Pandora's Star

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 37 hrs and 21 mins

Publisher's summary

Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F. Hamilton to the classic sagas of such SF giants as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. But Hamilton's best-selling fiction - powered by a fearless imagination and world-class storytelling skills - has also earned him comparison to Tolstoy and Dickens. Hugely ambitious, wildly entertaining, philosophically stimulating: the novels of Peter F. Hamilton will change the way you think about science fiction.

Now, with Pandora's Star, he begins a new multi-volume adventure, one that promises to be his most mind-blowing yet. The year is 2380. The Intersolar Commonwealth, a sphere of stars some 400 light-years in diameter, contains more than 600 worlds, interconnected by a web of transport "tunnels" known as wormholes. At the farthest edge of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose observes the impossible: Over 1,000 light-years away, a star...vanishes. It does not go supernova. It does not collapse into a black hole. It simply disappears.

Since the location is too distant to reach by wormhole, a faster-than-light starship, the Second Chance, is dispatched to learn what has occurred and whether it represents a threat. In command is Wilson Kime, a five-time rejuvenated ex-NASA pilot whose glory days are centuries behind him. Opposed to the mission are the Guardians of Selfhood, a cult that believes the human race is being manipulated by an alien entity they call the Starflyer.

Bradley Johansson, leader of the Guardians, warns of sabotage, fearing the Starflyer means to use the starship's mission for its own ends. Pursued by a Commonwealth special agent convinced the Guardians are crazy but dangerous, Johansson flees. But the danger is not averted. Aboard the Second Chance, Kime wonders if his crew has been infiltrated.

Soon enough, he will have other worries. A thousand light-years away, something truly incredible is waiting: a deadly discovery, the unleashing of which will threaten to destroy t...

©2004 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"The depth and clarity of the future Hamilton envisions is as complex and involving as they come." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

Good start, but bad voice actor.

This book is way too long to have gone such a short way in the story. I had a difficult time keeping up with all the characters because the voice actor is so monotone, and he does not do a very good job destingushing between voices. I don't think this book is worth the time it takes to get through it

Great sci-fi

This was a great read. Every once in a while it devolves into a romance novel that is a bit too descriptive. If you ignore that it's a really great sci-fi story and a fun read.

love this series

this will be my second time to this series, is very imaginative and a great read well with the time.

love this book! the speaker does an awesome job.

great to listen to, speaker does great, don't fall asleep or you'll miss it.

Fun

Fabulous narration. Love this narrator. The story is fun with lots going on. It could have been shorter. I love long books but sometimes the descriptions just became too long and detailed. I am ordering the next one regardless.

Problems with both the book and the recording

Hamilton desperately needs an editor. He'll give you 30 minutes of text where one sentence would tell the story. I never realized how over the top he is until I listened to his books rather than read them. You can't skim an audiobook.

On a whole other note, this recording is very problematic. The voice actor is great, but the recording desperately needs some type of audio compression because his loudest moments are very loud and is quietest moments are very quiet. It's very frustrating when you're listening to it in a car because if you turn it up to hear the quietest moments you're at risk of blowing your speakers.

Great scifi book once you get over the back story.

The first few story kind of drone on not sure it the author or the reader. He only really gives unique voice to a few characters. Also the first few chapters are in 3rd person. Once back story is over and switches to 1st person is when the story takes off.

Next he moves around between different parts of the story and because the reader voice stays fairly same some times its hard to follow till you get used to the character names. The one character that has a unique voice is ozzy.

Finally the worst part is it ends abruptly. Like some tv series end the season with a two part episode. The good is this a 2 book series so you might as well buy "Judas Unchained". The second book literally just starts right from where the first book left off.

I got the book mainly because it was very long. So i committed to listen to it. But once the backstory was done and you listened to it from the charter perspectives was quite enjoyable.

Not an easy read but worth it.

Outstanding universe. I have to admit, the first time I tried to listen to this audio book, I gave up after several hours. Very complex story with lots of characters and many subplots. I went back to it in the end and am glad I did.

Pandora nice

Any additional comments?

It's slow moving a lot of back stories spaced out through the story so it jumps around. I like the story, but its slower then Stephen King novels.The plot is ok. use a credit or sale but most sci-fi buffs may get into it.

The Narrator has a British accent and is a little dry to boring to listen to.

good story, well read but...

a good hard SF space opera - great ideas and a mostly believable technology/future universe. The narration is quite good.
Two problems prevent this book from being an excellent read:
1- this book needed much stronger editing; if it were shortened by 20% it would be an excellent space opera. as it stands, there are long stretches of the story that are peripheral at best, and often tedious (an entire chapter devoted to a bureaucratic debate on forming a navy? jeeez!
2- the book all but ends in mid-sentence, with no real resolution to the story at all: do not purchase it unless you are prepared to also purchase the sequel!