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secre 's review for:
Pandora's Star
by Peter F. Hamilton
I might change this rating at some point because if there was ever a good that needs a half star, it's this one. Because for a 1100 page novel, the first 500 pages should have been condensed to 250 pages And then finally the pace picks up to what feels more natural. And then the last 150 pages go by in a whirlwind of action and events. That suggests pacing issues and means the book could have been better. So it's between 3 and 4. Threour. Something like that.
But something kept me plodding through the first 500 pages, long after I'd have given up on a really boring story no matter how much my fiancé extols it. It was well written, well described, well expanded but the bloating of that first half is the mark of a poor editor in my personal opinion. My fiancé thinks differently though, he enjoyed being emerged in the slow life stories of the many protagonists. And so did I... just not for 500 pages! This is an epic tome... I could just have done with the epicness being better paced rather than so ploddingly slow for as long as most books are in their entirety.
Because whilst there are some genius notions and I have to applaud Hamilton's imagination and ability to capture the larger picture through a myriad of singular viewpoints, there is no denying that this is a victim of bloating. Huge swathes of extraneous description could easily be cut or at least condensed. Whilst the background of some of the characters is really quite interesting, others again just seem to go on forever.
From that half way point, certainly does pick up though. And eventually, it doesn't let up and doesn't let go of you until the very end... which leaves you gasping for more... and that is the mark of a very good author. Make of that what you will. The characters start to really twine together and the threat of the aliens has materialised... and Hamilton writes well enough to propel you through the pages at one heck of a clip.
Also, Starflyer and Primes are nothing like I had imagined reading the Void trilogy! It's going to take my brain quite a while to get over the sheer alienness of them!
But something kept me plodding through the first 500 pages, long after I'd have given up on a really boring story no matter how much my fiancé extols it. It was well written, well described, well expanded but the bloating of that first half is the mark of a poor editor in my personal opinion. My fiancé thinks differently though, he enjoyed being emerged in the slow life stories of the many protagonists. And so did I... just not for 500 pages! This is an epic tome... I could just have done with the epicness being better paced rather than so ploddingly slow for as long as most books are in their entirety.
Because whilst there are some genius notions and I have to applaud Hamilton's imagination and ability to capture the larger picture through a myriad of singular viewpoints, there is no denying that this is a victim of bloating. Huge swathes of extraneous description could easily be cut or at least condensed. Whilst the background of some of the characters is really quite interesting, others again just seem to go on forever.
From that half way point, certainly does pick up though. And eventually, it doesn't let up and doesn't let go of you until the very end... which leaves you gasping for more... and that is the mark of a very good author. Make of that what you will. The characters start to really twine together and the threat of the aliens has materialised... and Hamilton writes well enough to propel you through the pages at one heck of a clip.
Also, Starflyer and Primes are nothing like I had imagined reading the Void trilogy! It's going to take my brain quite a while to get over the sheer alienness of them!