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A review by jontia
Hidden Empire by Kevin J. Anderson
2.0
This is the first book of Anderson's Saga. In total, the hint's in the name, this runs out to seven books. So if you're looking for galaxy spanning light entertainment that'll take a while to get through you've come to the right place.
The best advice I can give you is to try the library for this first in the series to see if you want to invest in the whole saga. The books are written in very short chapters, each flicking to a different character separated by vast distances and on occasion large chunks of time. While it's very easy to read the changing view point can be distracting. Just as you're getting the hang of one voice a new one shows up taking the story off in a different direction.
As a whole, personally I think a trilogy would have been a better choice, the endless sub-plots and character swapping serve only to lengthen what could have been a much faster paced and enthralling story. Too much time is spent on characters that are a bit two-dimensional and many don't get that far.
If you're looking for a thought provoking galaxy spanning epic, I'd suggest the Uplift universe or the original Dune books. If you're looking for something light but lengthy try the Saga.
The best advice I can give you is to try the library for this first in the series to see if you want to invest in the whole saga. The books are written in very short chapters, each flicking to a different character separated by vast distances and on occasion large chunks of time. While it's very easy to read the changing view point can be distracting. Just as you're getting the hang of one voice a new one shows up taking the story off in a different direction.
As a whole, personally I think a trilogy would have been a better choice, the endless sub-plots and character swapping serve only to lengthen what could have been a much faster paced and enthralling story. Too much time is spent on characters that are a bit two-dimensional and many don't get that far.
If you're looking for a thought provoking galaxy spanning epic, I'd suggest the Uplift universe or the original Dune books. If you're looking for something light but lengthy try the Saga.