Great North Road

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: Toby Longworth

Length: 36 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

A century from now, thanks to a technology allowing instantaneous travel across light-years, humanity has solved its energy shortages, cleaned up the environment, and created far-flung colony worlds. The keys to this empire belong to the powerful North family - composed of successive generations of clones. Yet these clones are not identical. For one thing, genetic errors have crept in with each generation. For another, the original three clone "brothers" have gone their separate ways, and the branches of the family are now friendly rivals more than allies.

Or maybe not so friendly. At least that's what the murder of a North clone in the English city of Newcastle suggests to Detective Sidney Hurst. Sid is a solid investigator who'd like nothing better than to hand off this hot potato of a case. The way he figures it, whether he solves the crime or not, he'll make enough enemies to ruin his career. Yet Sid's case is about to take an unexpected turn: Because the circumstances of the murder bear an uncanny resemblance to a killing that took place years ago on the planet St. Libra, where a North clone and his entire household were slaughtered in cold blood.

The convicted slayer, Angela Tramelo, has always claimed her innocence. And now it seems she may have been right. Because only the St. Libra killer could have committed the Newcastle crime. Problem is, Angela also claims that the murderer was an alien monster.

Now Sid must navigate through a Byzantine minefield of competing interests within the police department and the world's political and economic elite...all the while hunting down a brutal killer poised to strike again. And on St. Libra, Angela, newly released from prison, joins a mission to hunt down the elusive alien, only to learn that the line between hunter and hunted is a thin one.

©2012 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2013 Tantor

Critic reviews

"It's a perfect introduction to his gifts for character design, dialogue, and sheer, big-idea-driven storytelling." ( Booklist)

Another fun immersing book by Peter.F

lots of fun hours listening to this to thi marvelous universe unfolding.

great storyline an characters and a great adventure to boost.

thank you!

Supurb storytelling of great Science Fiction!

Would you listen to Great North Road again? Why?

Even though this is a long listen it flew by. The performance was believable and engrossing.

What did you like best about this story?

A multi-faced noir detective story style with a Strong Female protagonist

Which character – as performed by Toby Longworth – was your favorite?

Angela was so vivid and distinctly voiced.

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

Secrets don't die on Alien Worlds

Be prepared for a long haul Marathon

Wow, I can't believe I made it to the end. That's not to say it was a dull read but it was indeed LONG. It was a marathon not for the faint of heart. This was a slow slow burner. The ah-ha moments didn't really happen until like the 4th quarter of the book and the real gotchas until hour 33 for me. But the nice thing about that, was that for me - a usual early guesser of plot surprises - the plot twists were indeed that, a twist til the end. I said a lot of "noooo waaaaayyy!"s in those final hours.

Initially you get the impression this is a 36hr whodunit mystery....borrrrrring right?....but it unfolds slowly into something way more thoughtful and involved and captivating. The depth of character and familial history is remarkable. The story unfolds in the future behind the lens of a local police detective Sid's homicide investigation. The deceased being none other than a mystery North clone. The North's are this notorious family of clones originated from 3 clone brothers. Each subsequent clone generation degradating a bit each time down the line. Being a 2 North, this mystery clone is important. So in march all the key players on the task force - Sid's team. Sid is in the hot seat of a case that could make or break his tenuous hold on his career. This being a North case turns the usual set of protocols on its top and sends Sid's team into overdrive trying to back track modern technology's records of what happened the night of the murder.

This is a fresh and relevant glance on what life could look like in a 100 years with regard to space/time travel and modern technology. What with self driving cars, smart dust cast about entire cities and smart cells in a person's body recording events as they unfold and that analyze body functions its hard to commit the perfect murder, but somehow it happens.

Hamilton does a fine job of weaving subplots in and out between the chapters. While Sid's team is feverishly chipping away at the North murder mystery, we're introduced to a whole nuther set of characters. Angela Tremela was accused and charged of a mass murder some 20yrs prior of a North and his entire household using the same unique method of killing as Sid's case. She professed her innocence 20yrs ago and still maintains it today. Being that this is big deal North business she's released from a life sentence in prison and is brought along to another planet to hunt for a "monster" whom she claimed killed the North household in the past. So Angela and an extensive search team set out to St Libra to begin the hunt. This journey is fraught with one hurdle after another as they're plunked into this alien jungle on the manhunt for a mystery monster who smells like mint. The clock begins ticking as the world is thrown into an artificial winter and the hunters become the hunted.

I also found the cultural nuances to be fascinating. Being an English author there were some colloquial vocabulary that I wasn't familiar with and was entertained by. Sid and all his associates and family using the term "pet" when referring familiarly or endearingly towards one another. It seemed to be most frequently used by a man to a woman but not reserved for people in a relationship together. Sid called colleagues and key witnesses AND his wife "pet".

If you enjoy sci-fi and crime mysteries this might just be the perfect marriage of the two genres all rolled into one big story.

AMAZING

Only con was that it was hard to keep up with the characters and the timeline, but as you keep listening, it works itself out.

NOT IN THE US

I enjoyed listening to this exciting story and couldn't wait for my next free time, to settle down with the cats and knitting, being taken away.to a different, but yet still recognizable world. Cops and villains, adventurers and conservatives, religious fanatics and even real monsters!! All of this surrounded by technology we can now only dream about, science fiction become science fact and so much more. I loved the characters, so real, as they loved, hated, cheated, murdered, were victimized! I could have, however, done with a lot less British lingo! What, for heaven's sake, is a byte-head?? I heard "bite", and couldn't figure out, why the police force would employ somebody/thing that bites! Who, pray tell, is "Pet", since it appears anyone might be called that at any given time! Finally, let's call a bathroom by its name and not use strange expressions like "en suite". This is still the US and if this book is recorded for an American audience, don't confound us with strange cilloquialisms! It takes away from the overall enjoyment.

Good stand alone.

Better than most of his books. Fair detective storyline. Less random sex scene inserts than his other novels, which is a plus.

Get the Timeline and Cast of Characters

I'm only a couple of hours in and I'm hooked. It's everything I expect from Peter F. Hamilton. A note for listeners: The print copy has a map, a timeline and a very helpful cast of characters. If you have a Kindle you can download the free sample and, since these are in the front of the book, they are included. The cast is large and I find it helpful to have a printed list.

Quite simply: the "War and Peace" of sci-fi

Great North Road is truly a masterpiece of literature, all the better because it's sci-fi. Hamilton crafts a richly complex tale of murder and intrigue that gradually expands to an interstellar affair with multiple alien species. The backstories and flashbacks are deliciously detailed and subtly presented to create an onion peeling effect as the tale evolves. The multiple characters are multifaceted with many foibles and failings that are both endearing and identifiable. Hamilton constructs an eminently believable picture of life in the mid-22nd century, especially police procedures and bureaucracy.

The sci-fi elements are varied and comprehensive, but do not overwhelm the story. Included are physics with wormholes, stellar aberrations, quantum state matter, and nanotechnology; biology with rejuvenation, genetic evolution, and unique alien lifeforms; and cyber with electronic implants, complex digital networks, and powerful AI level software. At the same time, Hamilton pays attention to interpersonal and societal relations: realistic family experiences; romance, parental devotion, law enforcement & crime, government bureaucracy, and military. There is heroism & humiliation, ideological rigidity & flexibility, poignant tenderness & vicious ruthlessness, and struggles with decisions on alien genocide & dating partners.

The narration is equally outstanding; all the more given the enormous number of characters. The tone, mood, and pace of delivery are perfect for the story.

Ok storyline...not as good as previous books

Very long and drawn out with too much time spent on explaining unimportant details. Good book to fill time...too long.

Awesome audio book!

Possibly the best sci fi novel I've ever listened to. Terrific story, well paced, and narrated with just the right style. I'd read Hamilton's Nights Dawn trilogy, and liked it but thought it was a bit too dark for my taste. Great North Road is just as well written, probably better, but has a more optimistic tone than Nights Dawn.

I'd read another review that said that the book was too long. I disagree. I wish this book were twice as long, so I could listen to another 25 hours!