Judas Unchained

Delightful, Wondrous Conclusion

Humanity lost several star systems, the mysterious alien(s) is still relentless attacking, and political maneuvering is reaching its insidious climax as an unseen force is moving humanity to all-out brutal war.

What makes this sequel so good is that many characters are developed. Some of the minor characters in the first book blossom into big plot movers in this sequel.

In the end, there is no single hero, but--like real life--several brave people contributing together. Just like real life, not all of these brave people are honorable people in normal peace times.

WOW!

I struggled through Pandora's Star. Really liked it's storyline, but had a hard time staying awake through all the descriptive text. Judas Unchained was very fast paced, exciting, and, thankfully, the landscape wasn't described in a vivid detail as in Pandora's Star.

I just wish another book about Ozzy's travels would have been written. I love Ozzy man.

Sensory Overload

Judas Unchained (and Pandora's Star) has got to be the most imaginative work I have read in quite some time. I would rank it right up there with the masters. Hamilton skillfully weaves this story, which is part mystery but mostly action and suspense, into a colorful tapestry of smaller events that eventually fill out the bigger picture. Not only has Hamilton created a very believable future, but he also has created a complete galaxy full of sentient (mostly humans) and non-sentient life that fill hundreds of worlds which are connected by wormholes for near instantaneous interstellar travel. He writes in such a manner that visits the story from multiple perspectives, angles, and viewpoints of the many characters. Judas Unchained is the thrilling edge-of-your-seat ending to Pandora's Star in which the fate of the universe, well at least the galaxy, will be determined by whoever wins the war. Will it be the mythical alien, the Starflyer? Will the Primes, who's sole purpose is to be the only living race left, succeed in wiping out the human race? Will the humans finally succeed in eliminating the threat of the Primes in a last ditch attempt of genocide? There is a multitude of characters to hold your interest, and while I found myself drawn to Ozzie, I kept wondering just exactly what role he really plays. He is, of course, a key character, but he seems to have a 'supporting actor' type of a role, until right up to the very end he finally has a major stake in the story. This is an excellent story in fact it's the best yarn I have read in a long time. While this would make a great movie or two, it is of such epic proportions there is way too much going on to be able to pack it into just a few hours. This would be better off as a TV mini series or even a full blown, multi year series. My only complaints against the book are the amount of vulgarities and nonchalant attitude toward sexuality. I realize people are people, but some parts of the book (including Pandora's star) are down right pornographic.

OUTSTANDING!

Thank you Mr. Hamilton! This novel is thoroughly enjoyable from the first page to the last! I highly recommed it to everyone, not just scifi fans. The characters are great and the action is non-stop. The intricate groundwork laid out in Pandora's Star really pays off here. Please keep them coming and a note to publishers - at last a novel to sink your teeth into! As an avid scifi reader I am tired of novels getting shorter and shorter. Your readers have longer attention spans and dont want to pick up and finish a novel in one night! We want a good read. Judas Unchained is a GREAT one!

Excellent complex science fiction

Late in the twenty-fourth century, the maniacal barbaric Primes attack the human Commonwealth with an insane vigor in which death means nothing to the invaders. Rather quickly the Primes devastate thirteen of the over six hundred interconnected worlds in a blitzkrieg like nothing ever imagined. The Intersolar Commonwealth Senate debate the motive of their enemy while the Navy struggles with countering the precision assault as the Primes react as one entity. --- As the Commonwealth teeters, its espionage agents learn about a third party pulling the strings like a master puppeteer. Could the overzealous members of the barred Guardians of Selfhood cult be right that the Starflyer, which most thought was a myth, be behind the Primes¿ lethal first contact and have infiltrated the key Confederation leadership organizations like the senate, Dynasties, and the Navy? As the Prime and the Commonwealth seek more powerful weapons that could commit genocide, the former have no compunctions in doing so while the latter argue the ethics of ethnic cleansing. --- The above is a tiny description of what is probably the most complex science fiction written in several years (except maybe the first novel ¿ see PANDORA¿S STAR). There are numerous subplots and perspective switches enabling the audience to better understand the crisis and how people act differently towards its resolution (not always in a moral manner as civilization crumbles under pandemic deaths). Ultimately the theme turns into an ethical debate over genocide sort of like Truman using the Bomb or explaining to American mothers why he had a weapon of mass destruction but allowed millions of their sons to die instead. Peter Hamilton is at his best with a delightfully deep, detailed epic space saga but the audience should obtain the first tale and set aside a couple of weeks to a month to read both as these are well worth your time. --- Harriet Klausner

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