Take a photo of a barcode or cover
brents 's review for:
Pandora's Star
by Peter F. Hamilton
Very frustrating book. Lots of very cool concepts and technology and ideas. Very bland characters but there are also a lot of them so they are hard to distinguish. Also it's one of the most infodumpy books I've ever read. It seemed like every chapter was a new planet with every single thing described in excruciating detail. This would kill the story momentum because just as something really cool would happen it would shift to a large info dump or one of several very boring storylines. There were really interesting parts as well, but often just as I was getting into one of those we'd shift back to some crime investigation plot or something else that didn't seem connected to the overall story at all. It did get really good towards the end before ending on a cliffhanger.
In short this book is just way too long. If it was more focused on the stuff that was really interesting it would be great. As it is it's just sort of ok.
Update: After my re-read of this book I have to say my enjoyment of it increased quite a bit. When I read it the first time I wasn't as experienced of a reader and especially true of sci fi. I think I went in not knowing what to expect and it hurt a bit. This time I went in expecting an ensemble cast, an expansive story told over many different planets, and several plot threads that weave together. This time I had much more appreciate for the extremely cool technology, and how Hamilton extrapolates how that tech might affect the development of society and space flight and things like that. I think at least one conclusion he draws is pretty wrong in my opinion, but it's not a big deal. Yes there is still an issue I have about some sub plots that seem unconnected, but on this re-read I was able to pay closer attention and see what he was trying to do with developing character there. I still could have done without the murder subplot. The others tie together into the main story pretty nicely. And without spoiling I'll just say yes there is alien shit in this book, and it's absolutely incredible. There's one chapter that blew me away that I definitely didn't appreciate as much the first time. The ending/climax of the book still slaps and the cliffhanger is quite a hook. Just make sure you have Judas Unchained ready to go.
In short this book is just way too long. If it was more focused on the stuff that was really interesting it would be great. As it is it's just sort of ok.
Update: After my re-read of this book I have to say my enjoyment of it increased quite a bit. When I read it the first time I wasn't as experienced of a reader and especially true of sci fi. I think I went in not knowing what to expect and it hurt a bit. This time I went in expecting an ensemble cast, an expansive story told over many different planets, and several plot threads that weave together. This time I had much more appreciate for the extremely cool technology, and how Hamilton extrapolates how that tech might affect the development of society and space flight and things like that. I think at least one conclusion he draws is pretty wrong in my opinion, but it's not a big deal. Yes there is still an issue I have about some sub plots that seem unconnected, but on this re-read I was able to pay closer attention and see what he was trying to do with developing character there. I still could have done without the murder subplot. The others tie together into the main story pretty nicely. And without spoiling I'll just say yes there is alien shit in this book, and it's absolutely incredible. There's one chapter that blew me away that I definitely didn't appreciate as much the first time. The ending/climax of the book still slaps and the cliffhanger is quite a hook. Just make sure you have Judas Unchained ready to go.