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dadreadsstuff's review against another edition
5.0
Trying to get any leisure reading done with school, work, and family is much harder than I thought. Took me about a month to finish this. But it was worth it.
I read the first five books of this series many years ago. I hadn't read any space opera and didn't even know what that meant at the time. I just wanted to read something with a bunch of aliens and space problems and I got lucky at the library. I never finished the series. Not sure why. But about a month ago I started wanting to go back to some sci-fi because I had been reading horror and fantasy for years.
Does this book have flaws? Sure. But I found it easy to ignore them because the world is massive and the different types of characters were a blast. The conflict is epic and the many different storylines that interweave are fascinating.
A really scary enemy in the sky threatening the whole universe, forcing groups of people who otherwise hate each other to work for survival together. It's like a fantasy in space. Freaking fantastic!
I read the first five books of this series many years ago. I hadn't read any space opera and didn't even know what that meant at the time. I just wanted to read something with a bunch of aliens and space problems and I got lucky at the library. I never finished the series. Not sure why. But about a month ago I started wanting to go back to some sci-fi because I had been reading horror and fantasy for years.
Does this book have flaws? Sure. But I found it easy to ignore them because the world is massive and the different types of characters were a blast. The conflict is epic and the many different storylines that interweave are fascinating.
A really scary enemy in the sky threatening the whole universe, forcing groups of people who otherwise hate each other to work for survival together. It's like a fantasy in space. Freaking fantastic!
payal_reads_alot's review against another edition
3.0
I'm so torn about this book. I can't tell if I liked it but I know I didn't hate it. Here's what I liked about the book.
1. Fascinating details about interstellar travels and lifestyle.
2. Change in human genetics due to isolation and environment (green priests).
3. Introduction of peaceful Aliens (Ildirans).
4. Differences in lifestyle between humans and aliens.
5. Types of robots and the work they did.
6. The ruling structure - I imagined that it sounds rather close to what we can expect from an empire.
Here's what I didn't like about it.
1. Flat characters.
2. Mining. Why does a space saga always, always involve mining?
3. Lack luster romance - it tried and failed rather spectacularly at invoking feelings.
4. Overall boring. It read like a history book; drab and droning.
5. Really short chapters. It did nothing to improve the book since these were too short to give rather good handle on each of the characters.
6. The ending, ugh! I know it is part of a series, but that ending was horrible.
I'll say its close to 2.5 but will round it up to 3.
1. Fascinating details about interstellar travels and lifestyle.
2. Change in human genetics due to isolation and environment (green priests).
3. Introduction of peaceful Aliens (Ildirans).
4. Differences in lifestyle between humans and aliens.
5. Types of robots and the work they did.
6. The ruling structure - I imagined that it sounds rather close to what we can expect from an empire.
Here's what I didn't like about it.
1. Flat characters.
2. Mining. Why does a space saga always, always involve mining?
3. Lack luster romance - it tried and failed rather spectacularly at invoking feelings.
4. Overall boring. It read like a history book; drab and droning.
5. Really short chapters. It did nothing to improve the book since these were too short to give rather good handle on each of the characters.
6. The ending, ugh! I know it is part of a series, but that ending was horrible.
I'll say its close to 2.5 but will round it up to 3.
winterscomin's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
thinde's review against another edition
3.0
It's been so long since I read this series that I can't really review it. I do remember enjoying it more as each book came out and I intend to reread them all at some point, so there's that.
howattp's review against another edition
4.0
In Hidden Empire, Kevin J. Anderson has set up a vast science fiction epic, a formidable enemy, and an ensemble cast of characters.
majkia's review against another edition
5.0
Humans have reached the stars and are quite determined to take control of every system they can find. They discover some tech that had been developed by an extinct alien race, and use it to light up a gas giant and turn it into a star. When lights rise from the planet no one takes any particular heed. Until factories in orbit around other gas giants are suddenly attacked by a previously unknown race. Or, perhaps the knowledge of this alien species has been hidden?
Anderson can spin a yarn and populate a galaxy with complex civilizations of many species. The action, a bit slow to start, heats up into a galactic war that threatens to destroy humans outright.
And, semi-sentient trees!
Cliff hangers, alas, but not personal ones. Just an ongoing story far too big to fit into one book.
Anderson can spin a yarn and populate a galaxy with complex civilizations of many species. The action, a bit slow to start, heats up into a galactic war that threatens to destroy humans outright.
And, semi-sentient trees!
Cliff hangers, alas, but not personal ones. Just an ongoing story far too big to fit into one book.
rixx's review against another edition
3.0
2-3 stars for me. This is … space fantasy? A space epic? I wouldn't call it scifi, and it reminds me of Star Wars (although more thought was put into it). The writing had some seriously weak moments, large plot elements were predictable, and, the worst, all characters were clearly good or evil. It was never phrased like that, but c'mon. Seriously, that's no fun.
I liked the backstory, the different types of human and alien settlements (and of course the Roamers, which are clearly the coolest. But again, they're meant to be the coolest, meh). The story was, well, ok.
I liked the backstory, the different types of human and alien settlements (and of course the Roamers, which are clearly the coolest. But again, they're meant to be the coolest, meh). The story was, well, ok.
midnightgarden's review
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
waden34's review against another edition
3.0
Very hard book to get into. There are dozens of separate story lines that don't come together until at least half way through the book. About that point, things do get interesting and the overall storyline is worth reading. Unfortunately, there is no resolution at the end of the book, only a setup for the continuation of the series.
sirlancelot2021's review
adventurous
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0