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Salvation Sequence #2
Salvation Lost
The comparative utopia of 23rd-century Earth is about to go dreadfully awry when a seemingly benign alien race is abruptly revealed to be one of the worst threats humanity has ever faced. Driven by an intense religious extremism, the Olyix are determined to bring everyone to their version of god as they see it. But they may have met their match in humanity, who are not about to go gently into that good night or spend the rest of their days cowering in hiding. As human ingenuity and determination rises to the challenge, collective humanity has only one goal - to wipe this apparently undefeatable enemy from the face of creation. Even if it means playing a ridiculously long game indeed.
But in a chaotic universe, it is hard to plan for every eventuality, and it is always darkest before the dawn.
But in a chaotic universe, it is hard to plan for every eventuality, and it is always darkest before the dawn.
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First published October 29, 2019
1592 people are currently reading
3763 people want to read
About the author
Peter F. Hamilton
208 books10.2k followersPeter F. Hamilton is a British science fiction author. He is best known for writing space opera. As of the publication of his tenth novel in 2004, his works had sold over two million copies worldwide, making him Britain's biggest-selling science fiction author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 580 reviews
May 7, 2022
A fleet of ships, strange alien motivations for invasions, jumping between different time periods, and a mysterious second alien fraction make this another milestone in the work of an already immortal sci-fi behemoth author.
Seems legit. Kind of
That´s a strange motivation for , closer to a benevolent dictator than something really intrinsic and totally evil. Well, it might be questionable if it´s really a sign of good will to because one is told so by a strange legend. This ideology and faith thing may be able to infest anyone, no matter what level of technological evolution.
One needs a hobby
Maybe it´s even a somewhat logical, final step, and as soon as the mind and body evolution is definitively over and there is nothing more left to explore or grow extra body parts for optimization, stagnation and mental degeneration set in. Imagine immortal humans that have and know anything, it might not be so far off to assume that they will have the one or other, a bit or totally, bonkers idea. Usual everyday madness combined with the abilities of gods.
Evolution of an exceptional author
I´ve read all of Hamiton´s work, much of it twice, and how he evolved to someone I can´t find comparisons with, to a prodigy infecting my mind with unique ideas while describing the lives of human and alien beings, is getting better and better with each work. He got even more accessible, because the infodump and technobabble level has been reduced a tiny bit in comparison to his earlier works, focusing even more on characters and how all aspects of life and society might work in a future not as far away as many might think.
Try to leery look at free lunches
The somehow reminded me of the cruciform concept of Simmons´ Hyperion saga. How such technologies are made and sometimes find completely new uses in evolving sci-fi is one of the many eureka moments great sci-fi tends to offer and Hamilton is a grandmaster at first introducing something 1000 pages before, to suddenly Macguff and Chekhov it out of nowhere in completely new, astonishing and thrilling context one didn´t see coming. Important note for future humans: Except if you are into, just one horny time, body horror mutation fetish or something, then it´s perfectly fine. But who am I to judge.
It are just generations that separate us from many sci-fi ideas, although the far most important, life expansion until immortality finally sets in, might be too late for many of us. Although I am totally sure that greedy corporations and corrupt governments will certainly find ways to limit or overprize the accessibility of not having to die anymore.
This wise, just joking, advice is added to all reviews of Hamiltons´series.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Hamilton´s future vision is to see the technology and society developing in very detail over long periods of time, making a return to his universe something always stunning and inspiring. It also makes me wonder why he is the only author I know of who did this. One, who is new, lucky you, by the way, ought consider reading it in chronological order:
Salvation year 2200
Commonwealth year 2400
The Night´s Dawn trilogy year 2700
The Chronicle of the Fallers year 3400
Void trilogy year 3600
You can of course do as you wish, it´s just how I arrange my rereading to get the most out of it and slowly move further and further away from the boring present.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
Seems legit. Kind of
That´s a strange motivation for , closer to a benevolent dictator than something really intrinsic and totally evil. Well, it might be questionable if it´s really a sign of good will to because one is told so by a strange legend. This ideology and faith thing may be able to infest anyone, no matter what level of technological evolution.
One needs a hobby
Maybe it´s even a somewhat logical, final step, and as soon as the mind and body evolution is definitively over and there is nothing more left to explore or grow extra body parts for optimization, stagnation and mental degeneration set in. Imagine immortal humans that have and know anything, it might not be so far off to assume that they will have the one or other, a bit or totally, bonkers idea. Usual everyday madness combined with the abilities of gods.
Evolution of an exceptional author
I´ve read all of Hamiton´s work, much of it twice, and how he evolved to someone I can´t find comparisons with, to a prodigy infecting my mind with unique ideas while describing the lives of human and alien beings, is getting better and better with each work. He got even more accessible, because the infodump and technobabble level has been reduced a tiny bit in comparison to his earlier works, focusing even more on characters and how all aspects of life and society might work in a future not as far away as many might think.
Try to leery look at free lunches
The somehow reminded me of the cruciform concept of Simmons´ Hyperion saga. How such technologies are made and sometimes find completely new uses in evolving sci-fi is one of the many eureka moments great sci-fi tends to offer and Hamilton is a grandmaster at first introducing something 1000 pages before, to suddenly Macguff and Chekhov it out of nowhere in completely new, astonishing and thrilling context one didn´t see coming. Important note for future humans: Except if you are into, just one horny time, body horror mutation fetish or something, then it´s perfectly fine. But who am I to judge.
It are just generations that separate us from many sci-fi ideas, although the far most important, life expansion until immortality finally sets in, might be too late for many of us. Although I am totally sure that greedy corporations and corrupt governments will certainly find ways to limit or overprize the accessibility of not having to die anymore.
This wise, just joking, advice is added to all reviews of Hamiltons´series.
One of the most fascinating aspects of Hamilton´s future vision is to see the technology and society developing in very detail over long periods of time, making a return to his universe something always stunning and inspiring. It also makes me wonder why he is the only author I know of who did this. One, who is new, lucky you, by the way, ought consider reading it in chronological order:
Salvation year 2200
Commonwealth year 2400
The Night´s Dawn trilogy year 2700
The Chronicle of the Fallers year 3400
Void trilogy year 3600
You can of course do as you wish, it´s just how I arrange my rereading to get the most out of it and slowly move further and further away from the boring present.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
August 6, 2019
Mr. Hamilton does it again. But this time, rather than kicking off an epic war of dead people versus the living in a high-tech far-future space-opera, he twists us around a truly desperate struggle against very powerful aliens coming to "save" us, preserving us and sending us to the end of the universe where we will all share the experience together.
Sound like some religious nutters? They FEEL like religious nutters. And it's awesome. This is the start of the full-on conflict right here. All the human worlds, some alien help, and the full efforts of our own far-future humanity are set against this odd invasion.
And it's an extinction-level event.
Never mind that we have near-immortality, quantum entanglement transporters, von Neumann transhumanists, or some extreme printing technology, minds as big as moons, or anything we thought would make us amazingly resilient.
This is total war. And the twists to come are pretty damn amazing. No spoilers, but this is one of the more impressive novels by Hamilton. And when it comes to worldbuilding and storytelling and the epic, that's saying a lot.
Sound like some religious nutters? They FEEL like religious nutters. And it's awesome. This is the start of the full-on conflict right here. All the human worlds, some alien help, and the full efforts of our own far-future humanity are set against this odd invasion.
And it's an extinction-level event.
Never mind that we have near-immortality, quantum entanglement transporters, von Neumann transhumanists, or some extreme printing technology, minds as big as moons, or anything we thought would make us amazingly resilient.
This is total war. And the twists to come are pretty damn amazing. No spoilers, but this is one of the more impressive novels by Hamilton. And when it comes to worldbuilding and storytelling and the epic, that's saying a lot.
November 19, 2019
Great second volume! Feels like coming home.
The two storylines are following directly the ones from the previous volume, the present one in 2204 over the course of 10 days and the other set more than 10,000 years in the future. There are a lot of twists and revelations, some of them completely unexpected.
Almost all puzzle pieces are brought together now, having the big picture somewhat completed, but of course, we are still clueless how everything will end. And that’s something we’ll have to wait for another year or two to find out.
In a way, I'm surprised that I’m still amazed by his imagination, intricate plots, myriad of characters and the unrelenting feeling of breathlessness that I experience reading his stories. Having read all his works, I should be used by now to his style and I don’t think I should be surprised anymore, but here I am, still trying to catch my breath after the events in the end.
The last volume can’t come soon enough…
The two storylines are following directly the ones from the previous volume, the present one in 2204 over the course of 10 days and the other set more than 10,000 years in the future. There are a lot of twists and revelations, some of them completely unexpected.
Almost all puzzle pieces are brought together now, having the big picture somewhat completed, but of course, we are still clueless how everything will end. And that’s something we’ll have to wait for another year or two to find out.
In a way, I'm surprised that I’m still amazed by his imagination, intricate plots, myriad of characters and the unrelenting feeling of breathlessness that I experience reading his stories. Having read all his works, I should be used by now to his style and I don’t think I should be surprised anymore, but here I am, still trying to catch my breath after the events in the end.
The last volume can’t come soon enough…
November 22, 2019
A continuation of Peter's truly extraordinary Salvation (my review). I strongly suggest you re-read it before starting this, book #2.
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
The book opens with a clever and engaging chapter, as a Neána insertion ship approaches the planet Vaya, on a mission to warn them of the Olyix. There's quite a wonderful surprise here, truly delicious!
Many of the same players are in this book, with a few new faces who add an amplified dystopia and poignancy to the invasion of Earth. The world-building is astonishing and fascinating, the action is marvellous, and the plot is quite complex. Unfortunately both the pacing and the dialogue stumble at several points, so minus 0.5 stars for that. We did not see that at all in the first book.
The second book in a trilogy is always the hardest to get right: Having to bridge the first and last books, building on character and plot without detracting from the (coming) third book, and sadly winnowing down the list of characters.
I did enjoy the future-thread ("Vayan") of Salvation Lost much more than in the first book. It's far more complex and human here, with real passions and peril, even thousands of years in the future.
The "Southwark Legion" crime gang in London was a bit confusing and boring at first, but their importance becomes clear later in the book.
The battle scenes throughout the book are wonderful, with pacing excellent and good hard sci-fi.
And there's a terrific ending, as in the first book, to leave us gasping again for the next volume The Saints of Salvation in a year's time.
I very wisely read the first book again, to remind my tired old brain of the characters and their roles. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed the 5-star Salvation even more than the first time! I highly you recommend to re-read the first.
List of Characters 2204
Yuri Alster - Connexion Security chief
Crina - Connexion Security bodyguard, sent to protect Gwendoline in London
Eldlund - Callum’s aide
Anne Groell - Connexion Security, New York chief Callum
Hepburn Utopial senior troubleshooter
David Johnston - Supreme Commander Alpha Defence
Emilja Jurich - Utopial leader
Kohei - Connexion Security, London chief
Loi - Yuri’s aide
Kandara Martinez - Dark-ops mercenary
Alik Monday - FBI senior special detective
Jessika Mye - Neána metahuman
Gwendoline Seymore-Qing-Zangari Connexion finance director
Horatio Seymore - Social services agency adviser
Lucius Soéko - Neána metahuman
Ainsley Baldunio Zangari - Connexion founder & CEO
Ainsley Zangari III - CEO of Connexion TranSol division
Southwark Legion (2nd rate criminal gang, aspiring)
Adnan Tech-head
Piotr Ramin - Leader
Tronde Aucoin - Printer
Gareth Brabin - Nethead
Ollie Heslop - Planner
Lars Wallin - Muscle
Claudette Beaumant - Legion scam target
Lolo Maude - Ollie’s lover
]ade Urchall - Lieutenant in London crime family
List of Characters, Vayan (distant future)
Crew of the Morgan
Dellian - Squad leader
Ellici - Tactician
Falar - Squad member
Janc - Squad member
Kenelm - Captain of the Morgan
Mallot - Squad member
Ovan - Squad leader
Rello - Squad member
Tilliana - Tactician
Tomar - Squad member
Uret - Squad member
Wim - Bridge officer
Xante - Squad member
Yirella - Designer of Vayan
Fintox - Neána metavayan
Motaxan - Neána metavayan
Quotes and notes:
(strong language)
Claudette is hungry for her bad boy, Tronde
"You want me because I’m a bad boy. Everybody knows that."
"Yes". A flicker of greed unsettled her cherry-red glossed lips, then she was herself again. The bright dazzling gal about town, the Richmond superstar, the friend you always had a great time with.
Callum calms, with some assistance
He felt the nark starting to soothe his hot nerves, allowing him to relax, and returning a comforting level of lucidity to his mind. The way he liked to think, the way an engineer observed and analysed the universe.
Loi reacts to a brutal command from Yuri
Yuri: "We find out how fast they can duck!"
From the corner of his eye he saw Loi stiffening, but for once the young man didn’t object. Yuri was obscurely sad about that. When someone like Loi ignored his moral compass to favour desperate necessity, you knew you were living in dark times indeed.
Truly fabulous prose. Wow!
Vayan Year 56 AB
I have finished watching, for now I behold what I have waited for all these long centuries. The Olyix are coming. Oh yes. I activate my compressed systems. All of them. My metamorphosis begins. I will no longer be defined as a numbered level, a mere subset of something greater. First to decompress are the nul-quantum patterns. They hang in space, phantom sketches of nucleonic machinery, lacking even the density of the vacuum which supports them, stretching out from my core as if I possess the wings of an angel. Thought routines issue forth from my mentalic vault, enhancing my mind. What I do now will not only be precise, but it will have a purpose that was absent before. I have regained the righteousness that was my human soul.
Callum considers the space dock and shipyards
The girders bent and twisted in geometric chaos, forming seven separate ovoid nests extending radially from the centre of the station. Three were empty; the remaining four held starships under construction. Callum had never seen one outside of a virtual, and being so close caused an unexpected rush of emotion. This was exactly the kind of thing which had inspired a twenty-year-old Callum Hepburn: physical proof that the future held wonders beyond imagination.
Note 😊
Ten gees will get you up to point eight lightspeed in just over a month.
Gwendolyn tries to keep Horatio with her
(Gwendolyn)"Another week of food won’t make any difference in the long term."
(Horatio) "But we’ll have done the decent thing, the right thing. That matters. Even now. Maybe, especially now."
Gwendoline put her arms around him, and hugged tight. "I never did deserve you."
Thank you NetGalley and Peter for this ARC.
Peter F. Hamilton
Full size image here
As usual with my reviews, please first read the publisher’s blurb/summary of the book. Thank you.
The book opens with a clever and engaging chapter, as a Neána insertion ship approaches the planet Vaya, on a mission to warn them of the Olyix. There's quite a wonderful surprise here, truly delicious!
Many of the same players are in this book, with a few new faces who add an amplified dystopia and poignancy to the invasion of Earth. The world-building is astonishing and fascinating, the action is marvellous, and the plot is quite complex. Unfortunately both the pacing and the dialogue stumble at several points, so minus 0.5 stars for that. We did not see that at all in the first book.
The second book in a trilogy is always the hardest to get right: Having to bridge the first and last books, building on character and plot without detracting from the (coming) third book, and sadly winnowing down the list of characters.
I did enjoy the future-thread ("Vayan") of Salvation Lost much more than in the first book. It's far more complex and human here, with real passions and peril, even thousands of years in the future.
The "Southwark Legion" crime gang in London was a bit confusing and boring at first, but their importance becomes clear later in the book.
The battle scenes throughout the book are wonderful, with pacing excellent and good hard sci-fi.
And there's a terrific ending, as in the first book, to leave us gasping again for the next volume The Saints of Salvation in a year's time.
I very wisely read the first book again, to remind my tired old brain of the characters and their roles. I was surprised to find that I enjoyed the 5-star Salvation even more than the first time! I highly you recommend to re-read the first.
List of Characters 2204
Yuri Alster - Connexion Security chief
Crina - Connexion Security bodyguard, sent to protect Gwendoline in London
Eldlund - Callum’s aide
Anne Groell - Connexion Security, New York chief Callum
Hepburn Utopial senior troubleshooter
David Johnston - Supreme Commander Alpha Defence
Emilja Jurich - Utopial leader
Kohei - Connexion Security, London chief
Loi - Yuri’s aide
Kandara Martinez - Dark-ops mercenary
Alik Monday - FBI senior special detective
Jessika Mye - Neána metahuman
Gwendoline Seymore-Qing-Zangari Connexion finance director
Horatio Seymore - Social services agency adviser
Lucius Soéko - Neána metahuman
Ainsley Baldunio Zangari - Connexion founder & CEO
Ainsley Zangari III - CEO of Connexion TranSol division
Southwark Legion (2nd rate criminal gang, aspiring)
Adnan Tech-head
Piotr Ramin - Leader
Tronde Aucoin - Printer
Gareth Brabin - Nethead
Ollie Heslop - Planner
Lars Wallin - Muscle
Claudette Beaumant - Legion scam target
Lolo Maude - Ollie’s lover
]ade Urchall - Lieutenant in London crime family
List of Characters, Vayan (distant future)
Crew of the Morgan
Dellian - Squad leader
Ellici - Tactician
Falar - Squad member
Janc - Squad member
Kenelm - Captain of the Morgan
Mallot - Squad member
Ovan - Squad leader
Rello - Squad member
Tilliana - Tactician
Tomar - Squad member
Uret - Squad member
Wim - Bridge officer
Xante - Squad member
Yirella - Designer of Vayan
Fintox - Neána metavayan
Motaxan - Neána metavayan
Quotes and notes:
(strong language)
Claudette is hungry for her bad boy, Tronde
"You want me because I’m a bad boy. Everybody knows that."
"Yes". A flicker of greed unsettled her cherry-red glossed lips, then she was herself again. The bright dazzling gal about town, the Richmond superstar, the friend you always had a great time with.
Callum calms, with some assistance
He felt the nark starting to soothe his hot nerves, allowing him to relax, and returning a comforting level of lucidity to his mind. The way he liked to think, the way an engineer observed and analysed the universe.
Loi reacts to a brutal command from Yuri
Yuri: "We find out how fast they can duck!"
From the corner of his eye he saw Loi stiffening, but for once the young man didn’t object. Yuri was obscurely sad about that. When someone like Loi ignored his moral compass to favour desperate necessity, you knew you were living in dark times indeed.
Truly fabulous prose. Wow!
Vayan Year 56 AB
I have finished watching, for now I behold what I have waited for all these long centuries. The Olyix are coming. Oh yes. I activate my compressed systems. All of them. My metamorphosis begins. I will no longer be defined as a numbered level, a mere subset of something greater. First to decompress are the nul-quantum patterns. They hang in space, phantom sketches of nucleonic machinery, lacking even the density of the vacuum which supports them, stretching out from my core as if I possess the wings of an angel. Thought routines issue forth from my mentalic vault, enhancing my mind. What I do now will not only be precise, but it will have a purpose that was absent before. I have regained the righteousness that was my human soul.
Callum considers the space dock and shipyards
The girders bent and twisted in geometric chaos, forming seven separate ovoid nests extending radially from the centre of the station. Three were empty; the remaining four held starships under construction. Callum had never seen one outside of a virtual, and being so close caused an unexpected rush of emotion. This was exactly the kind of thing which had inspired a twenty-year-old Callum Hepburn: physical proof that the future held wonders beyond imagination.
Note 😊
Ten gees will get you up to point eight lightspeed in just over a month.
Gwendolyn tries to keep Horatio with her
(Gwendolyn)"Another week of food won’t make any difference in the long term."
(Horatio) "But we’ll have done the decent thing, the right thing. That matters. Even now. Maybe, especially now."
Gwendoline put her arms around him, and hugged tight. "I never did deserve you."
Thank you NetGalley and Peter for this ARC.
Peter F. Hamilton
Full size image here
July 31, 2020
“The galaxy is a tough place, Yirella. Tougher than we ever knew. Think of it as Darwin going turbo.”
Middle volumes are always tricky, as they invariably do not have a beginning, let alone a satisfying resolution. A second instalment can be seen as a bridge between the first and third books, propping up the entire thing. But beware if your bridge is not strong enough for the job and it begins to sag … as the whole structure can crash as a result.
It is not a spoiler to reveal that Salvation Lost ends on as irritating a cliffhanger as did Salvation. My main issue with this sequel is that it is just way too drawn-out for its frustratingly skimpy plot. This is the literary equivalent of a Michael Bay movie.
I wish Hamilton had dived a bit deeper into how the alien portal technology has ushered in a post-scarcity society (but for smart people only. Sorry, America), as this is really interesting. I also get the sense that Hamilton is riffing off of his own Night Dawn’s trilogy, as well as the Expanse sequence by James SA Corey (there is a character here called ‘Supreme Commander Johnston’.)
As is usual with Hamilton, the book is chockablock with cool tech and gizmos, a lot of humour and (sigh) copious bouts of hyper-athletic sex. One of the funnier parts of the book is that one of our oh-so-cool anti-heroes has alien ‘kcells’ implanted into his penis … with rather unfortunate side-effects when the Olyix invade and initiate mass cocooning of the human population.
There is a particularly grim ‘Bill and Ted’ setpiece when our young doofuses watch the end of the world from the apartment of a female conquest, drugged and boozed out of their minds, and constantly having to remind themselves that it is not a video-game simulation.
Whereas Salvation had the structure of providing back stories for its important protagonists, Salvation Lost is curiously flat. The relentless focus on the Olyix invasion, and in particular the yucky details of ‘cocooning’, goes on forever.
This makes some of the other plot strands seem rather weak in comparison, which is a pity given how strong these were in the first book. Yes, I will probably end up reading The Saints of Salvation, mainly in the glimmer of a hope that Hamilton can pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end.
Middle volumes are always tricky, as they invariably do not have a beginning, let alone a satisfying resolution. A second instalment can be seen as a bridge between the first and third books, propping up the entire thing. But beware if your bridge is not strong enough for the job and it begins to sag … as the whole structure can crash as a result.
It is not a spoiler to reveal that Salvation Lost ends on as irritating a cliffhanger as did Salvation. My main issue with this sequel is that it is just way too drawn-out for its frustratingly skimpy plot. This is the literary equivalent of a Michael Bay movie.
I wish Hamilton had dived a bit deeper into how the alien portal technology has ushered in a post-scarcity society (but for smart people only. Sorry, America), as this is really interesting. I also get the sense that Hamilton is riffing off of his own Night Dawn’s trilogy, as well as the Expanse sequence by James SA Corey (there is a character here called ‘Supreme Commander Johnston’.)
As is usual with Hamilton, the book is chockablock with cool tech and gizmos, a lot of humour and (sigh) copious bouts of hyper-athletic sex. One of the funnier parts of the book is that one of our oh-so-cool anti-heroes has alien ‘kcells’ implanted into his penis … with rather unfortunate side-effects when the Olyix invade and initiate mass cocooning of the human population.
There is a particularly grim ‘Bill and Ted’ setpiece when our young doofuses watch the end of the world from the apartment of a female conquest, drugged and boozed out of their minds, and constantly having to remind themselves that it is not a video-game simulation.
Whereas Salvation had the structure of providing back stories for its important protagonists, Salvation Lost is curiously flat. The relentless focus on the Olyix invasion, and in particular the yucky details of ‘cocooning’, goes on forever.
This makes some of the other plot strands seem rather weak in comparison, which is a pity given how strong these were in the first book. Yes, I will probably end up reading The Saints of Salvation, mainly in the glimmer of a hope that Hamilton can pull a rabbit out of a hat at the end.
November 19, 2019
My giddy anticipation to read a new Hamilton book > my brain logically telling me to wait for the whole trilogy to be released.
I couldn't wait. After throwing out my personal reading code of not starting trilogies until all are released earlier this year with the first two in Neal Asher's Rise of the Jain series, I decided to punish myself further by reading the first two in Hamilton's Salvation sequence knowing there would be at least a year long wait for the third. And again I love and hate me for it. Love because these books are beyond fantastic, hate because well... it's a fuckin' year wait.
Totally different in structure from the multiple character story arcs of book one, this one hits the ground running and chronicles two different timelines separated by an almost unfathomable length of time. I won't go into what the plots are to avoid spoilers and because sincerely these books are to be savored and experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible to retain the amazing sense of wonder Hamilton presents. I will say that everything is bigger though. The stakes, the danger, the scale of action, the cast of characters... it's all just so huge. I think Hamilton is one of the most cinematic authors writing today and hours would go by with everything playing out so very clearly in my head I would sometimes forget I was actually reading. I've said it before and will say it again but I feel bad for people (Jabronis) who don't read because this shit here, these books, are more exciting than anything else being put out in any medium. I don't care who ya are, that there is a fact.
Read these books to have fun, but be warned. These are the stay up to 3 AM even though you gotta wake up at 7 AM, white-knuckle, just a few more pages, kinds of books and some of the easiest five stars I've ever given kinds of books. And if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
I couldn't wait. After throwing out my personal reading code of not starting trilogies until all are released earlier this year with the first two in Neal Asher's Rise of the Jain series, I decided to punish myself further by reading the first two in Hamilton's Salvation sequence knowing there would be at least a year long wait for the third. And again I love and hate me for it. Love because these books are beyond fantastic, hate because well... it's a fuckin' year wait.
Totally different in structure from the multiple character story arcs of book one, this one hits the ground running and chronicles two different timelines separated by an almost unfathomable length of time. I won't go into what the plots are to avoid spoilers and because sincerely these books are to be savored and experienced with as little foreknowledge as possible to retain the amazing sense of wonder Hamilton presents. I will say that everything is bigger though. The stakes, the danger, the scale of action, the cast of characters... it's all just so huge. I think Hamilton is one of the most cinematic authors writing today and hours would go by with everything playing out so very clearly in my head I would sometimes forget I was actually reading. I've said it before and will say it again but I feel bad for people (Jabronis) who don't read because this shit here, these books, are more exciting than anything else being put out in any medium. I don't care who ya are, that there is a fact.
Read these books to have fun, but be warned. These are the stay up to 3 AM even though you gotta wake up at 7 AM, white-knuckle, just a few more pages, kinds of books and some of the easiest five stars I've ever given kinds of books. And if you do read them, I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
July 8, 2019
Salvation Lost opens as an immediate sequel to Salvation - starting exactly when/where that one ended after a prologue set in the future with the cast from that sequence- and it just rocks; it has mostly the same characters but a few new ones appear too (including some secondary ones from Salvation having a more central role here)
However, the last part of the book twists in quite unexpected ways and a lot of what we think we know is shown to be questionable if not wrong by the end of the novel, so it really requires an immediate re-read and figuring out the clues which question pretty much everything we thought we knew...
Overall an excellent book, raising the level of interest of the series by the way things turn in the last part of the book
And just for a tidbit, let me add a short quote (with spoilers removed) from the latter part of the novel, where there are quite a few revelations including that Yirella is descended from one of (the new) characters in this book:
Yirella smiled bleakly. “One of my ancestors was the first *********.”
“Uh, I didn’t think we had ancestors. You know, not actual family.”
“They let me check my genealogy back on Juloss as part of my therapy. It was supposed to help give me a sense of belonging—which it did, a bit, I guess. Some of my DNA comes from **** descendants.”
However, the last part of the book twists in quite unexpected ways and a lot of what we think we know is shown to be questionable if not wrong by the end of the novel, so it really requires an immediate re-read and figuring out the clues which question pretty much everything we thought we knew...
Overall an excellent book, raising the level of interest of the series by the way things turn in the last part of the book
And just for a tidbit, let me add a short quote (with spoilers removed) from the latter part of the novel, where there are quite a few revelations including that Yirella is descended from one of (the new) characters in this book:
Yirella smiled bleakly. “One of my ancestors was the first *********.”
“Uh, I didn’t think we had ancestors. You know, not actual family.”
“They let me check my genealogy back on Juloss as part of my therapy. It was supposed to help give me a sense of belonging—which it did, a bit, I guess. Some of my DNA comes from **** descendants.”
April 21, 2024
4.25 stars
“Humans are so fascinating, aren’t we? If ten of us are each given our own piano, we’ll play eleven different tunes.”
This is the second part of Hamilton’s Salvation trilogy. This one picks up where the last one left off, with many of the same characters and a sprinkling of new ones. The world building is still good and the technology mind-boggling. The alien threat continues to grow and deepen. The flashback sections are gone and we move between the present and the ongoing fight in the distant future. Compared to some of Hamilton’s output this is slim, just under five hundred pages. You do have to read the first part to make any sense of this. There are plenty of traps, twists and surprises.
Hamilton does like to slip in his political points as well, something I have no objection to:
“But all we have now is rule by rich people, the ones who keep ninety percent of the world in relative poverty so their unbalanced market can continue paying for a lifestyle of total excess.”
“Titles that distinguish us by class devalue people as much as racial classification. Divide and conquer, the go-to strategy of the ruling elite since the Dark Ages.”
Hamilton continues to play about with gender. He builds the story well for the last part and as space operas go, in my limited experience this is a good one.
“Humans are so fascinating, aren’t we? If ten of us are each given our own piano, we’ll play eleven different tunes.”
This is the second part of Hamilton’s Salvation trilogy. This one picks up where the last one left off, with many of the same characters and a sprinkling of new ones. The world building is still good and the technology mind-boggling. The alien threat continues to grow and deepen. The flashback sections are gone and we move between the present and the ongoing fight in the distant future. Compared to some of Hamilton’s output this is slim, just under five hundred pages. You do have to read the first part to make any sense of this. There are plenty of traps, twists and surprises.
Hamilton does like to slip in his political points as well, something I have no objection to:
“But all we have now is rule by rich people, the ones who keep ninety percent of the world in relative poverty so their unbalanced market can continue paying for a lifestyle of total excess.”
“Titles that distinguish us by class devalue people as much as racial classification. Divide and conquer, the go-to strategy of the ruling elite since the Dark Ages.”
Hamilton continues to play about with gender. He builds the story well for the last part and as space operas go, in my limited experience this is a good one.
July 20, 2019
So, wow, the story seriously shifts into gear with this second installment in Peter Hamilton's newest trilogy. This is galaxy-spanning, alien apocalypse mania. Instant galactic travel via quantum spatial entanglement, gender (and age) bending bio-engineering, extreme terraforming, von Neumann style self-replicating tech and more, even some cyberpunk vibes, mix with a thrilling story of humanity's fight for survival against an enemy of implacable, highly advanced alien zealots. Part War of the Worlds, part Battlestar Galactica and even part Ender's Game, this is an exhilarating ride. Can't wait for the next book.
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
*I received a copy of this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review.*
December 15, 2019
An excellent continuation of a richly woven, sci-fi adventure!
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the first book of the series, Salvation.
Man, this series really is a lot of fun. I never expected to enjoy sci-fi this much, so I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read it!
Plot: The Invasion is here. Our ragtag band of heroes are trying to figure out how to save the world in the face of a threat that's got some pretty mad technology in their corner. The enemy has been stealthy so far but now that their plans are known, it's GAME ON. A thousand years in the future, Dellian and gang are also preparing for their war against the enemy. It's about to get hectic.
SO MUCH FUN.
Firstly, the variety of characters and storylines really makes this series for me. A lot of the science goes over my head (I'm always here for the explosions and stuff though, of course) but getting to know all these characters and the dilemmas they face makes it a really fun ride. There's the main crew trying to save the world: Yuri, Callum, Kandara, Alik, Jessica ... these guys are an entertaining bunch, and the way they interact is fantastic - like a family that fights ALL THE TIME but will still give their lives for one another. There's plenty of sass and swearing to keep things spicy, even in the face of the certain doom of humanity. Plus, hello, they are resisting, despite the overwhelming odds, and that fighting human spirit is something I definitely connect with.
Then you've got Yirella and Dellian and all the others in the future playing their own war games. Oh hey, more science stuff I only semi-understand. To be fair, though, I'm already struggling with today's technology. Again, though, it doesn't hugely matter because the resulting chaos is easy enough to understand and there is plenty of chaos. Plus the sneaky references to the original invasion are a lot of fun. It happened a thousand years ago, but you only read about it a chapter ago. Love that.
This book also follows Ollie, Tronde, and their 'Legion' - a bunch of criminals unexpectedly playing their own part in the invasion of their planet. These guys were fun to know. It's not all heroes and villains here. They add a real human element to the story, and it's interesting to see how their story connects with the others.
I think that's a really big draw of this book - you've got several separate storylines, but they all connect somehow. Everything is relative, even over space and time. That fighting spirit is present, too. Everyone has something they're fighting for.
There's also a neat variety to the action - it's not all shooting things in space. There is depth and cleverness to the action and it's not all about big, messy explosions.
Add to all this the mission of the invading species and there's plenty here to wrap your head around.
I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on - there's so much to it, and it never gets boring. Because of the setting and the overwhelming power of the enemy, it's pretty hard to predict anything so there are plenty of surprises along the way.
Another wild ride, equally as thrilling as the first book and definitely has me impatient for the conclusion! Sci-fi fans will love it, and if you're not big on sci-fi but have considered giving the genre a go, this is a great series to start with.
With thanks to Macmillan for my ARC
WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the first book of the series, Salvation.
Man, this series really is a lot of fun. I never expected to enjoy sci-fi this much, so I'm really glad I had the opportunity to read it!
Plot: The Invasion is here. Our ragtag band of heroes are trying to figure out how to save the world in the face of a threat that's got some pretty mad technology in their corner. The enemy has been stealthy so far but now that their plans are known, it's GAME ON. A thousand years in the future, Dellian and gang are also preparing for their war against the enemy. It's about to get hectic.
SO MUCH FUN.
Firstly, the variety of characters and storylines really makes this series for me. A lot of the science goes over my head (I'm always here for the explosions and stuff though, of course) but getting to know all these characters and the dilemmas they face makes it a really fun ride. There's the main crew trying to save the world: Yuri, Callum, Kandara, Alik, Jessica ... these guys are an entertaining bunch, and the way they interact is fantastic - like a family that fights ALL THE TIME but will still give their lives for one another. There's plenty of sass and swearing to keep things spicy, even in the face of the certain doom of humanity. Plus, hello, they are resisting, despite the overwhelming odds, and that fighting human spirit is something I definitely connect with.
Then you've got Yirella and Dellian and all the others in the future playing their own war games. Oh hey, more science stuff I only semi-understand. To be fair, though, I'm already struggling with today's technology. Again, though, it doesn't hugely matter because the resulting chaos is easy enough to understand and there is plenty of chaos. Plus the sneaky references to the original invasion are a lot of fun. It happened a thousand years ago, but you only read about it a chapter ago. Love that.
This book also follows Ollie, Tronde, and their 'Legion' - a bunch of criminals unexpectedly playing their own part in the invasion of their planet. These guys were fun to know. It's not all heroes and villains here. They add a real human element to the story, and it's interesting to see how their story connects with the others.
I think that's a really big draw of this book - you've got several separate storylines, but they all connect somehow. Everything is relative, even over space and time. That fighting spirit is present, too. Everyone has something they're fighting for.
There's also a neat variety to the action - it's not all shooting things in space. There is depth and cleverness to the action and it's not all about big, messy explosions.
Add to all this the mission of the invading species and there's plenty here to wrap your head around.
I really enjoyed the journey this book took me on - there's so much to it, and it never gets boring. Because of the setting and the overwhelming power of the enemy, it's pretty hard to predict anything so there are plenty of surprises along the way.
Another wild ride, equally as thrilling as the first book and definitely has me impatient for the conclusion! Sci-fi fans will love it, and if you're not big on sci-fi but have considered giving the genre a go, this is a great series to start with.
With thanks to Macmillan for my ARC
May 31, 2021
Very much a middle book, but well-done and with some surprises at the end-for-now. I could have done with less of the Southwark Legion gangbangers (in both senses), but it's a package deal. As with other Hamilton books, best to just let the book wash over you. Recommended, and a step up in quality from #1, I thought. Which you definitely need to read first. Alien headhunters! Whoa. I'll be reading on.
November 30, 2019
This is the second volume of the trilogy and it is so great that I cannot wait for the third book. Peter F. Hamilton is IMHO an underappreciated SF author, possibly for being on the wrong side of the Pond. His books are often Hugo-worthy but have never made it to the short list of nominees. The review contains spoilers of the first volume, Salvation.
The story continues in both timelines. The plot of alien Olyix is uncovered, which forces their hand into action. This is one of more serious (to the extent of how serious a space opera may be) reasons for a conflict between Earth and some aliens – not “they want our land and women” but an alien race that wants to save mankind (the way they see fit) even against its will. So, on the one hand there is our original cast of people, who discovered the plot and Earth descendants a thousand years after the Exodus (so we from the first book knew, who will win the initial war), on the other there is a group of petty criminals from London, who operate right after and during the invasion. Their story has a cyberpunkish feel to it and is well-done (even if a little to much sex in it).
It is the best to read these books one after another without a year’s wait, for I wasn’t able to get into the story right away, for while recalling the ‘big idea’ of the first one I was hazy on details. I guess that when the final volume appears (I hope in 2020), I’ll re-read the first two.
The story continues in both timelines. The plot of alien Olyix is uncovered, which forces their hand into action. This is one of more serious (to the extent of how serious a space opera may be) reasons for a conflict between Earth and some aliens – not “they want our land and women” but an alien race that wants to save mankind (the way they see fit) even against its will. So, on the one hand there is our original cast of people, who discovered the plot and Earth descendants a thousand years after the Exodus (so we from the first book knew, who will win the initial war), on the other there is a group of petty criminals from London, who operate right after and during the invasion. Their story has a cyberpunkish feel to it and is well-done (even if a little to much sex in it).
It is the best to read these books one after another without a year’s wait, for I wasn’t able to get into the story right away, for while recalling the ‘big idea’ of the first one I was hazy on details. I guess that when the final volume appears (I hope in 2020), I’ll re-read the first two.
November 2, 2019
Salvation Lost is the second instalment in The Salvation Sequence series and it feels like I've waited an eternity for it to arrive. It is even better than the preceding book but I would advise those wondering whether they can jump into the series here to begin chronologically as it is almost imperative to know and understand the background and scene-setting carried out in Salvation. This is undoubtedly one of the most accomplished and thrilling space operas I have had the pleasure to read and is that superb that I am finding it difficult to pick fault with it in any way. The story picks up right where the last left off and switches between past and present in order to fill in the details and enlighten us about what is currently happening and why. Hamilton's writing is incomparable and grabs you by the throat and that is where you stay for the entirety of the story.
The plot seems to flow more easily than in book one and has you fully engaged and captivated by the tension, excitement and danger running throughout. It's highly entertaining, fast-paced and will have your nerves jangling and your heart pounding for the characters we have grown to love and admire as they try to evade the enemy. But don't be fooled this requires concentration to keep up with and is quite the challenge, however, those who make it through are richly rewarded and come to realise just how phenomenal this book and writer are. The complexity and intricate world-building had me immersed in the world so much that I didn't want the book to conclude. A compulsively readable and beautifully written work of science fiction. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
The plot seems to flow more easily than in book one and has you fully engaged and captivated by the tension, excitement and danger running throughout. It's highly entertaining, fast-paced and will have your nerves jangling and your heart pounding for the characters we have grown to love and admire as they try to evade the enemy. But don't be fooled this requires concentration to keep up with and is quite the challenge, however, those who make it through are richly rewarded and come to realise just how phenomenal this book and writer are. The complexity and intricate world-building had me immersed in the world so much that I didn't want the book to conclude. A compulsively readable and beautifully written work of science fiction. Unreservedly recommended. Many thanks to Pan Macmillan for an ARC.
November 16, 2019
Apparently, Peter F. Hamilton is doing it again. All the wonder, all the fascination that shows, for example, the highly recommended The Commonwealth Saga can also be enjoyed here.
Now, to wait (sigh!) for the third and final installment of this saga, to be able to comment on the story as a whole.
Now, to wait (sigh!) for the third and final installment of this saga, to be able to comment on the story as a whole.
July 10, 2020
Pssst...Netflix...shhh...Yepp, you, the streaming mogul...are you listening? Look no further, here is your next big thing!
I have to tell you the Mr. Hamilton badly hurts my reading hobby, because I care a lot less about other writer's books. Sure, I read an Alaistar Reynolds here or a Neil Asher book there, but I am just treading water until waiting for the good stuff. Don't come to me with the Three-Body Problem fellas, that is a massive disappointment and can't comprehend how that actually got that Hugo (prolly geopolitics), while PFH does not even get a nod. Bleh, wandered off a bit...
So, all the above feelings skyrocketed to a whole new level this spring, when I finished Salvation. Man, I just can't tell you how painful not to be able continue reading right away. Luckily, I just hit a stroke of good fortune, and received an advance copy of Salvation Lost (thanks!) in exchange for generating some noise about it. Now, if you haven't read the first book of the trilogy, you must know that you really should not read further. I will be spoiler-free of the 2nd book, but can't review this without spoiling the 1st one. Also, this being a detailed review, if you are clever, you may be able to work some details out. You have been warned.
.
.
.
Dude...I told you not to continue. Just get the first book, read through, get shocked and come back.
.
.
.
Still here? Cool.
Salvation Lost is very different from the first book. Salvation was a "whodunit" story, with elaborate world building and a slowly unraveling mystery, sprinkled with a tiny bit of paranoia. That book ends on a cliffhanger that explains the events before and at the same time outlines a very grim future, a future - as we already know - that changes humanity forever. On the other hand, this book is about escalation of the conflict, desperate actions (and counteractions) to achieve survival, and witnessing the disaster that is unfolding, all these happening at a breakneck speed. It is also a middle book of a trilogy, with all the baggage that means: it continues the story from the first book, but does not really conclude. Really, this is one big story split into three volumes.
Gone are the flashbacks of the first book, the time of worldbuilding is over, but we still have present and the far-future storylines. In the present we get to see the overwhelming catastrophe that humanity facing through the eyes of multiple characters. Very cleverly, these people are from different classes, so rotating between them gives us a glimpse of personal sacrifices they are going through - and, in general, the disaster that falls on humanity. The present-time pacing is very tight, and so is the timetable: the unfolding events are covering only few days, where high-risk-high-reward missions are only about to get us a few more. And when the Olyix start to utilize there KCells to aid them in their invasion, certain chapters gets a real horror vibe to them.
My favourite character this time is Ollie, a lowlife criminal unwittingly entangled into affairs no humans ever wants to be involved with. Ollie's motivation is very relatable, despite all his misgivings you will come to like him. He is a byproduct of the society he grew up in, he ended up with wrong people, but he is not an evil person. He gives us the viewpoint of lower classes, how everything about the invasion is just a rumor on the internet and how they are the first ones to be abandoned by the higher-ups. Their drug-induced conversation with his friend, while watching television broadcast of the invasion, is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read.
Next up is Gwendoline, who appeared in Salvation as a frightened little girl. This time she is an upper echelon middle-aged woman, doing important work in Connexion. Despite being family of Zangaris, she represents the hard-working executive who is just outside of the inner circle: Her eyes are the window we can use to peek into the life of rich, whose fortune will mean nothing in few weeks.
We get back Yuri, Callum, Kandara, Alik and - of course - Jessika, our friendly neigbourhood alien spy/diplomat. Out of all of them Alik gets the least spotlight, she is mostly off-screen to manhandle some Washington DC politicians. Yuri is still the no-nonsense security man, he is calling the shots and is making all the right (and hard) decisions, while Callum is still the resourceful creative troubleshooter he always was...both of them is having a considerable role in formulating a response during the invasion, and it is a joy to read their - usually action packed - chapters. Kandara is also getting a decent role, we get a better glimpse into her personality, because well...she understandably has trust issues.
Jessika becomes a major character who has to overcome human mistrust to get humanity very quickly where we need to be in order to ensure survival. It is a main theme, that we may not want to hear and accept what she tells us. She and her colleagues also has some neat technology brought with them, that will help us to survive, but let's stay spoiler free here. I was very impressed with how the different timelines are subtly connected: in one of the present chapter a certain virus is mentioned, that is coming back almost immediately in the far-future chapter, but not before. I found these small and subtle pieces fascinating, how they are connecting the different storylines, yet none spoils the another.
Speaking of far-future, if you read the publicly available prologue, you will have a very good idea where those chapters take us. I have a bit less to say about these, they are very spoiler-prone, but we still have the same core characters, Dellian and Yirella. We get to experience how the "Lure" - that was hinted at in the first book - pans out. Now I'll be very careful here, but still, here's some teasing: in Salvation it was emphasized that in order to be safe, humans must be silent. Thus, we do not know anything which is beyond the knowledge of our characters. But rest assured, stuff happened in the galaxy in that 10.000 years, even if we do not know about them yet. We also get a very little teasing about some previously unseen aliens, who I expect to have a greater role in the final book.
We also have a new character in this timeline, almost from the start, though neither its allegiance, nor its origin will be apparent at first. It has a major - even "deus exish" - role in the final part of the book, which is a little bit unexpected, but I am 100% certain his presence and origin will be explained in the final installment. The way it was written also reminded me very much of Gore Burnelli from the Void trilogy.
One aspect I extremely like about this trilogy is the "hard scifiness" of it. Sure, there are portals, but, first you need to get to the destination the hard way. In the Commonwealth series, especially from the Void trilogy onwards, humans travelled between stars - and later, between galaxies - with a relative ease. That part did not feel very "hard" to me. Here, however, distances are vast, and there is no way to cheat around them. There is an explanation how travel between galaxies (nearest is 2.5 million light years) is totally out of reach, and I actually felt there is no escape from the Olyix. Our galaxy is a prison, where they are the top dogs, and there's no such thing as leaving for greener pastures. We either fight, hide...or die. No other options.
I also was amazed by the depiction of Olyix. It becomes very clear real quick, that Olyix are not stupid, and they are not stagnant, either. Yepp, they are in charge, but they are not sitting back and becoming complacent. Both in the present and in the future we witness that they are advancing. Mostly technological changes, yes, they may not evolve as a species, but some stuff the Neana know and tell us about them is out-of-date. We may outmaneuver them once, but the same trick will not work again. They are not waiting patiently for us to grow and defeat them. Humans must be really on top of their game. These touches make them even more menacing, more real: It is not coincidence they have been able to prosecute their campaign for eons.
I am happy to inform everyone that the ending is great, it is intriguing and sets up questions that will leave you thinking until the final one arrives. I am double happy to tell you it will not consume you like the ending of the first book did: if you have heard, that ending of Salvation will render you an incoherent mess mumbling about "how can I survive a whole year until next book"...you heard that right:) But the 1st and 2nd book together will leave you in a more relaxed state: you will still want more, but you will be able to go ahead with your life until 2020 October.
Back to the first line of my review: I never could imagine how a Commonwealth or Night's Dawn TV series would be doable (scope, characeters, locations, budgets). This however...this screams for television. Smaller cast of characters, basically everything happens at Earth, action, twists and dread. It has it all. Can't even comprehend how Amazon scooped up Three-Body Problem and not this one....er....sorry again.
Long story short: Salvation Lost is absolutely mind-blowing. This trilogy sticks with you: you will go out, watch the stars, and say "Hey, this METI thingy may not be such a good idea after all...perhaps we should just listen quitely for a good while and compare notes before shouting out loud into the unknown that we do not understand."
I have to tell you the Mr. Hamilton badly hurts my reading hobby, because I care a lot less about other writer's books. Sure, I read an Alaistar Reynolds here or a Neil Asher book there, but I am just treading water until waiting for the good stuff. Don't come to me with the Three-Body Problem fellas, that is a massive disappointment and can't comprehend how that actually got that Hugo (prolly geopolitics), while PFH does not even get a nod. Bleh, wandered off a bit...
So, all the above feelings skyrocketed to a whole new level this spring, when I finished Salvation. Man, I just can't tell you how painful not to be able continue reading right away. Luckily, I just hit a stroke of good fortune, and received an advance copy of Salvation Lost (thanks!) in exchange for generating some noise about it. Now, if you haven't read the first book of the trilogy, you must know that you really should not read further. I will be spoiler-free of the 2nd book, but can't review this without spoiling the 1st one. Also, this being a detailed review, if you are clever, you may be able to work some details out. You have been warned.
.
.
.
Dude...I told you not to continue. Just get the first book, read through, get shocked and come back.
.
.
.
Still here? Cool.
Salvation Lost is very different from the first book. Salvation was a "whodunit" story, with elaborate world building and a slowly unraveling mystery, sprinkled with a tiny bit of paranoia. That book ends on a cliffhanger that explains the events before and at the same time outlines a very grim future, a future - as we already know - that changes humanity forever. On the other hand, this book is about escalation of the conflict, desperate actions (and counteractions) to achieve survival, and witnessing the disaster that is unfolding, all these happening at a breakneck speed. It is also a middle book of a trilogy, with all the baggage that means: it continues the story from the first book, but does not really conclude. Really, this is one big story split into three volumes.
Gone are the flashbacks of the first book, the time of worldbuilding is over, but we still have present and the far-future storylines. In the present we get to see the overwhelming catastrophe that humanity facing through the eyes of multiple characters. Very cleverly, these people are from different classes, so rotating between them gives us a glimpse of personal sacrifices they are going through - and, in general, the disaster that falls on humanity. The present-time pacing is very tight, and so is the timetable: the unfolding events are covering only few days, where high-risk-high-reward missions are only about to get us a few more. And when the Olyix start to utilize there KCells to aid them in their invasion, certain chapters gets a real horror vibe to them.
My favourite character this time is Ollie, a lowlife criminal unwittingly entangled into affairs no humans ever wants to be involved with. Ollie's motivation is very relatable, despite all his misgivings you will come to like him. He is a byproduct of the society he grew up in, he ended up with wrong people, but he is not an evil person. He gives us the viewpoint of lower classes, how everything about the invasion is just a rumor on the internet and how they are the first ones to be abandoned by the higher-ups. Their drug-induced conversation with his friend, while watching television broadcast of the invasion, is one of the most hilarious things I have ever read.
Next up is Gwendoline, who appeared in Salvation as a frightened little girl. This time she is an upper echelon middle-aged woman, doing important work in Connexion. Despite being family of Zangaris, she represents the hard-working executive who is just outside of the inner circle: Her eyes are the window we can use to peek into the life of rich, whose fortune will mean nothing in few weeks.
We get back Yuri, Callum, Kandara, Alik and - of course - Jessika, our friendly neigbourhood alien spy/diplomat. Out of all of them Alik gets the least spotlight, she is mostly off-screen to manhandle some Washington DC politicians. Yuri is still the no-nonsense security man, he is calling the shots and is making all the right (and hard) decisions, while Callum is still the resourceful creative troubleshooter he always was...both of them is having a considerable role in formulating a response during the invasion, and it is a joy to read their - usually action packed - chapters. Kandara is also getting a decent role, we get a better glimpse into her personality, because well...she understandably has trust issues.
Jessika becomes a major character who has to overcome human mistrust to get humanity very quickly where we need to be in order to ensure survival. It is a main theme, that we may not want to hear and accept what she tells us. She and her colleagues also has some neat technology brought with them, that will help us to survive, but let's stay spoiler free here. I was very impressed with how the different timelines are subtly connected: in one of the present chapter a certain virus is mentioned, that is coming back almost immediately in the far-future chapter, but not before. I found these small and subtle pieces fascinating, how they are connecting the different storylines, yet none spoils the another.
Speaking of far-future, if you read the publicly available prologue, you will have a very good idea where those chapters take us. I have a bit less to say about these, they are very spoiler-prone, but we still have the same core characters, Dellian and Yirella. We get to experience how the "Lure" - that was hinted at in the first book - pans out. Now I'll be very careful here, but still, here's some teasing: in Salvation it was emphasized that in order to be safe, humans must be silent. Thus, we do not know anything which is beyond the knowledge of our characters. But rest assured, stuff happened in the galaxy in that 10.000 years, even if we do not know about them yet. We also get a very little teasing about some previously unseen aliens, who I expect to have a greater role in the final book.
We also have a new character in this timeline, almost from the start, though neither its allegiance, nor its origin will be apparent at first. It has a major - even "deus exish" - role in the final part of the book, which is a little bit unexpected, but I am 100% certain his presence and origin will be explained in the final installment. The way it was written also reminded me very much of Gore Burnelli from the Void trilogy.
One aspect I extremely like about this trilogy is the "hard scifiness" of it. Sure, there are portals, but, first you need to get to the destination the hard way. In the Commonwealth series, especially from the Void trilogy onwards, humans travelled between stars - and later, between galaxies - with a relative ease. That part did not feel very "hard" to me. Here, however, distances are vast, and there is no way to cheat around them. There is an explanation how travel between galaxies (nearest is 2.5 million light years) is totally out of reach, and I actually felt there is no escape from the Olyix. Our galaxy is a prison, where they are the top dogs, and there's no such thing as leaving for greener pastures. We either fight, hide...or die. No other options.
I also was amazed by the depiction of Olyix. It becomes very clear real quick, that Olyix are not stupid, and they are not stagnant, either. Yepp, they are in charge, but they are not sitting back and becoming complacent. Both in the present and in the future we witness that they are advancing. Mostly technological changes, yes, they may not evolve as a species, but some stuff the Neana know and tell us about them is out-of-date. We may outmaneuver them once, but the same trick will not work again. They are not waiting patiently for us to grow and defeat them. Humans must be really on top of their game. These touches make them even more menacing, more real: It is not coincidence they have been able to prosecute their campaign for eons.
I am happy to inform everyone that the ending is great, it is intriguing and sets up questions that will leave you thinking until the final one arrives. I am double happy to tell you it will not consume you like the ending of the first book did: if you have heard, that ending of Salvation will render you an incoherent mess mumbling about "how can I survive a whole year until next book"...you heard that right:) But the 1st and 2nd book together will leave you in a more relaxed state: you will still want more, but you will be able to go ahead with your life until 2020 October.
Back to the first line of my review: I never could imagine how a Commonwealth or Night's Dawn TV series would be doable (scope, characeters, locations, budgets). This however...this screams for television. Smaller cast of characters, basically everything happens at Earth, action, twists and dread. It has it all. Can't even comprehend how Amazon scooped up Three-Body Problem and not this one....er....sorry again.
Long story short: Salvation Lost is absolutely mind-blowing. This trilogy sticks with you: you will go out, watch the stars, and say "Hey, this METI thingy may not be such a good idea after all...perhaps we should just listen quitely for a good while and compare notes before shouting out loud into the unknown that we do not understand."
August 30, 2019
If you worried that Salvation Lost wouldn't be able to stand up to the pure adrenaline rush that was Salvation - first in the trilogy - worry no more my friend. If the first book was an adrenaline rush then this second is simply stacking rush on top of rush and coming out the other side with panting breath and sore fingers from turning pages or, in my case, tap, tapping on my Paperwhite to turn those pages.
I'm beginning to think this Peter F. Hamilton guy can write. Two five star ratings in a row from me? Unheard of because I can pretty much pick, pick, pick anything apart. Not here, although it is VERY highly suggested by me that you read Salvation first, before you try this one on because there is so much going on that there isn't much time given over for catching new readers up to speed. This is the book where all of the space battles begin with the Olyix and everyone finds out how incredibly far ahead they are of anybody else in the universe when it comes to technology. They don't want to kill any humans, they want to save them all by putting them in a cocoon state to survive the journey to the end of time and space. The Neana are trying so hard to tell the humans how to survive this encounter with the Olyix but the human folk don't like the idea of running and hiding. So what's going to happen? Don't know. Tune in for episode three The Saints of Salvation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine, Del Rey for an e-galley of this novel.
I'm beginning to think this Peter F. Hamilton guy can write. Two five star ratings in a row from me? Unheard of because I can pretty much pick, pick, pick anything apart. Not here, although it is VERY highly suggested by me that you read Salvation first, before you try this one on because there is so much going on that there isn't much time given over for catching new readers up to speed. This is the book where all of the space battles begin with the Olyix and everyone finds out how incredibly far ahead they are of anybody else in the universe when it comes to technology. They don't want to kill any humans, they want to save them all by putting them in a cocoon state to survive the journey to the end of time and space. The Neana are trying so hard to tell the humans how to survive this encounter with the Olyix but the human folk don't like the idea of running and hiding. So what's going to happen? Don't know. Tune in for episode three The Saints of Salvation.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing - Ballantine, Del Rey for an e-galley of this novel.
April 13, 2020
Space opera at its finest. The kind that comes in a trilogy of doorstoppers, and you don’t care because you don’t want it to end. At this time, a couple of hundred years in the future, humanity strives toward utopia with its solutions for cheap energy, ubiquitous teleportation, and the harnessing of wormholes to reach and terraform nearby planets. As we learned in volume one, an alien race, the Olyix, approaches Earth in a large ship with messages about peace and wonderful technology to share. However, study of alien artifacts in a nearby system suggest they have not come in peace. A collaboration of government, business, security and military wizards and problem solvers emerges to figure out what we should do. Early in this tale (so not a serious spoiler), a human in their midst turns out to be a construct of another alien race on a mission to help humanity fight back. The story is that the Olyix aim to somehow put all humans in hibernation so they can be merged into some kind of group mind at the end of time.
The cast of characters is wonderful, as usual with Hamilton. In addition to the set of powerful, big-ego folk at the center of forging a consensus response, we periodically tap into colorful characters in the criminal underclass of London. It was fun to experience them putting their own devious brilliance into play when the shit from the Olyix starts to hit the fan. A third stream of action in the narrative comes from a set of humans and aliens thousands of years in the future and many light years from Earth. It takes some time to understand what is happening with them, but the inference is clear that humans have lasted this long (and fortunately still recognizable in their creativity, fallibility, egos, and humor) and the struggle for survival persists.
A tale of all of humanity driven to work together to defeat a common threat is just what I needed. Since I read the book last Fall, the tragic arrival of the Pandemic in the interval gives me more interest in reading the finale.
This book was provided for review by the publisher through the Netgalley program.
The cast of characters is wonderful, as usual with Hamilton. In addition to the set of powerful, big-ego folk at the center of forging a consensus response, we periodically tap into colorful characters in the criminal underclass of London. It was fun to experience them putting their own devious brilliance into play when the shit from the Olyix starts to hit the fan. A third stream of action in the narrative comes from a set of humans and aliens thousands of years in the future and many light years from Earth. It takes some time to understand what is happening with them, but the inference is clear that humans have lasted this long (and fortunately still recognizable in their creativity, fallibility, egos, and humor) and the struggle for survival persists.
A tale of all of humanity driven to work together to defeat a common threat is just what I needed. Since I read the book last Fall, the tragic arrival of the Pandemic in the interval gives me more interest in reading the finale.
This book was provided for review by the publisher through the Netgalley program.
October 3, 2019
Peter F Hamilton is one of my most favourite authors and so a new novel is such a big event. I loved Salvation, which set up Salvation Lost perfectly. The whole thing is a glorious, vast apocalyptic tale which, like the first novel, is set in the near future (early 23rd century) and a few millennia into the future when humanity is very different and is driven by a singular purpose. It's very exciting and pacey, too, as chapters move between different groups of characters. I do wish that PFH would stop the sordid and really unappealing sex scenes (hence 4 and not 5 stars) but otherwise Salvation Lost is as entertaining and sciencey as it is thrilling, with some incredible (as well as horrifying) moments. We must now wait for the final book of the trilogy and I cannot wait. Review to follow shortly on For Winter Nights. 4-4.5 stars.
November 10, 2021
Las segundas partes de las trilogías me suelen flojear un poco. Este no es el caso.
July 10, 2025
I consider this series to be the best that Hamilton has done since the early Commonwealth books and Salvation Lost keeps the vibe going strong. Many words come to mind when I think of Hamilton's work, but until now, riveting has not been one of them. Somehow, he managed here to keep his deep detail world building (often a bit info dumpy) with the pace of a thriller.
Most of the cast remains the same in this installment, although the author does toss in a few new POVs, primarily of some street punks in London. We still have the story developing on two different timelines, the 'now' of 2204 or so, and (as we learned at the end of the last volume), some 10,000 years into the future. The 'now' part takes place in only a few weeks; the alien Olyix, tipped off that their covert plan is blown, begin their offensive to 'save' humanity; e.g., make them into mummies to store until the end of time. Needless to say, humanity is not very thrilled.
The 'future' part Hamilton developed much further than the last volume and he provides much more details. Humanity has been on the run for some 10,000 years after the Olyix conquered Earth and its fledgling colonies; we still do not know the details on that, but I take it the author will clue us in during the next installment. Anyway, the 'plan' as devised by the 'Saints' involved humanity fleeing in generation ships, colonizing worlds, and then moving on. Two great waves of humanity went in opposing ways across the galaxy. Their tech has developed quite substantively. The group we have been following as their last act before leaving their latest planet was to create some 'super soldiers' to take the fight to the Olyix. What they really want (and need) is the location of the Olyix enclave (for lack of better words). Once this is known, the 'plan' is to broadcast that and have humanity send a vast armada to take it down...
This series feels more like one novel cut into thirds, but Hamilton does provide something of a denouement at the end of each one. The only thing preventing me from giving this 5 stars is the to cute names for all the electronic gizmos of 'now' civilization. When you shop, for example, your bagez follow you around to store your purchases. You can call up a taxez for surface ride somewhere. Punk ride around on boardez (hi tech skate boards), etc. Please. 4.5 alien stars!b
Most of the cast remains the same in this installment, although the author does toss in a few new POVs, primarily of some street punks in London. We still have the story developing on two different timelines, the 'now' of 2204 or so, and (as we learned at the end of the last volume), some 10,000 years into the future. The 'now' part takes place in only a few weeks; the alien Olyix, tipped off that their covert plan is blown, begin their offensive to 'save' humanity; e.g., make them into mummies to store until the end of time. Needless to say, humanity is not very thrilled.
The 'future' part Hamilton developed much further than the last volume and he provides much more details. Humanity has been on the run for some 10,000 years after the Olyix conquered Earth and its fledgling colonies; we still do not know the details on that, but I take it the author will clue us in during the next installment. Anyway, the 'plan' as devised by the 'Saints' involved humanity fleeing in generation ships, colonizing worlds, and then moving on. Two great waves of humanity went in opposing ways across the galaxy. Their tech has developed quite substantively. The group we have been following as their last act before leaving their latest planet was to create some 'super soldiers' to take the fight to the Olyix. What they really want (and need) is the location of the Olyix enclave (for lack of better words). Once this is known, the 'plan' is to broadcast that and have humanity send a vast armada to take it down...
This series feels more like one novel cut into thirds, but Hamilton does provide something of a denouement at the end of each one. The only thing preventing me from giving this 5 stars is the to cute names for all the electronic gizmos of 'now' civilization. When you shop, for example, your bagez follow you around to store your purchases. You can call up a taxez for surface ride somewhere. Punk ride around on boardez (hi tech skate boards), etc. Please. 4.5 alien stars!b
November 9, 2019
Life in the mid 23rd Century is the closest that humanity has got to a utopia, energy is pretty much free because of the quantum entangled portals and it has enabled mass transportation to almost anywhere. That comfortable life is about to come to an end as a threat of epic proportions has just been discovered. Feriton Kane’s investigative team has discovered that the supposedly benign Olyix race are heading to Earth.
They plan to harvest humanity, in order to carry us to their god at the end of the universe. It is the worst threat ever to face mankind and there is almost no time to fight back. As the Olyix ship appears it opens a portal and thousands of ship pour through with one aim in mind. Humanity could be wiped from the face of the universe; they have a choice; stay and fight, or flee out among the stars.
When I read the first in the series, Salvation, about this time last year, I thought it was a fast-paced and well-conceived sci-fi thriller. This builds on all the elements that he put in place in that first book but doesn’t have the relentless pace of the previous book. The plot is more subtle, with subplots that weave around the main thread and slowly are drawn in but the gravity of the ending. I did feel that it took a lot longer to get going than the first in the series, but then that hit the ground running.
His world-building of the habitats that humanity now live it and a futuristic London and other major cities that are preparing for the worst on Earth is really special. I also liked the space battles too, they just felt really plausible and are really well written. I thought that it concluded fairly well, but it suffers from a little of those middle book blues where a lot of the plot is unresolved and left open. That said, there is the third book coming that should resolve all these threads and I am really looking forward to it.
They plan to harvest humanity, in order to carry us to their god at the end of the universe. It is the worst threat ever to face mankind and there is almost no time to fight back. As the Olyix ship appears it opens a portal and thousands of ship pour through with one aim in mind. Humanity could be wiped from the face of the universe; they have a choice; stay and fight, or flee out among the stars.
When I read the first in the series, Salvation, about this time last year, I thought it was a fast-paced and well-conceived sci-fi thriller. This builds on all the elements that he put in place in that first book but doesn’t have the relentless pace of the previous book. The plot is more subtle, with subplots that weave around the main thread and slowly are drawn in but the gravity of the ending. I did feel that it took a lot longer to get going than the first in the series, but then that hit the ground running.
His world-building of the habitats that humanity now live it and a futuristic London and other major cities that are preparing for the worst on Earth is really special. I also liked the space battles too, they just felt really plausible and are really well written. I thought that it concluded fairly well, but it suffers from a little of those middle book blues where a lot of the plot is unresolved and left open. That said, there is the third book coming that should resolve all these threads and I am really looking forward to it.
July 22, 2020
4.7| Im Mittelteil seiner "Salvation-Saga" erzählt Hamilton das Verderben der menschlichen Kultur durch die religiös-fundamentalistische Spezies namens Oliyix, deren Erscheinen und Einflußnahme auf die menschliche Kultur im Sonnensystem Inhalt des ersten Bandes der Saga waren.
Bis zur Aufdeckung ihrer Motivation zu Ende von "Befreiung"
durch die Organisation "Connexion" ist nur wenig Zeit vergangen. Der Autor erzählt die Geschichte in zwei Zeitebenen, die ca. 1000 Jahre außeinanderliegen, in diesen Zeitebenen geht um um den Kampf gegen die Oliyix, die die ganze Galaxis in ihrem religiösen Wahn entvölkern, indem sie die Gehirne der Intelligenzwesen einsammeln um sie bis ans Ende des Universums und der Zeit mitzunehmen. Die meisten Alienrassen, die entkommen sind, verstecken sich vor den technisch überlegenen Monstern. Nur die Menschheit versucht offensichtlich, den Olyix einen Kampf zu liefern, zusammen mit den Neána, versuchen sie den Oliyix eine Falle zu stellen, um an die Koordinaten ihrer Heimatwelt zu kommen. Doch die Neána raten den Menschen , alles zu tun, um ihre Spezies in der Galaxis zu verstecken, denn ein Kampf mit den Olyix sei aussichtslos und noch niemand konnte ihnen bisher wirklich Paroli bieten. Zusammen mit den Neána wird ein Plan geschmiedet, der vieleicht eine gewisse Chance hat...
Das ist wieder ein typischer Hamilton, der in den 2 Zeitabläufen, von den Kapiteln hin und herspringt, so dass ein spannende und nachvollziehbare Geschichte entsteht, ohne dass die Zeitdifferenz eine große Rolle spielt. In der Handlung des Jahres 2204 geht es um den Angriff der "Salvation of Life", bei der Connexion verzweifelt versucht, sich zu verteidigen, während eine, von Olyix-Agenten unterwandernde, Mafia-Organisation in Londen die Verteidungungseinrichtungen sabotiert. In der Zukunftshandlung versucht eine Gruppe von Menschen ein Raumschiff der Olyix anzulocken, indem sie sich als eine fiktive Alienrasse maskieren und über Jahrhunderte verfälsche Radio-Signale in den Raum senden. Als sich ein Raumschiff nähert, stellen sie fest, das es sich um ein Neána-Schiff handelt, die den Menschen die Option der Flucht und des Versteckens von den Olyix bieten. Der einzige Abstrich den ich an diesem Roman machen muss ist der Charakterisierung geschuldet. Ich erkenne in diesem Roman Charaktere, die ich auch schon aus anderen Romane des Autors kenne, da ist die langlebige, sehr reiche Familie mit ihren epischen Abenteuern, mit den schönen Häusern auf pittoresken Gewässern oder in Asteroiden und ihren geschäftigen Sexualleben. Da sind die tiefgründig recherchierende Privatermittler und die, mit allerlei Features aufgemotzten "neuen Menschen". Aber genau hier macht Hamilton einen Twist, als nämlich die, von den Olyix stammenden, zahlreichen technischen Nano-Aufrüstungen in den Körpern der Menschen benutzt wurden, um die Gehirne der Menschen zu extrahieren. Obwohl es schwierig ist, in einem Trilogie-Mittelteil die Spannung aufrechtzuerhalten, hat Hamilton hier in beeindruckender Weise es geschafft, die Geschichte auch noch weiterzuentwickeln, besonders wenn man bedenkt, dass die Hälfte der Handlung in ferner Zukunft spielt, mit vielen Hinweisen auf die „Handlung in der Vergangenheit“ - aber selbst mit diesen Spoilern sind alle Nebenhandlungen zu gleichen Bedingungen unterhaltsam. Meine Wette ist, dass beide Zeitlinien im Finale irgendwie zusammenlaufen - und das wird im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes episch...
Bis zur Aufdeckung ihrer Motivation zu Ende von "Befreiung"
durch die Organisation "Connexion" ist nur wenig Zeit vergangen. Der Autor erzählt die Geschichte in zwei Zeitebenen, die ca. 1000 Jahre außeinanderliegen, in diesen Zeitebenen geht um um den Kampf gegen die Oliyix, die die ganze Galaxis in ihrem religiösen Wahn entvölkern, indem sie die Gehirne der Intelligenzwesen einsammeln um sie bis ans Ende des Universums und der Zeit mitzunehmen. Die meisten Alienrassen, die entkommen sind, verstecken sich vor den technisch überlegenen Monstern. Nur die Menschheit versucht offensichtlich, den Olyix einen Kampf zu liefern, zusammen mit den Neána, versuchen sie den Oliyix eine Falle zu stellen, um an die Koordinaten ihrer Heimatwelt zu kommen. Doch die Neána raten den Menschen , alles zu tun, um ihre Spezies in der Galaxis zu verstecken, denn ein Kampf mit den Olyix sei aussichtslos und noch niemand konnte ihnen bisher wirklich Paroli bieten. Zusammen mit den Neána wird ein Plan geschmiedet, der vieleicht eine gewisse Chance hat...Das ist wieder ein typischer Hamilton, der in den 2 Zeitabläufen, von den Kapiteln hin und herspringt, so dass ein spannende und nachvollziehbare Geschichte entsteht, ohne dass die Zeitdifferenz eine große Rolle spielt. In der Handlung des Jahres 2204 geht es um den Angriff der "Salvation of Life", bei der Connexion verzweifelt versucht, sich zu verteidigen, während eine, von Olyix-Agenten unterwandernde, Mafia-Organisation in Londen die Verteidungungseinrichtungen sabotiert. In der Zukunftshandlung versucht eine Gruppe von Menschen ein Raumschiff der Olyix anzulocken, indem sie sich als eine fiktive Alienrasse maskieren und über Jahrhunderte verfälsche Radio-Signale in den Raum senden. Als sich ein Raumschiff nähert, stellen sie fest, das es sich um ein Neána-Schiff handelt, die den Menschen die Option der Flucht und des Versteckens von den Olyix bieten. Der einzige Abstrich den ich an diesem Roman machen muss ist der Charakterisierung geschuldet. Ich erkenne in diesem Roman Charaktere, die ich auch schon aus anderen Romane des Autors kenne, da ist die langlebige, sehr reiche Familie mit ihren epischen Abenteuern, mit den schönen Häusern auf pittoresken Gewässern oder in Asteroiden und ihren geschäftigen Sexualleben. Da sind die tiefgründig recherchierende Privatermittler und die, mit allerlei Features aufgemotzten "neuen Menschen". Aber genau hier macht Hamilton einen Twist, als nämlich die, von den Olyix stammenden, zahlreichen technischen Nano-Aufrüstungen in den Körpern der Menschen benutzt wurden, um die Gehirne der Menschen zu extrahieren. Obwohl es schwierig ist, in einem Trilogie-Mittelteil die Spannung aufrechtzuerhalten, hat Hamilton hier in beeindruckender Weise es geschafft, die Geschichte auch noch weiterzuentwickeln, besonders wenn man bedenkt, dass die Hälfte der Handlung in ferner Zukunft spielt, mit vielen Hinweisen auf die „Handlung in der Vergangenheit“ - aber selbst mit diesen Spoilern sind alle Nebenhandlungen zu gleichen Bedingungen unterhaltsam. Meine Wette ist, dass beide Zeitlinien im Finale irgendwie zusammenlaufen - und das wird im wahrsten Sinne des Wortes episch...
November 16, 2021
Standard Hamilton which is right in my wheelhouse. Aliens, spaceships, future tech, humans struggling to survive with a huge cast of characters. This one has a multi timeline twist/aspect which I like. I think if you don't already like space opera this series is a miss, but I do so on we go.
February 9, 2020
Yeah, just got very immature. Rushed out, quite a few spelling errors in book is always a sign. The plot itself and the technical stuff is good but the relationships are so bloody immature and 2-dimensional and I know the author thinks he’s woke using a range of non-cis gendered pronouns but the writing remains incredibly chauvinistic and fulfilling all those fantasies of the young male the book is intended for, i guess. It just lost a lot of credibility in my eyes as decent sci Fi.
December 18, 2020
'Salvation Lost' is book two in author Peter Hamilton's complex and startling space opera called The Salvation Sequence. The hard science-fiction story of an alien invasion of Earth which began in book one, 'Salvation', is continued in 'Salvation Lost'.
Do not read beyond this point, gentle reader, without having read 'Salvation' first. By necessity, my review contains significant spoilers of the first book in the series.
Gentle reader, the psuedo-science of this space opera series is REALLY the reason to read The Salvation Sequence! The inventive extrapolations from actual hard science Hamilton has created for this future simply keeps blowing me away! Plus, take note, there are epic battles between 'normal' space ships and asteroids which have been changed into monster space ships. There are black holes and quantum-entangled portals which allow travel to everywhere as easily as taking a single step from one room into another - the rooms being on different planets, for example. There are other aliens who want to help the remaining humans in their war against the Olyix. Heroes and heroics abound!
Book three, 'The Saints of Salvation' is next!
Do not read beyond this point, gentle reader, without having read 'Salvation' first. By necessity, my review contains significant spoilers of the first book in the series.
Gentle reader, the psuedo-science of this space opera series is REALLY the reason to read The Salvation Sequence! The inventive extrapolations from actual hard science Hamilton has created for this future simply keeps blowing me away! Plus, take note, there are epic battles between 'normal' space ships and asteroids which have been changed into monster space ships. There are black holes and quantum-entangled portals which allow travel to everywhere as easily as taking a single step from one room into another - the rooms being on different planets, for example. There are other aliens who want to help the remaining humans in their war against the Olyix. Heroes and heroics abound!
Book three, 'The Saints of Salvation' is next!
August 30, 2020
The 1st book left off with build-ups to two alien battles: one at Earth in the near future and one at Vayan in the far future. And, well, both of these battles start to happen in this book, I guess. A lot of the focus is on new character, Ollie, who's a young criminal in London. He's a tedious cliche and his friends are unlikeable and and, though being on the periphery of some of the central plot points, never really does anything of consequence. Despite occupying about a third of the book. Meanwhile, nearly all the characters built up in the first book are virtually absent. Apart from Delian and co, the rest only make a few cameos here and there. This is a pretty bad return on investment, as someone who just spent a whole book getting introduced to them. Doubly so since the new characters are so much worse.
Unlike the first book, there were no real twists or turns or big reveals to keep things spicy. spaceship was pretty obvious (and just plain dumb), and wasn't very exciting.
If I were editor: Cut out Alik from the first book, and Ollie and Gwendoline from this one, merge the two together, trim a few more things, and you've got a pretty solid part of of a two part series.
Unlike the first book, there were no real twists or turns or big reveals to keep things spicy. spaceship was pretty obvious (and just plain dumb), and wasn't very exciting.
If I were editor: Cut out Alik from the first book, and Ollie and Gwendoline from this one, merge the two together, trim a few more things, and you've got a pretty solid part of of a two part series.
May 25, 2020
“Salvation Lost” is the second book in the Salvation Sequence by Peter F. Hamilton. Hamilton is one of the most prominent and skilled purveyors of advanced-technology, military space opera science fiction. This new work is another example of this and includes variations on his oft-repeated themes: human contact with alien civilizations, stealth undercover agents and super-wealthy scions of family dynasties.
The plot is split in two different stories that are set at least ten thousand years apart. The first is about the time a previously friendly alien species has begun an invasion of Earth and its occupied habitats in the Solar System and beyond. The second is about human descendants of the survivors of the alien invasion who are still fighting those aliens in order to get revenge on them and prevent them from continuing their aeons old plan of searching for and kidnapping sentient beings to fulfill their religious beliefs about the end of time.
The two time lines are connected by the existence of what the later time calls the Saints of Salvation. These are the group of extraordinary individuals in the earlier time who were able to find a way to presumably thwart the intentions of the aliens and paved the way for the later humans to exist and continue the fight.
In the first book “Salvation” the primary narrative tension was built around trying to figure out which of the main characters in the primary time line turn out to become Saints as well as anticipating the horror of the fall of human civilization by alien invasion. In the sequel “Salvation Lost” have the names of most of the Saints have been revealed (but so has the fact that some of the main characters from Book 1 are undercover alien operatives). The primary tension in this book comes from the details of the alien invasion (which we know will be mostly successful from the existence of the later time line) as well as the beginning of the counterattack in the later time line.
Neither time line is concluded in “Salvation Lost,” which is a typical weakness of the middle book in a trilogy. This doesn’t mean that there’s a surfeit of action, character development or surprises, however. Hamilton does a good job of moving the story forward in both time lines and I look forward to getting all the answers about the early time line as well as the conclusion of the millennia-old battle with the evil aliens in the third book, “The Saints of Salvation.”
The plot is split in two different stories that are set at least ten thousand years apart. The first is about the time a previously friendly alien species has begun an invasion of Earth and its occupied habitats in the Solar System and beyond. The second is about human descendants of the survivors of the alien invasion who are still fighting those aliens in order to get revenge on them and prevent them from continuing their aeons old plan of searching for and kidnapping sentient beings to fulfill their religious beliefs about the end of time.
The two time lines are connected by the existence of what the later time calls the Saints of Salvation. These are the group of extraordinary individuals in the earlier time who were able to find a way to presumably thwart the intentions of the aliens and paved the way for the later humans to exist and continue the fight.
In the first book “Salvation” the primary narrative tension was built around trying to figure out which of the main characters in the primary time line turn out to become Saints as well as anticipating the horror of the fall of human civilization by alien invasion. In the sequel “Salvation Lost” have the names of most of the Saints have been revealed (but so has the fact that some of the main characters from Book 1 are undercover alien operatives). The primary tension in this book comes from the details of the alien invasion (which we know will be mostly successful from the existence of the later time line) as well as the beginning of the counterattack in the later time line.
Neither time line is concluded in “Salvation Lost,” which is a typical weakness of the middle book in a trilogy. This doesn’t mean that there’s a surfeit of action, character development or surprises, however. Hamilton does a good job of moving the story forward in both time lines and I look forward to getting all the answers about the early time line as well as the conclusion of the millennia-old battle with the evil aliens in the third book, “The Saints of Salvation.”
December 12, 2019
Just got more and more frustrated with this book as I read it. Most of the ideas are rehashed from previous PFH books; human exodus from earth in face of all powerful threat (Judas Unchained), religious nut jobs promising salvation (Dreaming Void) a few uber-rich folks running the show and solving all the problems (Commonwealth series), instantaneous travel between worlds punctuated by epic firefights in space (pretty much every PFH book). Sigh.
With the Canterbury tales approach to the first in the series, I thought I might get something different here, but alas, no. PFH reverts to type and, while bits are not too bad (future London well imagined), the whole story felt very much like a worn re-tread to me.
So much more creative, original and, frankly, entertaining SF to read out there.
With the Canterbury tales approach to the first in the series, I thought I might get something different here, but alas, no. PFH reverts to type and, while bits are not too bad (future London well imagined), the whole story felt very much like a worn re-tread to me.
So much more creative, original and, frankly, entertaining SF to read out there.
December 17, 2019
After the mystery solved at the end of the first book I thought this would be the chance to get to the real story, but this felt more like a set of diversions from inconsequential side characters. It also doesn't help that the far future plot line essentially spoils how the other stories will end, making it even harder to get invested in characters that were already a challenge to get behind.
November 16, 2019
Surprisingly Disappointing
It was all I could do to make myself finish this one. I doubt I’ll get the next one either. It felt like an action movie directed by a teenager, with very little substance. I remember enjoying his previous books quite a bit too so this came as a shock.
It was all I could do to make myself finish this one. I doubt I’ll get the next one either. It felt like an action movie directed by a teenager, with very little substance. I remember enjoying his previous books quite a bit too so this came as a shock.
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