Worth the effort

Pandora's Star is the first part of a 2-book story. You are in for a long session to get through both of them. I'd previously read Hamilton's Void series and wasn't totally convinced, but this earlier work is more gripping. There are a lot of characters to stay on top of and some threads of story don't seem to add much to the main plot but the imagined sci-fi future is sound, the plot is coherently working away through the two books and I was drawn in.
I can't agree with the reviewer who criticised the narrator. I found his voice and style unobtrusive and consistent (over around 80 hours of reading!) and it worked for me.

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1 person found this helpful

Brilliant Soap Opera as it should be

I dont like leaving reviews but felt compelled to, this is an excellent listen and for me listening to long books is what i like best, the story, characters, plot all take you away from the reality of today. You have to like science fiction to like this as its based around that genre and you also have to like soaps which normally i dont but the two together in this author's hand I felt deserved a word from me.

I enjoyed it immensely, I suffer from Chronic Pain, Insomnia and Depression that follows and if possible and I like to be lost in books as for me its a relief and just takes me to another place for a while.

Not everyone will enjoy this, its not that sort of book but if you like the Expanse or similar sci fi then you will like this of that I am sure. Its worthy of a TV series, it has all the characters there in the books before and after and I hope one day that will follow.

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good story, could use a better narrator

The story was good but the narrator was a bit flat. He doesn't have a great range of voices which leads to a little bit of confusion and making the boring bits more boring.

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Interest,but needs attention to keep with the plot

Quite a few characters and sub-plots to keep track of. you never know if someone who was mentioned once two hours ago is a throwaway character or becomes quite important. still, interesting concepts and great detail in just the right places, really takes you there and bills the world in your imagination.

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One of Hamilton's best.

superb story and a good length. John Lee is one of the best narrators I have heard.

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best sci-fi book ever?

I think so. Simply brilliant. Not read any Peter F Hamilton yet? What are you waiting for...

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Brilliant story. Terrifying bad guy.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Even though this story is a little slow to start with, once it gets going it just doesn't stop.
The science fiction is enticing, the characters varied and believable and the bad guy... genuinely alien and terrifying.
Despite the horror of everything that goes wrong, if I were given the option then I'd choose to live in this universe in a heartbeat.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pandora's Star?

The attack of the Alamo Avengers on the Second Chance. Or the alien interrogation of Dudley.

Which scene did you most enjoy?

Morning Light Mountain's history from first being formed to encountering humans.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Something suitably cheesy... "Some things are hidden for a reason" or "When you can live forever, how long until you uncover the truth?"

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loved it amazing edge of your seat story telling .

I loved the book a true a science fiction classic edge of seat deep story line .

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i listened to this book out of order

it all makes sense now as i listened to it out of order. very good listen. as usual way too much detail but it all works

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Stunning book but why American pronunciation?

Any additional comments?

This is a superb grand epic of a book, space opera in parts yet complex and detailed.It is excellently read although I would like to know why a British voice actor reading a British sci fi book has to use American pronunciation for everything. Aluminium becomes aloominum and so on. Are the poor dears over there too delicate to listen to proper English? I'm sure it was as irritating to him as it was to me. It is an annoyance but I've still bought the next book so I'll have to put up more of it because I really do need to know what happens next.

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