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uncleanjoe 's review for:
Pandora's Star
by Peter F. Hamilton
It is never a good sign when you start skipping paragraphs in a book to try and finish it as fast as possible. Reading becomes a chore, and I really found this book to be too bloated for its own good, with whole plot lines and characters that I felt could have been removed. There is a really interesting mystery at the heart of this novel, which kept me slogging along to the end, only to discover that the true conclusion comes in the sequel. But to give Peter Hamilton his due, the universe he created is absolutely fascinating, even breathtaking at times. It hinges on two technologies, wormhole travel and cellular rejuvenation, resulting a human race which is both immortal and expansive. There are hints of social commentary in the text, which might have been interesting to explore, but the bulk of the novel focuses on the oligarchs of humanity and their lifestyle of immortal excess. Oh and lots of sex, this is a very horny universe with very horny humans. This is explained as a byproduct of rejuvenation, that old people who are made young again would only want one thing, sex.
To focus on some of the positives, I found the storyline focusing on Ozzie as he followed the Silfen (aka space elves) paths some of the strongest material in the book. The worlds they visited were wonderfully exotic and the entire endeavor seamlessly fit into the overall story of the impending alien invasion. On the other end of the spectrum I was baffled by the character of Mellanie. She is introduced as a seemingly throwaway side character, who then seems to skyrocket into important (on a galactic scale) in the final 200 pages of the book. In my opinion she wasn't established properly which led to her being a very unlikable one dimensional femme fatal character. She was another aspect of the novel which I wish would have been cut, but perhaps she'll be instrumental in the sequel, if I ever get around to reading it.
To conclude, Peter Hamilton had some great ideas in Pandora's Star, some wonderful world building and imaginative technological advancements. When he stuck to the core of the novel, the mystery concerning the Starflyer alien and its influence on human affairs, I was enthralled. But it was the bloat which made the reading experience a chore, as whole chapters and characters of the novel felt inconsequential to that greater mystery.
2.5/5 stars
To focus on some of the positives, I found the storyline focusing on Ozzie as he followed the Silfen (aka space elves) paths some of the strongest material in the book. The worlds they visited were wonderfully exotic and the entire endeavor seamlessly fit into the overall story of the impending alien invasion. On the other end of the spectrum I was baffled by the character of Mellanie. She is introduced as a seemingly throwaway side character, who then seems to skyrocket into important (on a galactic scale) in the final 200 pages of the book. In my opinion she wasn't established properly which led to her being a very unlikable one dimensional femme fatal character. She was another aspect of the novel which I wish would have been cut, but perhaps she'll be instrumental in the sequel, if I ever get around to reading it.
To conclude, Peter Hamilton had some great ideas in Pandora's Star, some wonderful world building and imaginative technological advancements. When he stuck to the core of the novel, the mystery concerning the Starflyer alien and its influence on human affairs, I was enthralled. But it was the bloat which made the reading experience a chore, as whole chapters and characters of the novel felt inconsequential to that greater mystery.
2.5/5 stars