Great North Road

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: Toby Longworth

Length: 36 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

A century from now, thanks to a technology allowing instantaneous travel across light-years, humanity has solved its energy shortages, cleaned up the environment, and created far-flung colony worlds. The keys to this empire belong to the powerful North family - composed of successive generations of clones. Yet these clones are not identical. For one thing, genetic errors have crept in with each generation. For another, the original three clone "brothers" have gone their separate ways, and the branches of the family are now friendly rivals more than allies.

Or maybe not so friendly. At least that's what the murder of a North clone in the English city of Newcastle suggests to Detective Sidney Hurst. Sid is a solid investigator who'd like nothing better than to hand off this hot potato of a case. The way he figures it, whether he solves the crime or not, he'll make enough enemies to ruin his career. Yet Sid's case is about to take an unexpected turn: Because the circumstances of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to a killing that took place years ago on the planet St. Libra, where a North clone and his entire household were slaughtered in cold blood.

The convicted slayer, Angela Tramelo, has always claimed her innocence. And now it seems she may have been right. Because only the St. Libra killer could have committed the Newcastle crime. Problem is, Angela also claims that the murderer was an alien monster.

Now Sid must navigate through a Byzantine minefield of competing interests within the police department and the world's political and economic elite...all the while hunting down a brutal killer poised to strike again. And on St. Libra, Angela, newly released from prison, joins a mission to hunt down the elusive alien, only to learn that the line between hunter and hunted is a thin one.

©2012 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"It's a perfect introduction to his gifts for character design, dialogue, and sheer, big-idea-driven storytelling." ( Booklist)

One of Peter F. Hamilton's weaker efforts

In spite of my headline, I did not dislike or hate this book. I thought it was overly long, the first half of the novel especially, you could cut large amounts of it out without affecting any of the story whatsoever. As the story (finally) picks up the pace, it begins to have the opposite problem where things don't seem fleshed out very well or events resolve suddenly - and too quickly.

Basically a lot of the early part of the investigation starts to get very boring since the characters are literally spinning their wheels for a very long period of time. Reading a chapter where literally nothing happens is not engaging.

The wider universe the story is set in is not explored very well, which is unusual for Peter's writing.

Of particular annoyance is one of the threads throughout the story is never resolved or even addressed. I'm not even sure why it's in the book. (I don't want to name it by spoiler, but it's an alien incursion that happens mostly in the background.)

I think a sterner editor would've done this one a good service.

Toby Longworth's reading was adequate and overall he did a good job, giving each character a distinct voice.

There are also some embarrassing errors, I don't know if they are in the printed text or mistakes by the reader. Some of these may be Tantor Audio's fault.
1. The story (mostly) takes place in the 22nd century but there are multiple references to the 23rd.
2. The audiobook chapters are typically named by in-story dates, but someone wasn't paying attention and chapters that take place entirely several decades in the past do not reflect this in the chapter names.

Classic Peter F.Hamilton

If you have ever read (or listened) to Pandora's Star or the Void books you don't need to read this review, you already know what it is like.

Although this is a stand alone book in a separate universe it may as well be a prequel to the Common Wealth books.

Wormholes linking colony worlds with earth? Check. Strange alien menace that most people do not believe exists? Check. Working class colonist family drawn into epic conspiracies? Check. Every character model from his other books is represented here. Police detectives, Ultra rich families, genetically modified women with uncertain morals. Nothing is left out. This author very clearly has a certain set of characters that he likes.

This however, is not a really a bad thing. He writes with clarity and humanity and the plot moved steadily, punctuated with bits of explosive action and violence that can erupt from out of the blue (literally) Again, if you have read his other books you know what I am talking about. If you haven't just keep in mind that if the book every starts getting boring just hold on for another chapter or two, before long there will be a massive alien attack or sun exploding just to mix things up.

It really is a good book, just not an innovative one. If you read a lot of sci-fi don't expect anything that you've never heard before, this is solid adventure but nothing mind bending.

It really is a shame that he didn't just market this as a prequel to his other books. The technology and culture is so similar to the history of the Commonwealth series I found it distracting and it made it hard to accept this universe as a separate than his others.

It also would have been nice to see him branch out a little and try something different but since I really liked his previous books I guess I can't complain when he writes more of the same.

The narration is somewhat hit and miss. The reader speaks with a strong british accent, which is appropriate for most of the characters, but not all of them. It would have been better if he had just stuck to that accent for all characters but unfortunately he attempts to speak with other accents when appropriate for the character. Some readers can pull this off, this one cannot. His American accent is so horrible its almost funny.

All in all the author paints a world that I would love to live in and which I have no trouble getting lost in for a few hours, even if it feels very familiar.

Daunting Read

Peter F. Hamilton is one of my favorite science fiction writers. I have to compare him with George R. R. Martin and "A Song of Ice and Fire." Like Martin, Hamilton writes without any editing. Every character in his chapters seems like the main focus of the plot and no detail is left untold.

The "Great North Road" is a daunting read. I've read "Commonwealth Saga" before and that was an excellent series and much longer, but this recent title just seems to be bloated and long with every molecule being explained.

It's an epic story by far and a great modern science fiction, but it's hard to tackle because there is so much detail to comprehend.

I should had pace myself at listening to "Great North Road" because I finished 36 hours in a few days. I should had taken a break because I felt that I was being burned out with the story.

The alien monsters and the revealing of the North is totally worth the listen, but there is a lot of reading before and even after.

Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained in the Commonwealth are much more enjoyable and easier to follow.

Wild Ride!

I listened to this book in a non-stop Listen-Fest, something like 37 hours! I spent the first part of the book being confused, then I was sure I knew where it was going, but it didn't go there, it also didn't go to the next place I was sure it would go, or the next... I literally couldn't sleep until I'd finished it!

Endlessly labeling technology

There is a vast amount of high tech action in this story. However, the story is fundamentally a detective story placed in the future. The constant referenced to the names of devices, technology, processes, organizations, etc., makes the story plod along. Very long in relation to the content. Okay but could be better.

Peter F. Hamilton: Great visionary science fiction

If you could sum up Great North Road in three words, what would they be?

Amazing Sci-fi Epic.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

All paths converge onto the Great North Road.

Any additional comments?

It is a Great big book and I enjoyed every little bit of it. Doubtless I will enjoy all of his available work.

Jarring voicework

Where does Great North Road rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Middle

What did you like best about this story?

Complexity, idea levels

Did Toby Longworth do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?

Toby Longworth sounds like he's having a really bad day narrating this. Grating voce, no modulation. His idea of having anyone not a main character speak in a heavy accent is really jarring. It spoils lots of the narrative for me.
The idea of using terrible mock russian or indian accent for anyone not presented as sympathetic is not endearing.

Overall, he'd be better narrating Tom Clancy.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. It's 1½ days long ..

Any additional comments?

I'd love to hear this story given justice by a decent narrator.

Great story.

A very good story with an excellent narrator. holds your attention to the very end.

interesting

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

original ideas

What other book might you compare Great North Road to and why?

always like authors vision of implants. very original

What does Toby Longworth bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

visual pictures, original concepts, new ideas

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

no

Any additional comments?

no

Consumed my Time

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Science Fiction World Building plus murder mystery plus family fortunes. This combination made the book a continuous wonder. Plus the characters are likable and sort of realistic.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Great North Road?

There is a point, toward the end of the 30+ hours of audio, where a family secret is revealed. That caught me completely by surprise.

Have you listened to any of Toby Longworth’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

None

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Game of Wonder.

Any additional comments?

Enjoyed enough that I will devote another 31 hours to listening to it again. Very rare for me. But there is so much here that I know I missed some details on the first cycle. Enjoy.