Customer Reviews

The Reality Dysfunction Part 2: Expansion

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I liked part 1 more than part 2. It's too long, though. I'd say this book could be one third the size and be 10x more enjoyable. There are just too many very, very long descriptions of situations, people, places and items which are just plain boring. I found myself skipping over these long interludes.

Also, I was disappointed in the end. Not because it didn't wrap everything up in a tidy little bundle, but because the thread he chose to resolve was the least interesting, in my opinion. There were lots of other threads that were completely unexplored. Perhaps the rest of them will be tied up or discussed more in future novels? I won't be reading them.

"In the far future...The Edenists are genetically engineered space-dwellers with telepathic affinity to their biotechnological homes and ships. Adamists are...the Luddites of the future, willing to pioneer new worlds... The two clash on a primitive world called Lalonde..." Amazon.com review

As I have a bone or two to pick, don't read on unless you've read the novel: Despite the Amazon.com summary, the Edenists and Adamists do not "clash." In fact, they have nothing to do with each other, which is one of the premises of the novel. Adamists resolutely go their own low tech way. They are, however, as Hamilton puts it, "sequestrated" because their newly colonized planet Lalonde is the vortex entry point for
the souls of the DEAD. It isn't the hard working Adamist colonists hacking a life out of the frontier who confront the Edenists, but the reincarnated Dead. And that's a whole
nuther ballgame.

The Planet Lalonde is a pretty insane place. But for the Amazon "review" of part I, "Emergence" to call an Adamist priest "an ineffectual ....shocked by the world he has
come to settle... " is essentially an unfair and misleading characterization because it's relevant only to the first half of the novel. As anyone who has read the entire novel knows, the priest is the sole adult on the entire Planet to survive in his own skin. So if that is being "ineffectual," one has to wonder what "effectual" means. Indeed, what strikes me as ineffectual is loosing one's will and identity to another personality come
from the Beyond. In point of fact, the priest heroically saves some 23 children from being consumed by metaphysical beings incarnated into the living bodies of each and every colonist. Each and every, that is, except him. And this, I assume, is because he is the only man of the cloth, the only Adamist churchman. He alone goes through the gauntlet from Hell; but he emerges as himself. HIS self; not somebody else's. He alone
remains who he is. That seems pretty effectual to me.

And finally, "Joining the large cast of characters is Graeme Nicholson, a reporter....who will regret ever learning about the biggest story to hit the galaxy in a thousand years." Amazon.com review

Graeme who? The guy at the bar in scene one who is never mentioned again? That Graeme? Either I missed something, or Graeme Nicholson does not join the cast. And regret? I don't recall him actually regretting anything since I don't recall him being part of the plot.

In any event, Peter Hamilton has, in this novel, created a space opera that helps define contemporary SF. For lack of a better term, this novel is awesome. Its big, its bulky, its a
fantabulously detailed mind-boggling melding of DH Lawrence, Buck Rogers and HP Lovecraft (or something like that): Heroes and Maidens indulge in country matters; Living Habitats for a number of species germinated by a kind of Medici royalty have the
capacity to download the "soul" of a dying person; there are the technologies of ancient civilizations of unknown origin to be studied; and, of course, the incursion of the souls from the Beyond to wage a cosmic civil war, etc, etc. What's not to like?

Finally, beware axegrinding naysayers who after a thousand pages decide they don't like what they're reading. If they wasted their time, it's not the book's fault.

After reading the first book in this series "Reality Dysfunction: Emergence", I was hooked, and immediately bought the second installment.

It has lived up to the promise of the first book, and comes to a nail biting and edge of seat conclusion. Hamilton continues to develop the universe he has created, giving us a glimple into the Tyrathca society and suggesting that they have direct knowledge of the catastrophe that caused the collapse of Laymil civilization.

The stars of this book are the mechanically enhanced troops that are set down on Lalonde, both the hi-tech body enhancements and their Esprit de Corps and devil may care attitude to life, death and danger.

Needless to say I have purchased the next installment of the series, which amounts to six books in total, if you don't count short stories and add ons.

A great universe full of interesting characters, clever twists and unforseen developments. Brilliant stuff.

This was even better than the first. The plot is more solid, more connected, and you begin to get a feeling for what the story is truely about.
The scope of this book was astonishing. You literaly span the galaxy, visiting places and meeting people so far beyond your wildest dreams..... It's incredible.
The characters begin to take a more concrete shape, forming more solid personalities and becoming more real. As this book unfolds, the mysteries left by the first start to make more sense, becoming a part of the story that fits tightly and perfectly.
The writting is just wonderful. It pulls you in, making you feel like you just have to know what happens next. You tell yourself that after you find out you'll stop, and then another unbelievable surprise hits you and you know it's hopeless. I finished this book in even less time then it took me to finish the first. I just couldn't put it down.
This book is an amazing epic all on it's own!
And just think! There are still more left to read!
The only thing I'm sorry about is that I didn't discover this series sooner!
One of the thing I like best is how unpredictable the story is. You never know what's next, or how it will happen. I just can't wait to find out!
A truely incredible story, and well worth reading. More than once!

Just a quick review : Read this superb series, Its a must for any space opera fan.

Have you ever read a story and experienced a moment where you stopped seeing the words and started seeing the world through the eyes of the characters? That is what happened to me while reading "The Reality Dysfunction: Expansion." There is a wonderful space battle in this book that is worth the price of admission. And happily there are other reasons to recommend this book - lively characters, gripping battles, and loads of action make for major amounts of space opera fun.

Unfortunately, this is not a perfect book. The story can get longwinded at times. I often found myself wondering if the author was being paid by the word. But would the story be better if it was briefer? I'm not convinced. And I'm concerned that some of the better moments would be lost. And this book is sorely in need of an editor. Characters disappear for major stretches of the story, then reappear without a by your leave. It makes it difficult to follow the story at times. Weeks pass for some while hours pass for others. Very annoying.

But there are some wonderful moments and some fine concepts at work here. What would society be like if everyone could honestly share thoughts and emotions telepathically? Just how would your life be changed if you had proof of an afterlife? I think these are ideas worth exploring and expounding upon.

This is not heavy literature. It's modern, pulp science fiction. Written to be enjoyed.

Volume 2 of a six volume series. See series review on the Reality Dysfunction:Emergence page.

Volume 2 of a six volume series. See series review on the Reality Dysfunction:Emergence page.

The second half of this novel is a bit better than the first half. It generated enough interest to make me buy "The Neutronium Alchemist."

These three books (Reality Disfunction, Neutronium Alchemist, and the Naked God) are some of my favourite scifi ever. I generally consider myself to be quite discerning, and hate anything implausable in scifi that I read. Hamilton not only sticks to the laws of science, but within those laws creates a universe on the edge of human imagination. He describes ideas and concepts, each of which could be the fuel for a fascinating story in themselves, yet they are mere background to the actual story which will really challenge your imagination.