A review by bulwerka
Judas Unchained by Peter F. Hamilton
5.0
Peter F. Hamilton is one of the best world builders in the SciFi genre, and I don’t say that lightly. I’ve read a lot of good worlds out there, but few are as compelling as the Commonwealth (I’ve got the Nights Dawn Trilogy on my bookshelf ready to go, and I’m told it’s even better). Judas Unchained is the sequel to the first Commonwealth book Pandora’s Star and continues the excellent story.
Earth’s colonies have united into a loose Commonwealth of the Stars, and they are under attack from a powerful alien bent on genocide. At the same time, it becomes apparent that there are forces inside the Commonwealth which are trying to tear it down. It becomes a race against time to prevent both from happening.
Hamilton continues the excellent character development that he started in the first book, especially as the motives of a lot of characters start to change. The vast majority of characters in the book keeps it from becoming boring, as well.
I’ve noticed this is a trend in epic narratives, as a way to keep the plot moving in a lot of areas. More importantly, however, I think that it keeps the reader engaged with the story without becoming bogged down in it. Hamilton does this excellently, and I was engrossed in the story throughout.
Hamilton has written this world so well, that it is a highly believable and visual world. I could see every world and every person vividly in my mind’s eye. This is an accomplishment, as it’s rare that I can remember characters I have pictured so well. It is a credit to how well the book is written.
Between Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained, you are looking at a saga that spans roughly 2000 pages. As such, a lot of the action becomes drawn out and elongated, but just at the point where this becomes frustrating Hamilton does a good job of spicing up the action.
The conclusion of this epic builds at this slow pace in such a way that the reader is kept in a tightly wound net of suspense, and Hamilton finishes with an explosive flourish that is exciting and satisfying, if not totally believable.
Obviously there is a heavy commitment of time involved in reading these books, but you will be completely satisfied if you do. Peter F. Hamilton is one of the great SciFi writers of our time, and is an absolute must-read.
(Check out this review and others at SciFi Readers)
Earth’s colonies have united into a loose Commonwealth of the Stars, and they are under attack from a powerful alien bent on genocide. At the same time, it becomes apparent that there are forces inside the Commonwealth which are trying to tear it down. It becomes a race against time to prevent both from happening.
Hamilton continues the excellent character development that he started in the first book, especially as the motives of a lot of characters start to change. The vast majority of characters in the book keeps it from becoming boring, as well.
I’ve noticed this is a trend in epic narratives, as a way to keep the plot moving in a lot of areas. More importantly, however, I think that it keeps the reader engaged with the story without becoming bogged down in it. Hamilton does this excellently, and I was engrossed in the story throughout.
Hamilton has written this world so well, that it is a highly believable and visual world. I could see every world and every person vividly in my mind’s eye. This is an accomplishment, as it’s rare that I can remember characters I have pictured so well. It is a credit to how well the book is written.
Between Pandora’s Star and Judas Unchained, you are looking at a saga that spans roughly 2000 pages. As such, a lot of the action becomes drawn out and elongated, but just at the point where this becomes frustrating Hamilton does a good job of spicing up the action.
The conclusion of this epic builds at this slow pace in such a way that the reader is kept in a tightly wound net of suspense, and Hamilton finishes with an explosive flourish that is exciting and satisfying, if not totally believable.
Obviously there is a heavy commitment of time involved in reading these books, but you will be completely satisfied if you do. Peter F. Hamilton is one of the great SciFi writers of our time, and is an absolute must-read.
(Check out this review and others at SciFi Readers)