Judas Unchained

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 40 hrs and 58 mins

Publisher's summary

Peter F. Hamilton's superbly imagined, cunningly plotted interstellar adventures are conceived on a staggeringly epic scale and filled with fully realized human and alien characters as complex as they are engaging. No mere world builder, Hamilton creates entire universes - and he does so with irresistible flair and intelligence.

His previous novel, the acclaimed Pandora's Star, introduced the Intersolar Commonwealth, a star-spanning civilization of the 24th century. Robust, peaceful, and confident, the Commonwealth dispatched a ship to investigate the mystery of a disappearing star, only to inadvertently unleash a predatory alien species that turned on its liberators, striking hard, fast, and utterly without mercy.

Coexistence is impossible with the technologically advanced aliens, who are genetically hardwired to exterminate all other forms of life. Twenty-three planets have already fallen to the invaders, with casualties in the hundreds of millions. And no one knows when or where the genocidal Prime will strike next.

Nor are the Prime the only threat. For more than 100 years, a shadowy cult, the Guardians of Selfhood, has warned that an alien with mind-control abilities impossible to detect or resist - the Starflyer - has secretly infiltrated the Commonwealth. Branded as terrorists, the Guardians and their leader, Bradley Johansson, have been hunted by relentless investigator Paula Myo. But now evidence suggests that the Guardians were right all along and that the Starflyer has placed agents in vital posts throughout the Commonwealth - agents who are now sabotaging the war effort. Is the Starflyer an ally of the Prime, or has it orchestrated a fight to the death between the two species for its own advantage?

Caught between two deadly enemies, one a brutal invader striking from without, the other a remorseless cancer killing from within, the fractious Commonwealth must unite as never before. This will be humanity's finest hour - or its last gasp.

©2006 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"For flat-out huge widescreen all-engines-at-full I-dare-you-not-to-believe-it space opera, there is no one quite like Peter F. Hamilton." (Richard K. Morgan, author of Market Forces)
"Richly satisfying.... In more ways than one, this...work is monumental." ( Publishers Weekly)

Great Story ***** with bad narration style.*

STORY --- Five Stars.


Great sequel! I found myself unable to stop listening. I would listen for hours getting lost in the story and forget about the real world time. He describes the scene with so vivid detail it is like you are in slow motion capturing each and every piece of info. There are one or two sex descriptions that made me feel uncomfortable due to the detail but you quickly pass on to the next scene. Dove tailed perfectly from Pandora's Star. A must listen for the serious hard science, Sci-Fi fan.


NARRATION --- One Star.

John Lee's narration style needs some real work. He is EXTREMELY LOUD after he takes a breath then tails off to a murmur. Very hard to get a good volume that will not pierce my ears after he breaths so I can hear the later words in the breath. I wish there was a way to volume level the narration so his LOUD points don't break my speakers and ears while I can still hear the softer parts. Beware of the volume setting. The production could have addressed this.

Loved

Someone described this book as Game of Thrones sci-fi addition. This isn’t a bad way to frame this incredible story. Peter Hamilton does a wonderful job using deep characters combined with intrigue to keep the reader, or listener, going. The longer one listens the better the story gets as pieces slowly fall into place.

Very Engaging

Peter Hamilton continues what has been a thoroughly engaging sci-fi novel. Plus he does what so few sci-fi writers can: actually wrap up the ends to thier stories. John Lee is perhaps my favorite narrator and so I've spent a couple months now looking forward to my daily commutes. Highly recommended to those who like thier sci-fi believable and intricate.

A ripping good yarn. Part 2

This is the sequel to "Pandora's Star". I read these books when they first came out and enjoyed them. Hamilton is an extraordinarily descriptive writer, and the difference between reading words on the page and hearing them inside your head is striking. One can see, in one's minds eye, the mis-en-scene and the action in a way only listening can achieve.

The story spans a great part of our galaxy, and introduces a number of alien species, including one implacable enemy, that come alive as characters in the story. The protagonists--and there are several--are not supermen (or super beings) but have their faults and foibles.

Of course, this being science fiction, there are some advances in technology (especially in biotechnology) that are central to the plot. And while these are, typically, a good deal beyond being likely anytime in the near future, they are extrapolations of present-day technologies that ring true to the imagination.

Finally, the reading is superb.

Wonderful...wonderful

I just love this whole series. I do wish that modern Sci-Fi authors did not seem to think it is necessary to create scenes in all their books that are erotic to the point of pornography though. I am not a prude but it just is out of place in these books but becoming ever more common. Why?

No other book series compares

This series, in my opinion, is unmatched. Every book I've listened to since seems pathetic in comparison. The character and world creation is so realistic and tangible. I would literally keeping driving around the block or run an extra mile or two to keep listening. The only downside to this series is that there is an end!
Thank goodness Mr. Hamilton is writing another trilogy using the same reality he created for this series, though set further into the future.
The reader takes some getting used to, but after a while, I really appreciated his style and care he took with the way he played each character, as well as his consistency in the style of narration.
This series is highly recommended.

Hamilton's best

One of the advantages of such a long story, and I include Hamilton’s ‘Pandoras Star’ as part of this story, is that you can revisit forgotten characters and events from the earlier pages to great dramatic effect later on. Quite a few such gems get deliberately buried in the intervening text and are delightfully resurfaced when least expected. After my second reading of this pair of novels, I now hold a greater respect for the structural planning that went into it’s plot line and pacing.

As the publisher’s blurb informs us, the story focuses on a society under threat from both an external and internal alien threat. Although neither is fully resolved until the conclusion of ‘Judas’, I would argue that ‘Pandora' focusses more on the Prime alien invasion, while ‘Judas’ takes on the hidden Starflyer crisis. That’s not to say that there is any less intensity of action or violence in this volume- an incredibly dramatic climax awaits the patient reader. There isn’t any new insight into alien biology or psychology compared with the first novel, but many of the human characters are explored and evolved further. A few additional settings are introduced, although none of them are as wild or varied as those already visited. As others have already noted, you really can’t read either novel in isolation from the other, so you will certainly feel well satisfied with the resolution reached by the end of ‘Judas’, putting it only any Space Opera fan’s must-read list.

I was sad when it ended

It's rare that I get so hooked on an audio book that I don't mind being stuck in Seattle's horrible commuter traffic. With this one, the longer the traffic jam, the better. Great balance of action, characters, social/political commentary, and just plain good science fiction. More please!

Amazingly good

loved the story and the characters. I would read a book about Ozzy's adventures if possible.

Outstanding on all levels

Thsi is my first Peter Hamilton series.
Both books are outstanding and I will definately be reading/listening to more of his books.