The Dreaming Void

Void Trilogy, Book 1

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 22 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

AD 3580. The Intersolar Commonwealth has spread through the galaxy to over a thousand star systems. It is a culture of rich diversity with a place for everyone. A powerful navy protects it from any hostile species that may lurk among the stars. For Commonwealth citizens, even death has been overcome.

At the center of the galaxy is the Void, a strange, artificial universe created by aliens billions of years ago, shrouded by an event horizon more deadly than any natural black hole. In order to function, it is gradually consuming the mass of the galaxy. Watched over by its ancient enemies, the Raiel, the Void's expansion is barely contained.

Inigo dreams of the sweet life within the Void and shares his visions with billions of avid believers. When he mysteriously disappears, Inigo's followers decide to embark on a pilgrimage into the Void to live the life of their messiah's dreams - a pilgrimage that the Raiel claim will trigger a catastrophic expansion of the Void.

Aaron is a man whose only memory is his own name. He doesn't know who he used to be or what he is. All he does know is that his job is to find the missing messiah and stop the pilgrimage. He's not sure how to do that, but whoever he works for has provided some pretty formidable weaponry that ought to help.

Meanwhile, inside the Void, a youth called Edeard is coming to terms with his unusually strong telepathic powers. A junior constable in Makkathran, he starts to challenge the corruption and decay that have poisoned the city. He is determined that his fellow citizens should know hope again. What Edeard doesn't realize is just how far his message of hope is reaching.

Into the Void? Listen to more in the Void Trilogy.

©2007 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2008 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Broad in scope and panoramic in detail." ( Library Journal)
"A real spellbinder from a master storyteller." ( Kirkus)

Fun, elaborate continuation of a universe

Enjoyed the story, even though it's billed as a new series it's essentially a continuation of the universe introduced in pandora' star. Strange how big the author's imagination is in some ways and yet how limited it is in others. The future is radically different...and yet still very sexist and British. An odd mix. The narrator is decent at accents but his intonations, especially for female characters are very annoying. Everyone sounds like a jaded snob from another era...."you won't believe it dahling..." Fun, and (sometimes too) elaborately plotted, just a bit absurd how little social/cultural imagination there is in the context of other big ideas.

Can't wait to listen to the next book.

I listen to all John Lee narrated books. His voices help differentiate the characters nicely. I could do without some parts of the story but overall an awesome book. On to the next book to hear more stories of the water walker!

Awesome Space Saga

What made the experience of listening to The Dreaming Void the most enjoyable?

Peter F. Hamilton has written a space saga that has you guessing what will happen until the very end. If you like SciFi then you will love this series.

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

John Lee was phenomenal and captured the energy and voice of each character so you always knew who was talking.

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

Absolutely! If I had the time I was listening.

Hamilton does it again

Would you listen to The Dreaming Void again? Why?

A great story on a grand scale, well told, fully developed characters, fascinating backdrops and enough science to keep your head spinning. Keep going back over segments of the story to crystallize the arc.

What did you like best about this story?

The people and the scale of the story.

Which character – as performed by John Lee – was your favorite?

Edeard.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Some parts surprising but it is the wealth of detail that really drives my interest. The author is to be applauded for his effort.

Great story

This is a great book, well read, what more can you ask? It's epic in scale yet very personal. Just brilliant

Couldn’t even get half way

A very different kind of story - set so far in the future descriptions leave me not knowing whether characters are even organic or mechanical or a mix, not whether events are tea or simulated or a mix

Best book ever.

This book is a perfect story to be introduced to Peter F Hamilton's amazing epics.

Slow start but that's only the beginning

While the Void Trilogy is three books, it is only one story. Each of the three could easily have been 2 or even 3 books by themselves. I believe that they were that rich in depth and breadth. I had finished the Commonwealth Saga not too long ago and was blown away by both books. I could not say which I enjoyed more given that again there was a great deal of continuity between the two and I read and reviewed them as one.

Interestingly, the Void Trilogy is set in the same universe 1200 years later (AD 3580) and contains many of the same characters. That's good for those of us who elected to read the story from the beginning but not totally unacceptable for those who chose to pickup the story from from the Void. Having a background about or history on the characters helps. When I first ventured into the trilogy with the Dreaming Void I was a bit disappointed. I thought that it was slow and difficult to figure out. However, I stuck with it and with the Temporal Void (#2 of 3) things really picked up in pace and action. In fact, of all three books I think that the second was the most exciting. This was the brilliance of Peter Hamilton that I remembered from the Commonwealth. Incredibly unique landscapes, characters and creatures. But not to be only bowled over by the senses, these books are heady, contemplative and complex. These are not books to listen to while doing something else. They require, they demand, they deserve our full attention or forget it. Read something lighter.

By the time I got into the last in the series, The Evolutionary Void, my biggest concern was how this epic was going to end. These worlds and stories were so gargantuan and magnificent in almost every respect, how could the conclusion possibly do justice to all that came before. But again, somehow Hamilton pulls it off.

However, I would submit that there is still something missing in Hamilton's characters. While there is incredible opportunity for character development just given the lengths of these books, the characters themselves seem to lack something. I have struggled with this wondering if this is a lack of mature writing on the part of the author or just the way beings are 2500 years into the future. I kind of got attached to some of the characters but then not really. Maybe when you live for a thousand years people just become less concerned about you; less caring.

Two, three, let alone five of these books required an investment in time and energy but it was one hell of a ride. The narrator I have listened to in a great number of books. He was not the best part of this one.

a bit convoluted

There is a lot going on in this book. I found it hard to follow.

Lot of detail

Took me awhile to figure out what was going on...once I did I really this book. If you are the type of person whom listens to audio book without giving your full attention, you might get annoyed.