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  • House of Suns

  • By: Alastair Reynolds
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 18 hrs and 17 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (1,067 ratings)
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House of Suns cover art

House of Suns

By: Alastair Reynolds
Narrated by: John Lee
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Summary

Six million years ago, at the very dawn of the starfaring era, Abigail Gentian fractured herself into a thousand male and female clones: the shatterlings. Sent out into the galaxy, these shatterlings have stood aloof as they document the rise and fall of countless human empires. They meet every 200,000 years to exchange news and memories of their travels with their siblings.

Not only are Campion and Purslane late for their 30-second reunion but they have also brought along an amnesiac golden robot for a guest. But the wayward shatterlings get more than the scolding they expect: they face the discovery that someone has a very serious grudge against the Gentian line, and there is a very real possibility of traitors in their midst. The surviving shatterlings have to dodge exotic weapons while they regroup to try to solve the mystery of who is persecuting them and why---before their ancient line is wiped out of existence forever.

©2008 Alastair Reynolds (P)2009 Tantor

What listeners say about House of Suns

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Reynolds gets better and better

Alastair Reynolds publishes books with such a rapidity it is truly astonishing that each is so good. He has certainly become one of the great masters of Space Opera. He is consistently brilliant unlike the erratic Iain M Banks who only has flashes of Sci-Fi brilliance.
House of Suns proved to be an excellent, involving read which is intriguingly and shrewdly paced and plotted. And it is read with a great sympathy for his style of writing - great to hear a British voice for a British novelist - which adds to the enjoyment.
I never got far beyond the first fifty pages reading the novel but this recording engaged much more quickly and it just got better every page. I do hope they'll go back and record 'Century Rain' now with the same narrator

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Confusing at first, but keep with it

What made the experience of listening to House of Suns the most enjoyable?

I say confusing because the story has two main characters, and the nearrative keeps swapping between them. However once you get used to this it keep you on your toes wanting to know what the other character is thinking at this point. Add to that an excellent main storyline with some cracking sub plots, and John Lee's excellent narration and you really do want a sequel to know what happens next!

What did you like best about this story?

The best part of this story is that the science behind it is well thought out, Light speed is still a barrier in this future, but there are many ways to beat the years it takes to travel anywhere. Black hole generators for power and gravity just as we are currently learning to make micro black holes, and excellent extrapolation from now to then.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Mr Reynolds does it again

Fatastic story and the characters are really in depth and believeable (although slightly similar to characters from other books of his; but this is kinda unavoidable). My only complaint with this book it that it simply does not finish it only ends. Alastair Reynolds is top notch sci fi writer but please can someone help him to finish a story??? I was looking forward to the sequel to House of Suns until I realised there wasn't one. Shame as it really lends itself to a Revelation Space-type triology.

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8 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

House of Suns

Who wants to kill all the Gentian shatterlings and why? This is what I would describe as proper scifi; strange aliens, lots of space travel and strange future technology. This was the second book by Alastair Reynolds that I listened to (I can also recommend Terminal World). Wonderfully read by John Lee. A great listen.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    out of 5 stars

House of suns

Excellent story well read, money well spent.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

house of sons

Another good book by the author. lots of good characters and plot. John Lee brings out the best of the book in his narration.

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Way to go !

I simply don't believe it ! I am in awe and an unrepentant fan, the scope of his imagination, the characters, in this case a love story spanning time and space, a great yarn that spins its way across millions of years and takes as read sci-fi staples, held me rapt and delighted.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

A good read

Decent plot. Good characterisation. A worthwhile read if you like epic space adventures and layered plots and lots of characters.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Exceptional!!!

Depth of the story, boldness of imagination, well rendered emotions and richness of characters - all creating an enchanted iniversum you yearn to come back to!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable but not outstanding

What made the experience of listening to House of Suns the most enjoyable?

I listend to this book and enjoyed going back to it each day, never feeling I wanted to give up. The story was entertainging and I would recomend it, however it does not stnd out to me as outstanding - just a good book work listening to.

What other book might you compare House of Suns to, and why?

None

What does John Lee bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I liked the acent of this narator

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Nor really

Any additional comments?

I m currently listen to "Revalation space" which is a bit of a slog in comparision, however I am persisting with it.

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2 people found this helpful