down to something useful and box the author's ears until he got over his indulgent mid-life crisis sulk.
markusgmg's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
travelgirlut's review against another edition
3.0
This had a similar feel to Great North Road. It also goes way overboard on backstory and really doesn't go deep enough into the main story. It was entertaining, but I'm starting to wonder if Peter Hamilton is just rehashing the same idea over and over again.
corrompido's review against another edition
3.0
My father passed along this book as both he and I are of the opinion that Peter F. Hamilton is one of the better contemporary science fiction writers. He's also ridiculously prolific, always a nice characteristic in favorite writers.
Unlike most of his stories this one is contained in a single volume and not spread out over 3 or 6 books. The story is still pretty well laid out, but it keeps its focus on a single character instead of a multitude. It wasn't quiet up to Hamilton's big series that were so well paced and filled with excellent characters, but it was a very enjoyable read and a good story.
Unlike most of his stories this one is contained in a single volume and not spread out over 3 or 6 books. The story is still pretty well laid out, but it keeps its focus on a single character instead of a multitude. It wasn't quiet up to Hamilton's big series that were so well paced and filled with excellent characters, but it was a very enjoyable read and a good story.
amyiw's review against another edition
2.0
2 1/2 stars
OK to good but mostly OK.
One of my husband's favorite books. He was doing a reread so I decided to read along to be able to talk about it. Well, it certainly is not a favorite for me.
We've got 4 stories going on. 1. The fable of the prince that Denise tells the children, 2. Lawrence's history from childhood, first love, new life in the Z-B, and new love kind of. 3. Denise and her fighting the Z-B pirates coming back to raid her home with guerilla tactics herself. 4. Lawrence current situation raiding Fallspring under the law but trying to get his too as the first chapter shows.
These four stories continue to interrupt one another in jarring ways. Some of the stories drag and have tiring sports and sex described that just add pages. We finally see how they might interact somewhat but... over 1/2 way through.
Then we get all the horrid, forced ways to fight each other. I get all these tactics by both sides and hate them and wish any one of these people were actually kind of good. But no, they are all pretty bad. I'm over 1/2 way through and have to take another break. Too much pussy and fucking talk to make the guys look horrid, which they are since they don't think much of what they actually signed up for with Z-B. Cogs in the machine. **sigh** I'm waiting for the great scifi futuristic interesting things, but instead there is a lot of freaking politics, corporate politics. And sex in a very male centric view.
So the last 10% is a good story line but the characters, for me, are still irredeemable. The last 100 pages don't make up for the 700 of droning mostly on corporate politics, relationships that Lawrence has. I guess trying to make his character grow, it doesn't as he just goes back to the beginning to start over. Maybe he will have a happier life, we don't find out. Denise ends up in the same situation teaching kids. Maybe she is safer, maybe not. Simon is still horrid and should be shot himself, along with his clone. The dragons are strange but wondrous creatures and I don't see them having no judgment. Just never got there.
So, OK to good 2 1/2 stars, 1/2 star for the ending but pretty much just OK and doesn't make me want to read any more of this favorite author of my hubby. :-) Everyone see it differently and we had a great discussion about it. Still I'm not bumping it up, disjointed timeline, too many POVs and too many back stories that went on too long.
OK to good but mostly OK.
One of my husband's favorite books. He was doing a reread so I decided to read along to be able to talk about it. Well, it certainly is not a favorite for me.
We've got 4 stories going on. 1. The fable of the prince that Denise tells the children, 2. Lawrence's history from childhood, first love, new life in the Z-B, and new love kind of. 3. Denise and her fighting the Z-B pirates coming back to raid her home with guerilla tactics herself. 4. Lawrence current situation raiding Fallspring under the law but trying to get his too as the first chapter shows.
These four stories continue to interrupt one another in jarring ways. Some of the stories drag and have tiring sports and sex described that just add pages. We finally see how they might interact somewhat but... over 1/2 way through.
Then we get all the horrid, forced ways to fight each other.
Spoiler
Killing the soldiers and not the officers, the Officer's threaten death to innocent people if the resistance kills anyone with collars on children. Having an ass of a soldier going to a whore but then afterwards she ends up being a 15 year old and a set up to claim rape and now he is on death trial.So the last 10% is a good story line but the characters, for me, are still irredeemable. The last 100 pages don't make up for the 700 of droning mostly on corporate politics, relationships that Lawrence has. I guess trying to make his character grow, it doesn't as he just goes back to the beginning to start over. Maybe he will have a happier life, we don't find out. Denise ends up in the same situation teaching kids. Maybe she is safer, maybe not. Simon is still horrid and should be shot himself, along with his clone. The dragons are strange but wondrous creatures and I don't see them having no judgment. Just never got there.
So, OK to good 2 1/2 stars, 1/2 star for the ending but pretty much just OK and doesn't make me want to read any more of this favorite author of my hubby. :-) Everyone see it differently and we had a great discussion about it. Still I'm not bumping it up, disjointed timeline, too many POVs and too many back stories that went on too long.
wishanem's review against another edition
2.0
Of the 10 books I have read from this author, this is my least favorite. It has at least 3 or as many as 5 separate plot lines, depending on whether you count different point-of-view characters in the same time frame as a single plot line, and I found exactly one of them really engaging. The main problem with the others for me was that the characters were unlikable and there was so much information left out that I was constantly guessing at the meaning and context of their choices. By the end of the book I wasn't confused anymore, but for such a long novel the build-up took too long relative to the size and quality of the payoff.
barryhaworth's review against another edition
4.0
This is one I read a few years ago; a standalone Peter Hamilton novel. The setup is a little pessimist for a space geek like myself - interstellar travel is possible but exceedingly expensive, and the civilisation which made it possible is in the process of breaking down. Against this, a man on an alien planet has come across an alien technology which might change everything.
I enjoyed this book, and put it on my Christmas list as I wanted to read it again (though I haven't got round to doing so yet). The story and settings are up to Hamilton's usual standard, and the ending was one I found satisfactory.
Update: Finally got round to reading this book again as part of my 2019 new year's resolution to read through all the books in my bedside book pile. I was pleased to find that this book stands up well to re-reading, the first Peter Hamilton book which I have reread.
I enjoyed this book, and put it on my Christmas list as I wanted to read it again (though I haven't got round to doing so yet). The story and settings are up to Hamilton's usual standard, and the ending was one I found satisfactory.
Update: Finally got round to reading this book again as part of my 2019 new year's resolution to read through all the books in my bedside book pile. I was pleased to find that this book stands up well to re-reading, the first Peter Hamilton book which I have reread.
amgeever's review against another edition
5.0
Fallen Dragon is a smart, action-packed story of space pirates, regrets, and what one might do if they had a second chance at life. Excellent. I've read this book two times, about ten years apart, and loved it.