The Dreaming Void: Void Trilogy, Book 1

For my money, Peter Hamilton is the best writer of space operas working today. Like all of his books, this one has a cast of many characters, frequent shifts in perspective between at least 8(!) storylines that initially seem unrelated, some great action sequences, lots of interesting speculation about far future technologies, and an occasional need for an editor.

This book takes place 1500 years after his last two-book series (Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained). Some of the characters from that series are still around, due to the virtual immortality provided by future medicine, but knowing the previous books is not required, though it will make some of the story more interesting.

As the first book of three, this one starts a bit slower than Pandora's Star, but builds over the first third or so of the audiobook to become a really compelling story that weaves together the stories of a far-future hitman, the leader of a religious movement, a semi-omniscient AI, a young woman launching a business career, and a young man who initially seems to be living in a fantasy novel. And yet, as the story comes together, these desperate elements weave together into a story about interstellar intrigue and an upcoming event that could threaten the galaxy.

I thought this was an excellent start to a new space opera, much better than Hamilton's Nights Dawn series, but not as immediately action-packed as the previous Pandora's Star novels. Some segments run a bit long, and the occasional sex scenes can seem a trifle gratuitous, but if you like sprawling novels with dozens of characters (think George RR Martin, but in space) and innovative space opera spanning dozens of worlds, this is a great, very well-read choice.

One of Hamilton's best series, to my mind. I find it difficult to describe: it basically blends the same far-future Commonwealth world of Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained with a very well-realized 'Olde England with psychic powers'. That sounds like it's going to be bad: it's not. As usual, Hamilton not only has great ideas but has the ability to really follow through with them and investigate all the possibilities. I'd recommend new readers to start with Pandora's Star/Judas Unchained just because they're a little easier to get into: although if you're coming from a fantasy background then this series might work better

Amazing book, (can't wait to get part 2), love that their is so much continuity with his previous work's; but in new ways that leaves the story fresh and exciting.

I can understand a "little bit" of the other reviewers frustration, Hamilton's stories can be complex and are not always obviously cohesive. (This isn't the kind of book you can partially listen to while grading papers or something)But these are also the qualities that keep you riveted and intrigued and impatient for more! One needs to do a bit of critical thinking on their own to put things together, but the brilliance of this is that the immersion into the story is intense. The reader isn't constantly jolted out of the story by some monotonous explanation. It has some of the qualities that make up a really good mystery or thriller. That the readers conclusions and interpretations, right or wrong, are part of the experience. Plus the connections and overall continuity in the end are always surprising and satisfying!

I highly recommend any of his books and look forward to the continuation of this story...

This gripping continuation of the world made so real in Pandora's and Judas is once again marred by the director. I assume that would be who is responsible for the complete lack of transitions from one scene to the next. There's barely a breath between what would have been a clear division in story line had you been reading the book. The result is that you're suddenly scrambling to figure out why there are new people on a different planet in a completely different setting than there were in what seemed to be the previous sentence. As a veteran of 8+ years of audiobooks, I've never encountered another series of books that do this so badly. As a commuting listener, I'm constantly rewinding to catch where the transition was. It's annoying to the point of marring an otherwise excellent listening experience. Yes, these are long books but please give us a few seconds pause to acknowledge the change in chapter/setting.

This story picks up some 1400 years beyond Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. Once again, Hamilton weaves seemingly individual stories into an epic tail across a vast universe. His writing is rich in vision, texture and imagery and filled with unforgettable characters. Happily, some well established characters from the previous novels have not yet uploaded their consciousness' and are around for yet another tale.
After seeing that there are no other Peter F. Hamilton novels available through Audible.com, I searched the author's website for additional titles. He is a prolific author yet many of his works are not yet available as audio books here in the US. Perhaps this is something that will become more readily available in the future? I have no doubt many Audible listeners would be thrilled with additional titles.

First of all, this book is best read as a continuation of Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. Once you have read those, the rich tapestry of complex plot lines will make perfect sense.

This is a terrific book, but it is one that demands concentration. It has many overlapping plot lines that converge and interlock. Hamilton is a terrific author, and the narration is superb. The one "problem" with this book is that it is the first in a trilogy, and the next 2 books are not yet available. Audible, please give us the next installment of this series (called The Temporal Void") when it is released on March 24, 2009!

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.

I HIGHLY recommend you read/listen the the Pandora's Star / Judas Unchained books first. These two books introduce you to the world Hamilton has created and gives you a great basis for the technology and the Universe in which this series revolves.

Next, this series actually follows the events of two time lines, one is the universe itself in the present (present of the story), the other is the life events of a single man who lives inside the void.

For those who are fans of the Pandora's Star /Judas Unchained books you will be happy to know several of the key characters in those books either play a major role here or make a cameo appearance, but they fit right in and you do not feel like this is just regurgitated storyline.

Finally, you have to give the story some time to build up, throughout the first book Hamilton is setting the stage, and with a story like this one it takes time, by 2/3 into the first book you should feel right at home with the story organization and from that point on it is smooth sailing.

While you would not technically have to listen to Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained, I would highly recommend it. They are good listens, if somewhat long and drawn out.

That being said... YIKES!! This was SO much better written and pared down to a more essential story line. There is a little confusion at the beginning, and if you have not read or listened to PS or JU, then you will be lost for the first few hours. If you have made it through the first two books, then you will be pleased to hear references and tie-ins to characters you knew before.

There were times in PS and JU that I wanted to fast forward, there is really none of that in this book. I was unhappy that it ended and immediately downloaded the 2nd book and I'm already looking forward to the third. This is a big story, and there are a lot of players and sub plots to keep track of. However if you like your stories to have a huge story arc, then dig in and start listening, you won't be disappointed.

So, look folks...

This is part one of a Space Opera. It's going to be long. There are going to be a ton of characters. There will be plotlines and themes that will develop slowly. You'll have to wait till 2010 to see how it all ends.

It will, however, be magnificent when it's done.

For folks unable to deal with the naritive realities of a space opera, I'd suggest a title by Franklin W. Dixon.

And please, writing a review that insists a yarn is "too hard to follow" says less about the book than the reader.