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hellsfire's review against another edition
3.0
This Void trilogy is a bit different from most books. It has two completely different stories--one sci-fi, one fantasy. To be perfectly honest, I would rather read the fantasy book about Edeard and what he went through. I find that far more interesting.
The problem with the sci-fi book is that I can't relate to the technology at all. I've also not read the books in the previous trilogies so I don't know the characters all too well and there are a lot of them. I just feel like there's a lot of background stuff I'm missing. The only plot I do enjoy and can understand is the Second Dreamer one.
Edeard's is a lot simpler. Sure, the political and law stuff does drag on and the naming of characters can be a bit tedious but at least I know the major characters and their agenda. The only problem I have is with the ending. It took me for a complete loop going into a direction I didn't think it would. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
I'm curious to see how it ends and the new direction Edeard's story went.
The problem with the sci-fi book is that I can't relate to the technology at all. I've also not read the books in the previous trilogies so I don't know the characters all too well and there are a lot of them. I just feel like there's a lot of background stuff I'm missing. The only plot I do enjoy and can understand is the Second Dreamer one.
Edeard's is a lot simpler. Sure, the political and law stuff does drag on and the naming of characters can be a bit tedious but at least I know the major characters and their agenda. The only problem I have is with the ending. It took me for a complete loop going into a direction I didn't think it would. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing.
I'm curious to see how it ends and the new direction Edeard's story went.
hank's review against another edition
4.0
Still loving the series, Hamilton knows how to write opera. Killer technical jargon yet still character driven. Hard to put down. Salranna rang a bit false towards the end but other than that I am completely immersed and see no flaws.
suzemo's review against another edition
2.0
The doorstop continuation of the doorstop first book (so, second in the trilogy). Characters continue marching their way to the, no doubt, dramatic conclusion. We still have the alternating stories between Edeard (of Inigo's dreams) in Makkathran, in the Void, in the past, and all of the agents of various factions in the future, squabbling and fighting to see who's faction can make it into the Void/keep everyone out of the Void/find the second Dreamer/hide the second Dreamer/help the second Dreamer.
It still feels very 90s, it's still really sexist writing (in a microaggression kind of way, it's annoying and I notice it, because I"m female, but I'm sure plenty of people wouldn't notice/feel that way).
Hate the gratuitous animal killing/deaths (not that it could be helped, but I just don't like it in my books if I can avoid it, call me sensitive).
So far it's just still OK. The reader, John Lee, makes everything better, because he's an awesome audiobook narrator.
It still feels very 90s, it's still really sexist writing (in a microaggression kind of way, it's annoying and I notice it, because I"m female, but I'm sure plenty of people wouldn't notice/feel that way).
Hate the gratuitous animal killing/deaths (not that it could be helped, but I just don't like it in my books if I can avoid it, call me sensitive).
So far it's just still OK. The reader, John Lee, makes everything better, because he's an awesome audiobook narrator.
elbaso's review against another edition
5.0
Great book, though it did drag a bit (as the second of a trilogy is wont to do).
It's kind of inaccessible to people who aren't fans of hard science fiction, and isn't as approachable as the Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained books (which must be read before attempting this trilogy).
Still, highly recommended.
It's kind of inaccessible to people who aren't fans of hard science fiction, and isn't as approachable as the Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained books (which must be read before attempting this trilogy).
Still, highly recommended.
konain's review against another edition
2.0
Minus two stars for the inordinately long passages of the void which degenerated into a very mediocre young adult fantasy.
Minus one for poor characterisation and making the characters from the Commonwealth saga poor caricatures of themselves.
Minus one for poor characterisation and making the characters from the Commonwealth saga poor caricatures of themselves.
ianl1963's review against another edition
3.0
Not sure if author wrote for penthouse?
Contempt for audio audience, characters "voices" change so much cannot be a continuity issue.
Listeners a cash cow?
Will have to continue, OCD what!
Contempt for audio audience, characters "voices" change so much cannot be a continuity issue.
Listeners a cash cow?
Will have to continue, OCD what!
andreashappe's review against another edition
4.0
This book focused more on the pocket universe featuring Eduard than the outside world: this might be a disappointment for people more interested into the sci-fi aspects of the story (opposed to the fantasy aspects) but it helped to flesh out characters. On the other hand, you could ask why
Which still go into similar directions: women are mostly there as love or sex interests (with the honorable exception of Paula Myo), the book changed its obsession from group sex to breeding (every female wants to bed the main character, sometimes only to get to his seed.. there might be some projection going on). I thought there was a nice redirection with Salrana going on, sadly.. no.
At least it did not go into typical revenge territory (including female characters built up, raped and discarded and only used for motivation of the protagonist) but the book's way out might turn out problematic in my opinion. Still the story's ending was an easy moral way out for the protagonist, almost a letdown.
Let's see how the final book will read like.
Which still go into similar directions: women are mostly there as love or sex interests (with the honorable exception of Paula Myo), the book changed its obsession from group sex to breeding (every female wants to bed the main character, sometimes only to get to his seed.. there might be some projection going on). I thought there was a nice redirection with Salrana going on, sadly.. no.
At least it did not go into typical revenge territory (including female characters built up, raped and discarded and only used for motivation of the protagonist) but the book's way out might turn out problematic in my opinion. Still the story's ending was an easy moral way out for the protagonist, almost a letdown.
Let's see how the final book will read like.
the_jeferee's review against another edition
4.0
The world constructed in these books is absolutely immense, and it's incredibly satisfying when events that occurred 1200 years ago in the story's timeline affect what's happening now.
wendyh65's review against another edition
5.0
My review for Kaiwaka Library:
It is 1500 years since the time of the Commonwealth Saga
(Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained). Mankind has progressed
a long way - physically and technologically, and inhabiting
over a thousand star systems - since the story of the Starflyer
War told in those books.
When we start, the Living Dream movement are appointing their
next Cleric Conservator to lead the many believers across the
galaxy. Not that it will do much to progress their cause, since the only person who can take them into the Void is Inigo himself,
Dreamer of the dreams of Edeard and life in Makkathran, and he
disappeared long ago.
Non-believers do not want Living Dream to succeed at all - entering the Void will likely destroy the rest of the known galaxy. The Raiel have been blocking access to the Void for thousands of years now, to prevent just that from happening.
But suddenly someone else is Dreaming, and talking to the Skylords
in the Void - could the Second Dreamer lead the movement
to their fulfilment?
For all that this is a huge story (2000+ pages across the three
books) it is fast-paced and gripping, and hard to put down. In my
experience, Peter F Hamilton never disappoints!
Do read the Commonwealth Saga before starting the Void Trilogy,
and read the books in order. My first attempt at The Dreaming
Void took me a week to read 50 pages as I tried to absorb so
much that was new to me (before discovering I needed to read
the Saga first), but having that behind me made my second effort
much easier and more enjoyable, as I had that history in mind.
Great stuff!
All five books mentioned here are on the Fiction shelves in the library.
Review by Wendy.
March 2014
It is 1500 years since the time of the Commonwealth Saga
(Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained). Mankind has progressed
a long way - physically and technologically, and inhabiting
over a thousand star systems - since the story of the Starflyer
War told in those books.
When we start, the Living Dream movement are appointing their
next Cleric Conservator to lead the many believers across the
galaxy. Not that it will do much to progress their cause, since the only person who can take them into the Void is Inigo himself,
Dreamer of the dreams of Edeard and life in Makkathran, and he
disappeared long ago.
Non-believers do not want Living Dream to succeed at all - entering the Void will likely destroy the rest of the known galaxy. The Raiel have been blocking access to the Void for thousands of years now, to prevent just that from happening.
But suddenly someone else is Dreaming, and talking to the Skylords
in the Void - could the Second Dreamer lead the movement
to their fulfilment?
For all that this is a huge story (2000+ pages across the three
books) it is fast-paced and gripping, and hard to put down. In my
experience, Peter F Hamilton never disappoints!
Do read the Commonwealth Saga before starting the Void Trilogy,
and read the books in order. My first attempt at The Dreaming
Void took me a week to read 50 pages as I tried to absorb so
much that was new to me (before discovering I needed to read
the Saga first), but having that behind me made my second effort
much easier and more enjoyable, as I had that history in mind.
Great stuff!
All five books mentioned here are on the Fiction shelves in the library.
Review by Wendy.
March 2014