Peter F Hamilton - Second Chance at Eden

[StormFeather]

I recently stumbled across 'A Second Chance at Eden' in an old box of books, given to me by my Dad.

At the time, the author wasn't familiar, and I had no pre-conceptions of what I might encounter.

The first story had me gripped, and left me with a deep impression. The rest of the stories were clever, and I found myself deeply immersed in the worlds he created.

So, I wanted to read more.

I finally got a chance to delve into one of these boxes and found another book - 'The Naked God' - and was gutted to see that it's book 3 in the Nights Dawn Trilogy

Is it worth buying the first 2 books? And does anyone else like Hamilton's style of writing, as a search on his name produced precious few threads?

*this is also partly an effort to get Mr Hamilton his own sub-section in the authors bit!*

 

[chrispenycate]

I haven't yet read:– A second chance at Eden
The Confederation handbook
The temporal void
or Watching trees grow

The Night's dawn trilogy and the Commonwealth books are very heavy, dense works; while admiring the sheer quantity of preparation I can't help feeling that some simplification, leaving out some of the detail (and maybe using it in another book) wouldn't have made them more digestible, easier (and more enjoyable) to read.

My favourites of his are still the 'mindstar' trilogy; plenty of new technology (even, sometimes, a bit much) fewer characters, so you have time to get to know them before scooting off to the other side of the galaxy, and light enough to read in bed. And each of them a complete story, not demanding that you've read the previous parts or you drown in characters you don't know, politics you don't follow and a huge, complex civilisation you haven't grown up in.

I would seriously suggest that starting 'Night's dawn' with "The Naked God" would be a bad idea.

 

[The Procrastinator]

Yes its worth buying them. I haven't read A Second Chance at Eden, but if you liked Edenism there's plenty of it in the Night's Dawn Trilogy.

Chris is right - don't start the story with book 3 - you need to know a heck of a lot before it will make any kind of sense.

Chris is also right about it being heavy and dense. But I found the first book in particular very compelling, and while I, too, wished that an axe had been taken to some of it, other parts were excellent, and on the whole its a good trilogy (if somewhat overwritten). Some very cool concepts!

 

[Vertigo]

Personally I would recommend the Commonwealth series more than the Night's Dawn I found them a much easier read (Pandora's Star, Judas Unchained and then the Void Trilogy). I did enjoy the Night's Dawn books but did find them very dark and a little heavy going, though the pace picked up a bit in the second book. (Interesting. I noticed that Procrastinator found the first one better whilst I found the second two better. Ho hum horses for courses).

I did enjoy the Mindstar books (much more stand alone though still best read in order) but have to say I thought them a little lightweight - kind of flash, bang shoot 'em up special agent sort of thing. Actually that makes them sound really bad and they're not, just not as weghty as his other material (in both senses of the word).

Definately don't start with Naked God - you won't have a clue what's going on!

One of my favourite authors and the Commonwealth books are one of my favourite SF series. I both eagerly await the final Void book and what he will come up with next.

 

[StormFeather]

Thanks guys - I will bear these comments in mind.

I did like the Edenism tale in SCaE - and found myself very engaged with the whole idea. Also, loved the concept of the affinity bonds - what a great idea!

Looking forward to purchasing myself some more reading material soon

 

[The DeadMan]

I read a couple of the Night's Dawn - Confederation books a few years ago. Now I would like to read the entire series. I would like to read them in chronological order instead of the order they were published. Can anyone tell me the proper chronological order of these books? I have read the Mindstar books and the Commonwealth books and wish to start on the Night's Dawn books next.

 

[Vertigo]

I think A Second Chance At Eden (short stories and one novella) come first chronologically (I haven't read them yet but mean to). After that things might get a little confusing. There are three books in the Nights Dawn series but I believe in America they were published as six.

In the UK it is, in order:
1. The Reality Dysfunction (1996)
2. The Neutronium Alchemist (1997)
3. The Naked God (1999)

There is also The Confederation Handbook (2000) (personally I rarely bother with these handbook things)

These three volumes were also published as a single omnibus edition: The Night's Dawn Trilogy (omnibus) (2000)

In America I believe they were published as follows (though I may be wrong - it might simply be different editions in more manageable chunks ):

Night's Dawn : Reality Dysfunction
1. Emergence (1997)
2. Expansion (1997)

Night's Dawn : Neutronium Alchemist
1. Consolidation (1997)
2. Conflict (1998)

Night's Dawn : Naked God
1. Flight (2000)
2. Faith (2000)

Hope I've get that all right as I believe you are from t'other side of the pond. The order I have shown them should be the correct reading order. Though I'm sure if I have it wrong someone here will correct me!

 

[The DeadMan]

Thanks! That helps me a lot. I have all the books except The Neutronium Alchemist - Consolidation and The Naked God - Faith. I hope to get them in the next couple of days.

 

[StormFeather]

This is what Hamilton has to say about A Second Chance at Eden in the introduction:

The stories asssembled for this collection are set in the universe of my 'Night's Dawn Trilogy'. Now, they form a series of snapshot glimpses into the history of the Confederation leading up to the time of Joshua Calvert and Quinn Dexter

Sonnie's Edge, the first story, stayed with me for days, and the rest gave me a tantalising glimpse of an interesting universe. There are also dates of various major historical points of the universe given between each story to tie in the timeline.

And Thanks Vertigo - I know which title to look for now

 

[Vertigo]

FYI this is my usual source of such data

www.fantasticfiction.co.uk

Just a database really - but despite the garish style the info is presented clearly with books split into series.

 

[williamjm]

I quite liked A Second Chance At Eden, but I didn't think it was anything special. I really like the Night's Dawn books, though, it has a compelling plot and a mixture of some intelligent and imaginative SF world-building and some great action scenes. It isn't perfect, it is longer than it needs to be, and the ending was a bit disappointing, but it is still one of my favourite SF series. I like the Commonwealth and Greg Mandel series a lot as well, and I'm eagerly awaiting the concluding volume in his Void Trilogy.

I think A Second Chance At Eden (short stories and one novella) come first chronologically (I haven't read them yet but mean to).

They are all set before the start of the Night's Dawn trilogy, if I remember correctly the last short story is set a few decades before the beginning of The Reality Dysfunction. They can easily be read either before or after the trilogy, since the only direct plot connections are a couple of appearances by characters from the trilogy.

These three volumes were also published as a single omnibus edition: The Night's Dawn Trilogy (omnibus) (2000)

I can't imagine how an omnibus could be readable, since the trilogy is close to 3000 pages in length.

 

[Vertigo]

I can't imagine how an omnibus could be readable, since the trilogy is close to 3000 pages in length.

I must admit I wondered that myself - figured you would need a reinforced table just to support it

 

[Tillane]

On the plus side, it'd make one heck of a doorstop.

 

[Vertigo]

It would that - but you might do yourself an injury moving it

I should add that contrary to what some people seem to feel - I enjoy Hamilton's books enough that I actually like the length of them - it makes them last longer

OK maybe they could be shortened but for myself at least I say "why?"

 

[The DeadMan]

I went to huge used bookstore in Nashville Tennessee yesterday and I managed to get The Neutronium Alchemist - Consolidation and The Naked God - Faith which were the only books in the series that I didn't have. I plan on starting to read the entire series as soon as I finish the book I am presently reading. I probably won't see the light of day for a couple of months.

 

[bluespider100]

I went to huge used bookstore in Nashville Tennessee yesterday and I managed to get The Neutronium Alchemist - Consolidation and The Naked God - Faith which were the only books in the series that I didn't have. I plan on starting to read the entire series as soon as I finish the book I am presently reading. I probably won't see the light of day for a couple of months.

yeah, good luck with us, am halfway through the second book , and after I'm done with the series, I'll head over to Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space series which is light compared to the Night Dawn's Trilogy...

 

[Vertigo]

yeah, good luck with us, am halfway through the second book , and after I'm done with the series, I'll head over to Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space series which is light compared to the Night Dawn's Trilogy...

Revelation space is more accessible certainly though still by no means light - I have to say I do also love Reynolds stuff even though I have to keep a dictionary to hand whilst I am reading him .

One thing to watch out for with the revelation space series is that whilst there are 5 books in the series there are also a number of other short stories and novellas as well. Also certain books seem to introduce the the whole Revelation Space universe better than others and unfortunately the first full novel published in the series - Revelation Space - is really not the best introduction and also not the first chronologically. I give a suggested reading order in this thread: http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/50493-any-other-alastair-reynolds-fans-here-5.html#post1402955

 

[bluespider100]

Revelation space is more accessible certainly though still by no means light - I have to say I do also love Reynolds stuff even though I have to keep a dictionary to hand whilst I am reading him .

One thing to watch out for with the revelation space series is that whilst there are 5 books in the series there are also a number of other short stories and novellas as well. Also certain books seem to introduce the the whole Revelation Space universe better than others and unfortunately the first full novel published in the series - Revelation Space - is really not the best introduction and also not the first chronologically. I give a suggested reading order in this thread: (link removed)

Thanks for the heads up! Glad to have you around helping out newbies like me. well I'm still a long way from that though. and I already bought Revelation Space in advance, well I guess I'll just hold on to it and go to the link you mentioned...

 

[Vertigo]

Actually another approach is to look at Wiki - there are Revelation Space pages there for Technology, characters, cultures, etc. Just refer to that when you are confused. Have to be careful not to read spoilers - but I certainly found it helpful to get my balance when I started on them.

 

[The DeadMan]

yeah, good luck with us, am halfway through the second book , and after I'm done with the series, I'll head over to Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space series which is light compared to the Night Dawn's Trilogy...

Thanks! I have read most of Alastair Reynolds Revelation Space series and I really enjoyed them. They are very hard to put down once you start reading them.