A Novel of the Commonwealth (Commonwealth - Chronicle of the Fallers)

Proves again why he is one of my favorite authors. Incredible imagination and able to form it all into an amazing story. I like how he skips unnecessary fluff and keeps everything moving. I wish I had a couple of days free and I would have read it beginning to end, it was that hard to put down. Excellent book!

Never fails to satisfy! If you like a detailed read with complex relationships between seemingly unrelated characters, Peter Hamilton is for you. The bonus is that you don't need to keep a spreadsheet to keep up with the story. Further, someone new to Hamilton's "Commonwealth" can jump in with any of his series.

Engaging and uplifting... amazing scope and vision of a universe to hope for - to build! New characters abound, both to love and to despise. The goodness of those with power is as refreshing and encouraging as the evil ones are dismaying... your emotions will become involved!

Maybe his best ever? Look, Peter Hamilton is a unique author. His "space operas" (if one can really call them that are vast in scope and cover years/centuries, etc. His ideas are creative, and he has, over the years, built an astounding view of the universe.

He is not for everyone. His plots are creative, his characters complex and the scope of his ideas are vast. Yet in this novel, he reigns it in a bit. This novel is focused and could be read as a standalone.

This novel wraps up a lot of past plot lines and brings much better definition to some of the technologies he has talked about before. Now we begin to understand Commonwealth tech, in particular at an individual level.

You might now ask, why five stars? Five stars because it is a good story, the characters are well-developed, and the story arc fits together very well. When ideas are introduced you see them come back later where they fit into the plot nicely, not as forced or artificial ideas but more ahas. There are two dominant races and they are both given good details and you understand both their perspectives. Difficult to describe an alien race but he does it well here.

Spoiler -

Paula Myo is back. The most competent person in the Commonwealth has a key role here and I welcome it. Not since she was introduced many years ago have we seen this Paula. We learn more about her and how she thinks. She has long been my favorite Hamilton character and we see more depth here than usual and even more to like​

“Night without Stars” is a solid, neatly fitting, and mostly satisfying conclusion to the Chronicle of Fallers saga and (potentially) the entire Void storyline. I believe it shares most of the fundamental strengths of its opening act, “Abyss beyond Dreams”: well-constructed and well-paced plot, great action, some interesting characters, and another great example of a non-science fiction genre in a science fiction setting. Whereas “Abyss” stands pretty well on its own, in terms of the readers’ ability to appreciate its plot twists and slate of characters, the “Night” has a greater reliance on the lore of the Void trilogy and the larger Commonwealth universe. To be fair, this reliance may be unavoidable, given the requirements of a closing chapter for a long series.

As it stands, “Night without Stars” is, in my opinion, an enjoyable read. Just as most of Hamilton’s work, it is a great fusion of genres. This time, his meticulously built Commonwealth Void universe plays host to the many elements of a Cold War spy thriller, one told from the eastern side of the Iron Curtain.

I have seen other reviewers characterize the novel’s settings as the pre-70’s America, with its “father knows best” attitudes, “commie invasion” and “hippie commune” clichés. Makes sense, as these are the patterns most familiar to an American reader. Except that Peter Hamilton is very much a European writer. So the “template” is not the 50’s or 60’s America, but the Cold War Soviet Union, with a dialed down, but still brutal equivalent of KGB searching for enemies within and without, in the name of fighting an existential external threat. The urban scenery, the characters and their behaviors greatly reminded me of the places and people within the “second world”. The space technology is explicitly borrowed from the Soviet “Soyuz” program. Most importantly, the characters exist in a recognizable environment of oppression by an authoritarian state, reminiscent of the Brezhnev and Andropov-era USSR.

All these elements come together to create a distinctive atmosphere, through which the reader gets to navigate towards the end gambit, which is built on the Void trilogy’s apparent loose end. It’s been in the background all along, referenced in the Commonwealth timeline and discussed early on in the “Abyss”, so its re-emergence was not random and impossible to anticipate (a pet peeve of mine). Hamilton brings the stories full circle, which I found gratifying. Another thing I really liked about the series (and Hamilton’s work in general) is that there are no glaring "orphans", i.e. useless, throw-away characters, places, events. He generally introduces those elements for a reason and they eventually come to play some significant role, large or small. I like that in a story, especially when it is as voluminous, as most of Hamilton's work tends to be.

In summary – just like its opening act, “Night without Stars” is a well-written, well-plotted story with engaging characters, and elements of another genre mixed in. I found it a mostly satisfying conclusion for the Chronicle of Fallers and I really liked it. Not as much, though, as I loved the “Abyss beyond Stars”, but I would argue that is more of a testament to what Peter Hamilton did with that story than anything he failed to do with this one.

For people who like grand space opera. Dislike the too mu ch detail sometimes. Hamilton is no Banks and lacks the poetry and the economy. Still a massive accomplishment and what Hamilton lacks for in quality is made up in quantity of his 4 grand series.

A master piece. Stunning conclusion. Leaves me begging for more commonwealth novels. Go Paula, Nigel and Ozzie

*spoiler*7
Now what happened to he void and where the heck did Edeard come from?

Another awesome book by Peter F Hamilton! he always draws me into his universe to the point where it is almost impossible to put the book (well, kindle now) down. I can't wait for a new story in the commonwealth universe, or any other for that matter!

Loved it. Typical Peter Hamilton sci-fi and closes an excellent story of the commonwealth. Almost wish it was a trilogy. Now the long wait for his next book. However, I know it will be worth it. Brilliant, brilliant book.

Another excellent work from the king of big SF. Peter F Hamilton creates a massive universe, but also provides enough detail and actual science to keep the reader captivated.Well thought out, and complements the first book beautifully. Well worth the read.

This is the second and concluding part of Peter Hamilton's Chronicle of the Fallers. It is set at around the same time as the void series but it is an entirely separate narrative. Having been expelled from the void along with the fallers who have been attacking them for centuries, the inhabitants of Bienvenido must battle with increasing threats not just from the fallers but from other unexpected sources.
The pick up some surprising allies on the way as their battle to survive and perhaps contact the rest of humanity reaches its climax.
I enjoyed this book very much, we encounter some old favourite characters as well as new ones and Hamilton's established writing skills really bring the story, plots, characters and setting to life.
Of course, this is the last book in the Commonwealth universe and you really would need to have read the rest of those books in order to get the most out of this story and if you have read those, you will not need me to tell you to get a copy of this fine book.

A Night Without Stars (Commonwealth: Chronicle of the Fallers #2) by Peter F. Hamilton
alter cycle, but (of course) leaves the Commonwealth wide open for further adventures. The characters drive the plot and subplots. The pacing is brisk, or n to, when it needs to be. The scope of the adventure spans from several thousand light decades away, back to our own galaxy. Set in a far distant future, the story has oh so human characters. We see our own foibles and follies, and there is no end to our sins as a species. But that's why this book is such a great read.
I know some readers have complained about this author's style of writing, and in particular the heft of his tomes. I rather fancy it as he doesn't need to rush thru a chapter every time you turn a page. Also, the author is not overly wordy, but takes time to craft his universe, and the people in it.
Once again, the Commonwealth is a place and time I would love!

For a great comparison of super advanced technology to Renaissance age living while still keeping to a viable and enveloping story this is the read for you.
Mr Hamilton once again produces the highest caliber of science fiction.

Peter F. Hamilton doesn't fail to disappoint with this thrilling series conclusion. I was enchanted by the fascinating stories of new characters blended with old friends from the commonwealth. A must read for any fan of deeply engaging literature.

I loved this book and found it an intellectually and emotionally satisfying conclusion of the Bienvenido story arc. One aspect of this book that seemed new for Hamilton in the Commonwealth Saga was the close relationship between the political climate on Bienvenido with the political climate of our own contemporary society. On Bienvenido the government hides the most important truths from its own people, and finds no need to justify their abusive actions against their own people in order to maintain their charade. Here I read a subtle but powerful criticism of the creeping and overt fascism spreading throughout the Western political systems in our present day. Of course, he might have been alluding to the former Soviet Union, but I choose to think he is alluding to the United States, where a young nation of 250 years founded on egalitarian ideals gradually becomes an elitist totalitarian state. Once this contemporary allegory became clear to me, I became even more invested in the book. Though Hamilton artfully avoids obvious contemporary political criticism, it is there, and I appreciated how well he contrasted where "we" are now, with a hopeful and almost magical future.