ericb237's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Very enjoyable overall. I tend to like the less high-tech sci fi books and this was mostly that.
vickerstaylor's review against another edition
3.0
Thought this one started off really well (really enjoyed some of the horror-esque moments) but it veered into a storyline I didn't really find that interesting with characters I wasn't super invested in.
kantrah's review against another edition
5.0
A fine example of the best of British Sci-Fi and space opera.
skylar2's review against another edition
5.0
Once again Peter Hamilton demonstrates he's the master of bringing together seemingly unrelated plots into one story.
leyaruth42's review against another edition
4.0
Peter Hamilton decided to once again delve into the Commonwealth Universe (think Dreaming Void trilogy). This time he's writing about a world inside the Void, with a bit of story about the outside universe. I really felt like he went back to his horror style with this one, as it felt similar to his style with the Confederation Books (Neutronium Alchemist series). While I thoroughly enjoyed a new book by Peter Hamilton (I love his long complicated space opera style), I felt this one was formulaic. Instead of getting the good boy character of Edeard, you get a darker version of his character archetype in the main character. The seemingly harmless eggs that Edeard first learned to shape as a teenager turn out to be much darker in their origin and purpose. If you like Hamilton's darker side, this is a book for you. I felt like it was rehashing the Dreaming Void trilogy though, and could tell where the story was going pretty quickly.
pygmymetal's review against another edition
5.0
OMG soooo good. And when a certain character appears, I sqweed. Love love LOVE this author.
mirasp's review against another edition
4.0
So good! Loved it! It gets one star below 5 bc of the slow middle, but it is so worth getting trough them.
bulwerka's review against another edition
5.0
Though this is labeled as a Commonwealth novel, the majority of it really involves the Void and events on the planet Bienvenido. There wasn't a ton involving the Commonwealth, since technology does not work inside the Void. The book involves a lot of politics, mystery, and very little overall action. As with a lot of Hamilton books, it's a bit of a slow burn. All that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I didn't overly enjoy the first Void trilogy and Edeard's story, but Abyss Beyond Dreams actually made me interested in the mystery of the Void. By the end of the book, I was ready to read the second, as yet released, book. Highly recommend this one!
gullevek's review against another edition
3.0
Let's say it as it is. Big disappointment all the way. The third books series that plays in the Commonwealth Universe this is also the by far weakest and most boring one.
Simply put, it just plays in the Void universe. All of it. There is outside/inside interesting development going on. There is actually no development going on at all. It feels like reading the same "Void Trilogy" Edeard stories just with a different character. Nothing interesting at all.
While it is still written very well and it is still a page turner, it was just not enjoyful at all. This is not a Hamilton book as I was expecting it.
The ending is a nice cliff hanger, but the most shocking thing for me was "So what, don't really care how it goes on".
Simply put, it just plays in the Void universe. All of it. There is outside/inside interesting development going on. There is actually no development going on at all. It feels like reading the same "Void Trilogy" Edeard stories just with a different character. Nothing interesting at all.
While it is still written very well and it is still a page turner, it was just not enjoyful at all. This is not a Hamilton book as I was expecting it.
The ending is a nice cliff hanger, but the most shocking thing for me was "So what, don't really care how it goes on".