Any Other Peter F. Hamilton Fans?

[the Jester]

Like the title says- I noticed he doesn't have his own subforum.

Personally, I'm increasingly impressed by him the more I read.

He writes great space combat, especially in the Night's Dawn trilogy, which is probably his worst work (and it's still pretty darn good, with quite a few flashes of greatness): the Reality Disfunction, the Neutronium Alchemist, and the Naked God.

His other work is even better- though I read it out of order (the Void Trilogy comes after the books Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained, but it's 1200 years later and it's a separate story. Still- better off to start with Pandora's Star to avoid spoilers later.

He's got more stuff, too, but I haven't gotten to it yet.

Anyway, two thumbs up for Hamilton if you like crazily speculative hard sci-fi.

 

[sassy1]

I love Peter Hamilton =) so far I've read, Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained, the Void Trilogy, and Mindstar Rising (1st book of the Greg Mandel Trilogy), and I've thoroughly enjoyed them all

 

[alchemist]

I've read most of the books which are large enough to be used as weapons (and took my username from one of them). They're not without problems (Night's Dawn and its Deus Ex Machina ending, the looooong drawn out ending of Judas, his obsession with home improvements) but I'm a big fan of his world-building and scope.

 

[Perpetual Man]

And another one here.

I have got all of his books, just not read them all yet. I've really enjoyed everything I've read, I guess there is just something about his style that reallly appeals to me.

 

[Rodders]

I've enjoyed what I've read so far although I do find his books unnecessarily long.

 

[Verse]

Read 'em all. I love that he usually has a large cast of characters and several intertwined threads to the plot in nearly all his sagas.

 

[Bakerman]

Oh dear me yes. Been hooked on his stuff since I read Pandora's Star years ago. I was actually more impressed with Night's Dawn than the Void trilogy, though I did quite enjoy the latter. Fallen Dragon is also a favourite of mine. I've yet to check out his latest work (Great North Road, is it?), but I'm looking forward to savouring it.

the looooong drawn out ending of Judas

Oh man, the ending of Judas Unchained was one of my favourite things! Are you referring to the extended road-trip, or after that?

 

[alchemist]

Oh dear me yes. Been hooked on his stuff since I read Pandora's Star years ago. I was actually more impressed with Night's Dawn than the Void trilogy, though I did quite enjoy the latter. Fallen Dragon is also a favourite of mine. I've yet to check out his latest work (Great North Road, is it?), but I'm looking forward to savouring it.


Oh man, the ending of Judas Unchained was one of my favourite things! Are you referring to the extended road-trip, or after that?

Indeed, the extended road trip. It took about 100 pages (IIRC) and could easily have been done in 50. After that was fine.

I must track down GNR as well, although a fellow Chronner who's also a space opera fan told me it wasn't so good. Still, PFH is the only author whose books I have bought hardback from Amazon, so I'll just have to continue.

 

[Gramm838]

His style has, for me, become very long winded, compared to his early Greg Mandel stuff; don't get me wrong, it's well written, but there's a lot of it!

I recently read GNR which I picked up because a lot of it is set in (albeit a future version) of my home town and it was pretty good.

One attraction of his books is the determinedly English locations which makes a change from everything being set in downtown LA

 

[Vertigo]

I've read all of his novels except the Great North Road. I started with the Greg Mandel books which were good but nothing special. Then Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained which I just loved. Then Nights Dawn which is probably my least favourite of his books. Then the Void trilogy which I loved; they exemplify why I like long books; complex plots, loads of character developement and (in this case) two entire worlds to immerse myself in.

I think he represents what is great in British SF. Intelligently written books that don't assume the reader is an idiot. Good mix of action, character development and intrigue. These characteristics are common to Hamilton, Banks, Reynolds and Asher amongst others.

He also seems to avoid romance which, despite being a soft old romantic at heart, I actually prefer in my SF.

 

[Bakerman]

Indeed, the extended road trip.

I guess I have a high tolerance for that sort of stuff - I thought that whole sequence was one of the best parts of both books. Really tempted to reread them and see if I still feel the same way!

One thing that did begin to bother me after reading the Void trilogy was that he seems to present a very Anglo future. I'd be very interested to see him try something with a few more non-white central characters. (Unless this is just me missing hints!)

 

[alchemist]

One thing that did begin to bother me after reading the Void trilogy was that he seems to present a very Anglo future. I'd be very interested to see him try something with a few more non-white central characters. (Unless this is just me missing hints!)

I pretty much assumed his societies had gone beyond race. When they're practically immortal, with whatever skin colour they choose, race doesn't count for much.

But it does remind me of the Indian guy in Night's Dawn, a subplot which went down a blind alley. Then there was the stereotyped Irish-ethnic planet -- agriculture-based and low-tech. If I ever meet him, words will be exchanged on this topic.

 

[Bakerman]

I pretty much assumed his societies had gone beyond race. When they're practically immortal, with whatever skin colour they choose, race doesn't count for much.

Fair enough, but things like mentioning that Paula Myo was Asian-ish made me notice its absence elsewhere, I guess. And culturally most of his futures are pretty western, I think.

I also seem to remember an Australian planet in Judas Unchained whose representative said 'bloody' an awful lot - but was otherwise fairly awesome so I'll forgive him.

As much as I might complain about stuff like that, I can't really fault his worldbuilding otherwise; the Commonwealth and the Confederation are both fantastically detailed and interesting universes IMO.

 

[alchemist]

Indeed, and some of the planets -- e.g. Illuminatus, and the one that produces that special wine in Night's Dawn -- have lived long in the memory.

 

[Watcher07]

I read all his books from Greg Mandel series to his latest book "Great North Road". I actually started with the Night's Dawn trilogy after I read a review in SFX magazine & from there start looking for his other books & short stories as well.

I like his style in writing vast & complex stories. Also, his books are populated with some very interesting & memorable characters like Paula Myo, Ozzie , Adam Elvin, Joshua Calvert & Quinn Dexter to name few.

 

[Vertigo]

...Then there was the stereotyped Irish-ethnic planet -- agriculture-based and low-tech. If I ever meet him, words will be exchanged on this topic.

Maybe I missed something there but I thought it was modelled on an idealised English pastoral society (wasn't it even called Norfolk?). I don't remember thinking it was particularly targeted as an Irish cultural world.

 

[alchemist]

There was Norfolk, and then there was Kerry -- they didn't last long under the onslaught of the dead, with no more than their one second-hand weapon (and their rural wit*) to protect them.


*added that bit myself. They had no wit.

 

[Vertigo]

Ah yes I'd forgotten that one. Oh well...

 

[Alex Mason]

I am stuck in the 'out of order' loop. I first read the first Void Trilogy book and then realized that the world was entirely too complex with terms and tech for having no explanation so I looked it up and noticed there were precursor series. It was too late. I enjoyed reading about Edeard so I read the second book. That is where I am now as I took a break from that universe to read some historical fiction and current pop detective novels. I like to change up what I read or I become bored with it.

Can anyone tell me if it is worth reading the precursors once I finish the Void Trilogy? Or is there too much spoilage to justify other long (I presume, as these are) reads?

 

[alchemist]

The Edeard story is very different from the rest of his stuff, being more Fantasy than SF. But if you like the other elements of Void, all the space opera stuff, you'll enjoy the earlier big books even more than this.