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A review by bulwerka
The Naked God by Peter F. Hamilton
5.0
After much toil and effort, I have finally finished the third book in the Night's Dawn trilogy, The Naked God, thus finishing a long and ultimately rewarding and satisfying journey into Peter F. Hamilton's imagination.
A 3500 page series was never going to be an easy accomplishment, and was often times frustrating and daunting. Don't let the length keep you away from these books, however, as they provide fantastic entertainment. They are well worth the effort.
*SPOILERS*
The Naked God picks up where The Neutronium Alchemist left off. Joshua Calvert has successfully recaptured Dr. Mzu and brought her back to Confederation space for judgment. However, word has reached the Confederation that the Tyrathca encountered a being in deep space that may help solve the possession problem. Joshua is tabbed, along with his old adversary Syrinx, to encounter this "sleeping god" and bring an end to the reality dysfunction.
In the meantime, Louise Cavanaugh, refugee and orphan from the quaint world Norfolk, is closing in on Earth, along with Quinn Dexter, who is bent on revenge against his old master. The fight between Louise and Quinn threatens to destroy the arcologies of Earth.
In the Kulu Kingdom, the military is planning a brutal campaign to subdue the possessed and win a psychological, if not political, victory of the possessed.
Finally, Al Capone and the Organization are struggling to maintain their ill-gotten gains, but infighting between the various factions threaten to unravel everything they have built.
*END SPOILERS*
Looking back on all the various story-lines of the novel, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of plots and characters Hamilton writes about. I found myself mixing up some of the names here and there, but overall Hamilton does an excellent job of pacing and narrative that it remains coherent throughout.
These books took me a long time to read, more from external factors than sheer length, but there was no question that I wanted to keep coming back to them. Peter F. Hamilton is probably one of, if not the best world builder active in SciFi. Between Night's Dawn and the Commonwealth universes, there is a depth and wealth ripe for exploration, and Hamilton does it with aplomb.
On a pure writing level, Hamilton does an excellent job of pacing and exposition. The reader feels like they are moving through the events of the universe at a steady pace. The universe unfolds in a way that you aren't lost as a reader, without getting bogged down in too much explanation and Tolkienian sidetracks.
Characters stick out in these books. You root for Calvert and Syrinx, you despise Quinn Dexter, but the shining light is Louise. She has matured so much of the course of the books, from what was once a naive and petulant child to a strong-willed, brave, if not out of her depth woman.
There's so much involved in this trilogy that it makes for compelling reading to watch the characters grow or crumble in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds.
Without giving too much away, The Naked God builds to an excellent climax, and in the end leaves the reader satisfied. The end is definitely a bit of a deus ex machina, however, it certainly doesn't seem out of place in Hamilton's universe, and again leaves the reader satisfied.
The reader is left contemplating serious issues of life after death, the beyond, and what it means to be human. As with any of the best SciFi, an entertaining read should leave the reader with important issues to contemplate.
Overall, the books are a joy to read. And I highly recommend you start The Reality Dysfunction right away!
Final Verdict: A
Fantastic journey, fantastic characters, fantastic read
(read this review and many others at SciFi Readers)
A 3500 page series was never going to be an easy accomplishment, and was often times frustrating and daunting. Don't let the length keep you away from these books, however, as they provide fantastic entertainment. They are well worth the effort.
*SPOILERS*
The Naked God picks up where The Neutronium Alchemist left off. Joshua Calvert has successfully recaptured Dr. Mzu and brought her back to Confederation space for judgment. However, word has reached the Confederation that the Tyrathca encountered a being in deep space that may help solve the possession problem. Joshua is tabbed, along with his old adversary Syrinx, to encounter this "sleeping god" and bring an end to the reality dysfunction.
In the meantime, Louise Cavanaugh, refugee and orphan from the quaint world Norfolk, is closing in on Earth, along with Quinn Dexter, who is bent on revenge against his old master. The fight between Louise and Quinn threatens to destroy the arcologies of Earth.
In the Kulu Kingdom, the military is planning a brutal campaign to subdue the possessed and win a psychological, if not political, victory of the possessed.
Finally, Al Capone and the Organization are struggling to maintain their ill-gotten gains, but infighting between the various factions threaten to unravel everything they have built.
*END SPOILERS*
Looking back on all the various story-lines of the novel, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of plots and characters Hamilton writes about. I found myself mixing up some of the names here and there, but overall Hamilton does an excellent job of pacing and narrative that it remains coherent throughout.
These books took me a long time to read, more from external factors than sheer length, but there was no question that I wanted to keep coming back to them. Peter F. Hamilton is probably one of, if not the best world builder active in SciFi. Between Night's Dawn and the Commonwealth universes, there is a depth and wealth ripe for exploration, and Hamilton does it with aplomb.
On a pure writing level, Hamilton does an excellent job of pacing and exposition. The reader feels like they are moving through the events of the universe at a steady pace. The universe unfolds in a way that you aren't lost as a reader, without getting bogged down in too much explanation and Tolkienian sidetracks.
Characters stick out in these books. You root for Calvert and Syrinx, you despise Quinn Dexter, but the shining light is Louise. She has matured so much of the course of the books, from what was once a naive and petulant child to a strong-willed, brave, if not out of her depth woman.
There's so much involved in this trilogy that it makes for compelling reading to watch the characters grow or crumble in the face of sometimes overwhelming odds.
Without giving too much away, The Naked God builds to an excellent climax, and in the end leaves the reader satisfied. The end is definitely a bit of a deus ex machina, however, it certainly doesn't seem out of place in Hamilton's universe, and again leaves the reader satisfied.
The reader is left contemplating serious issues of life after death, the beyond, and what it means to be human. As with any of the best SciFi, an entertaining read should leave the reader with important issues to contemplate.
Overall, the books are a joy to read. And I highly recommend you start The Reality Dysfunction right away!
Final Verdict: A
Fantastic journey, fantastic characters, fantastic read
(read this review and many others at SciFi Readers)