This is the book that got me into Peter F Hamilton (I recommend all his series). Most of his books are set in the interstellar "Commonwealth" but the setting for this series is simultaneously more conventional (spaceships rather than interstellar trains) and strange (undead?!). It's a huge, sprawling story with a huge caste of characters and a pretty intriguing premise. Highly recommended.

This book is full of tech, less compelling physics and characters who need significant development. The pace is relatively consistent if somewhat slow, the world-building reasonably interesting. Many scenes are very dark and full of intrigue and sex ....but in my view the book simply doesn't deliver enough victory to make the darker elements worth the pain. For the genre this book is average. While I tend to finish trilogies I think book two will wait...possibly forever.

i strongly recommend that you DO NOT read the descriptions of the second or third book. too much is revealed. reading this book without knowing what is going on is absolutely the way to go. space opera at its finest.

I can't believe I bought all 3 books, what an incredible waste of time, 1st book wasn't bad but second was mediocre and 3rd was painful. Save yourself and don't get started!

...and I'm a fan of Herbert, Heinlein, Asimov & Douglas Adams. The entire series is GREAT. Read them all!

I am a devoted sci-fi reader and physicist (degree from UC Santa Cruz) and I have to say that this book and it's sequels are some of the best science fiction I've ever read.

I found this book very captivating, full of great depictions and mixing so many things into such an epic saga... Sometime, the descriptions are a bit much, and I may have skipped a page here and there, but overall I am ready to lunge in the second book.