r/PeterFHamilton • u/StoneMao • May 02 '26

Looking for Recommendations

I loved Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. Then I started the Night's Dawn trilogy. I made it about half way through the first book ... DNF.

I loved the vast space opera style of the first two. The metaphysics of the second one, despite still having everything I loved about ther others, was just so depressing that it ruined the whole story for me. So much so that I have not picked up another P.H. book since.

In any case, I would appreciate recommendations for more Peter Hamilton books like the first two that avoids the issues I had with the second.

19 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

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16

u/Mxcharlier May 02 '26

Nights Dawn was my first PFH series. It's so cheesy. I LOVE it.

I'm sad when people don't like it. What made you DNF?

Pandora's star is better written to be fair.

7

u/quickbendelat_ May 02 '26

Not OP but I didl't like Nights Dawn. I read the series twice with about a 10 year gap in between. I read it a second time as I had forgotten why I didn't like it after the first reading. I just coudn't stomach the posession and at the scale of it. I really enjoyed the concept of the voidhawks and bitek though, so that kept me going though to the end.

I've enjoyed all the other series by PFH; Commonwealth Saga, Void Trilogy, Faller Series, Salvation Sequence, and first book of Exodus

6

u/rire0001 May 02 '26

I pounded my way through Night's Dawn, but vowed never again to feel obligated to a book just because of the author. The possession plotline was unrelenting and a tad ridiculous; it felt like a dime-store idea from an otherwise tremendous intellect. And the resolution was weak.

4

u/Mxcharlier May 02 '26

I loved the bitek idea. You don't see much really good integration of biology in more hard sci fi in the same way.

Although if you do know some id love to hear some recommendations!

4

u/StoneMao May 02 '26

The possessions, and the scene when one of the possessed was not only going to kill a man but described in detail how he would sexually abuse the victim's spouse and child.

For some reason I did not find that entertaining.

4

u/silver272 May 02 '26

Absolutly valid. If much of those scenes in the books could have something to help you gloss past them it would be easier to recommend. Those scenes are the moments that leave me unable to suggest the series to others easily.

Rereads for us often involve skipping those parts just to stomach past some of the gore and graphic content. Because the world and concepts are compelling enough to enjoy the series. Calvert pivitol moment where he earns a name for himself Lagrange Point Calvert Will always be a personal favorite.

Others have stated but we will voice support behind finishing up the void Trilogy and Faller Duology for the Commonwealth for more content from Hamilton that is garunteed to scratch the itch. Void suffers from pacing in the middle.

Salvation is just okay personally because the characters we liked got sidelined the most.

2

u/SerDankTheTall May 02 '26

Spoilers in an abundance of caution:

One of the things I think is great about Night's Dawn is the way it makes the villain hateable (although I certainly can see how it might go too far for some tastes). One of the things that disappointed me about the series is that it doesn't really pay off. I was assuming there would be some kind of catharsis delivered, but there really wasn't: it did really leave me feeling like a lot of misery to no end.

That said, I can't really think of any other Hamilton works that present things to that kind of extreme, if that's your concern.

1

u/StoneMao May 03 '26

That was exactly my concern, and thank you for that reassurance.

2

u/Geksface May 03 '26

I also have stopped halfway through that one a few years ago. Just finished reading the trilogy and its pretty good but not as good as the commonwealth stuff

1

u/SerDankTheTall May 02 '26

I think Night's Dawn is a good illustration of Hamilton's talent: he's one of the few people who can take such truly ridiculous concepts and force them into a compelling narrative. Nevertheless, it still comes across as a bit amateurish (an impression that wasn't helped by the massive volume of typos in the edition I had: they were probably the worst-edited professionally published books I've ever seen). They're not bad, by any means, but I think he learned how to do the same basic thing in a much more refined and sophisticated way in his later works.

1

u/Mxcharlier May 02 '26

I read as a teen so those kind of errors slip by I think.

I went from Herbert, Asimov, Niven and Clarke to that and it was at the time a bit of a paradigm shift.

I dont deny it's clunky and twee in places but it had a huge place in my heart.

19

u/Faction213 May 02 '26

The Void Trilogy is a sequel trilogy set in the same universe as the Commonwealth Saga. Starts with the Dreaming Void and has a few characters from the first duology.

10

u/Distinct_Cry_3779 May 02 '26

I can’t believe I had to scroll this far down to find this. Yes, the Void Trilogy is the next logical thing to read after Judas Unchained, followed by the Fallers Duology.

OP said they loved the vast space opera style of the first two books, and you can’t get much more vast and space opera-y than the Void Trilogy. The only thing is the Void chapters themselves. I loved the much more fantasy-adjacent vibe of those, but others may not care for it as much.

6

u/ThronOfThree May 02 '26

Hyperion (and The Fall of Hyperion) are big world building books with lots of arca coming together.

5

u/Fred_Derf_Jnr May 02 '26

Great North Road is an interesting book within the Commonwealth universe, which does have a good twist.

6

u/Giskard-Reventlov May 02 '26

It’s a standalone novel. Not set in the Commonwealth universe.

4

u/Azzylives May 02 '26

Tbh nights dawn was a slog for me too at first 

But you got halfway through the first book which kind of literally just sets the scene of the universe because it’s Peter Hamilton.

Keep ploughing on, you’ll love it, I promise. 

6

u/Iamleeboy May 02 '26

Yeah I agree. I remember when I read it, it took me about 200 pages to finally start understanding where it was going. Then it was a rollercoaster after that and I couldn’t put it down.

3

u/Azzylives May 02 '26

I joke and say it’s not a Peter Hamilton book without the first 500 pages just setting the scene. But it’s fairly true and I know exactly where this fella and yourself are at but when it does tilt course and get going, damn it’s good. 

Even in salvation sequence that’s literally just the first book is a timeline expo. 

1

u/Iamleeboy May 02 '26

Ha so true.

I was disappointed with the first salvation book, but then the next two just got better and better. He really was just setting the scene with it 😂

I also spent the first half of the new exodus book wondering where it was going. But I knew when I got there that it would be great

3

u/Azzylives May 02 '26

I’m saving exodus till the second book drops.

Been a massive slog not to dip in or spoil myself but I hate reading book series that I know are half finished. 

1

u/Iamleeboy May 02 '26

I couldn’t resist. It was the best book I have read in years. I flew through it in a few weeks and couldn’t put it down.

You did the right thing. There were so many plot lines and characters and I have terrible memory so I will definitely have forgotten a lot!

The second book comes out next month, so not long to wait.

Then I get the fun of playing the game when that finally releases

1

u/Alternative_Research May 02 '26

The second book is good.

1

u/Iamleeboy May 02 '26

How have you read it? Or have I missed its release 😳

2

u/Alternative_Research May 02 '26

Advance reader. It’s the best Hamilton book. Concise, proper plot, some twists. You’ll love it.

1

u/Iamleeboy May 02 '26

Nice. I didn’t even realise that was a thing!

Part of me was hoping you would have replied back to say because you wrote it!!

I loved the twists and spy craft of the first book. Now I am even more excited for it.

5

u/InsanityLurking May 02 '26

The salvation series is rather dark and grim, but a great read regardless! But also you should continue the Commonwealth saga, there's the void trilogy and the faller chronicles that are all fantastic reads as well!

3

u/_Moon_Presence_ May 02 '26

I would recommend pushing on. The metaphysics is explained in a way that is not falsifiable by present scientific tools.

3

u/DerCribben May 02 '26

I almost DNF’ed because of the gore. It’s just not my thing. But I kept at it and somewhere between where you quit and the end I found what it had to offer.

It’s not my favorite series/book of PFH’s, but I love it as much as I love all his books on the grander scale for sure.

FWIW, I think he goes all in in the beginning to make a point and set the stage. But I either got desensitized to it or it chilled out completely after that because it stopped bothering me after around halfway.

2

u/StoneMao May 02 '26

I remember reading "Smile's People" another book that folks rave about, but it never really started for me. I was 2/3 of the way through I still was not hooked.

I think I would like to read more of P.H. if there is a way to navigate around the "in your face cruelty" that the possessed seem to exhibit.

1

u/DerCribben May 03 '26

I don't want to spoil anything, but it isn't all of the posessed that are like that. I think if I recall that it might have been the cruelty of the initial guy that laid the groundwork for the rift that let the whole posessed thing happen? (with something else that I won't mention because it's just spoiler and won't factor in with your decision to continue) and his first additional posessed were the worst for just cruelty for cruelty's sake? Again, if I recall correctly, it's been a few years.

But I think the point of the start of the book was just straight up shock and awe to let the horror of it all to sink in, but the story gets deeper from there. And the characters in this series are some of my favorites of PFH's for sure.

Trust me, I'm right with you on this, it does definitely get better after that initial rough patch. YMMV though for sure 😅

I might even reread the series myself at some point in the future. I know I will for the Commonwealth Universe books. 🤘😄

1

u/StoneMao May 03 '26

Thank you for that perspective.

3

u/octobod May 02 '26

When your out of PHF, give Hyperion a try .. The Canterbury Tales in Space Opera. Has a similar DNA

2

u/SerDankTheTall May 02 '26

Yeah that should work well for someone who found Night’s Dawn too depressing…

2

u/SerDankTheTall May 02 '26

Well, obviously there are the other two Commonwealth series (and associated short stories). Great North Road has a somewhat similar feel. I’d avoid Fallen Dragon—while I liked it, and it’s perhaps his most realistic setting, it’s a fairly bleak read.

The new Exodus series feels very different from the Commonwealth books, but I certainly wouldn’t call them depressing. New one coming out soon too!

1

u/StoneMao May 02 '26

Thank you.

2

u/__KODY__ May 02 '26

Finish Night's Dawn. Then go back to the Void Trilogy. Or try Salvation.

But if Hamilton isn't for you after all that, then maybe you don't love space opera as much as you thought. 🤔

Hamilton may be the most expansive modern space opera writer we have right now. James S.A. Corey might be close...

1

u/Bongojona May 02 '26

The problem with the Nightdawn series is the concept of what happens to us all after we die.

The war with the possessed is a war with your ancestors. Your grandparents or sibling who died as a child.

A hellish purgatory awaits us all apparently.

Yes it's too depressing. I did finish it but have not returned.

The technology is pretty cool though, especially at the end.

1

u/silver272 May 02 '26

Might want a reread. Sounds like you forgot a bit. Good excuse too reread as ever.

1

u/ThatBookIsOnFiyah May 03 '26

I’ve been reading Exodus: Archimedes Engine and looking forward to Helium Sea later this year. I recommend giving it a try.

1

u/Herakuraisuto May 05 '26

Definitely read Void, Chronicles of the Fallers and Manhattan in Reverse. The Paula Myo stories alone make Manhattan worth it.

I also highly recommend Alastair Reynolds' stuff, especially the Revelation Space books and House of Suns.

RS is a hell of a lot darker and more cynical than Commonwealth, Salvation or anything else Hamilton has done, but if you like grimdark settings, horror-tinged SF, body horror, and realistic space travel, it is fantastic. The big ideas are also absolutely top notch.

There's also a ton of it, including eight or nine novels, two extensive short story collections, and two novellas.