The Temporal Void

Void Trilogy, Book 2

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: John Lee

Length: 25 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

Long ago, a human astrophysicist, Inigo, began dreaming scenes from the life of a remarkable human being named Edeard, who lived within the Void, a self-contained microuniverse at the heart of the galaxy.

There, under the beneficent gaze of mysterious godlike entities, humans possessed uncanny psychic abilities, and Edeard's were the strongest of all. Equally strong was his determination to bring justice and freedom to a world terrorized by criminal violence and corruption.

Inigo's inspirational dreams, shared by hundreds of millions throughout the galaxy-spanning gaiafield, gave birth to a religion - Living Dream. But when the appearance of a Second Dreamer seemed to trigger the expansion of the Void - an expansion that is devouring everything in its path -the Intersolar Commonwealth was thrown into turmoil. With the adherents of Living Dream determined to set forth on a dangerous pilgrimage into the Void, interstellar war threatens to erupt.

With time running out, the fate of humanity hinges on a handful of people. There is Araminta, only now awakening to the unwelcome fact that she is the mysterious Second Dreamer - and to the dire responsibilities that go with it; Inigo, whose private dreams hint at a darker truth behind Edeard's legendary life; Paula Myo, the ruthless field operative of the Commonwealth, whose search for Araminta and Inigo is about to yield a most unpleasant surprise; and Justine, whose desperate gamble places her within the Void, where the godlike Skylords hold the power to save the universe...or destroy it.

Dream on: listen to the first book, The Dreaming Void.

©2008 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2009 Tantor

Critic reviews

"Fusing elements of hard SF with adventure fantasy tropes, Hamilton has singlehandedly raised the bar for grand-scale speculative storytelling." ( Publishers Weekly)
"This second book of a trilogy promises a spectacular finish." ( Booklist)

In the mood for a long sci-fi?

Don't start this if you're not in the mood for a long sci-fi story with lots of characters and interwoven storylines. This is very typical of Hamilton's writings, so if you have read other books of his, you won't be at all surprised. I normally prefer shorter novels because I have a limited attention span, but... this is very engaging if you have the time to commit. I do have the next in the series on audio and will be listening to it over the long cold winter.

There is some swearing and no detailed sex or gore. The narration is terrific... in fact, I think this book in audio is less daunting than it would be reading a 740 page book.

All in all, Hamilton has a specific writing style where he intertwines multiple story threads and brings them all to conclusion within the pages of a novel, even if that novel is part of a larger series... if you like any of his work, you should like all of his work.. this one included.

great second book of the trilogy,

already loaded the 3rd book into my audible account to start reading on the way home

A unique Sci-Fi setting

Would you listen to The Temporal Void again? Why?

I'm more likely to listen to The Dreaming Void again, because that's where more new concepts are first presented

What did you like best about this story?

The subversion of fantasy elements to construct a Sci-Fi story.

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

A strong performance as always.

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

The Temporal Void inspired a few instances of shock or outrage.

My new favorite author....

I'm glad Mr. Hamilton likes to write because this 2nd book in the void trilogy has placed him at the top of my author list.

I love the characters, I hate the characters. I love the plot, I hate the plot. His writing pulls me into the story, creating a world I want to live in with characters I wish were real. And once you care about the characters, you care about the story.

Sci-fi at it's best. Highly recommended.

Excellent!!!

Both Peter and John are on the top of their game on this one! Great story and amazing storytelling!!

another great world building adventure by Hamilton

the Void started out a little disappointing after the Commonwealth series, but this story has become just as addicting. As with the first 3 novels the narrator switches storylines on us in the blink of an eye as they happen within a chapter. He really should have a long pause or something in these situations.

I'm hooked!!

This series hit just the right note for me - narration, plot, everything. It's all I can do to only listen to it while I'm driving. I'm gonna look into more books by this author and this narrator.

Riveting sequel.

The second book was better than the first. Looking forward to the next book in the series!

Space Opera as it's meant to be.

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

Hamilton is perhaps THE tech-based sci-fi author out there. He explores the human condition as it might be, as it might evolve with our own technology. With the 'Void', Hamilton presents us with an artificial reality writ so large, so manifest, and so tempting that the reader must closely examine what it is to be human, even when 'humanity' transcends the physical. Serious good space opera with a human core. Well worth the read.

What other book might you compare The Temporal Void to and why?

Reminded me of Aristoi, by Walter John Williams

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

Lee excels at presenting a plethora of characters, races and factions. A wry tone preserves the humanity in this story which so far exceeds humanity as to be nearly unrecognizable.

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

Post-Human? Or Post-Humous?

Any additional comments?

Not for young readers/listeners. Adult themes and language, with extreme violence.

Two stories in one book

It was two different books with two different story lines that take too long to come together, hopefully the final book brings them to one story that makes sense