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  • Pandora's Star

  • Written by: Peter F. Hamilton
  • Narrated by: John Lee
  • Length: 37 hrs and 21 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (196 ratings)

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Pandora's Star

Written by: Peter F. Hamilton
Narrated by: John Lee
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Publisher's Summary

Critics have compared the engrossing space operas of Peter F. Hamilton to the classic sagas of such SF giants as Isaac Asimov and Frank Herbert. But Hamilton's best-selling fiction - powered by a fearless imagination and world-class storytelling skills - has also earned him comparison to Tolstoy and Dickens. Hugely ambitious, wildly entertaining, philosophically stimulating: the novels of Peter F. Hamilton will change the way you think about science fiction.

Now, with Pandora's Star, he begins a new multi-volume adventure, one that promises to be his most mind-blowing yet. The year is 2380. The Intersolar Commonwealth, a sphere of stars some 400 light-years in diameter, contains more than 600 worlds, interconnected by a web of transport "tunnels" known as wormholes. At the farthest edge of the Commonwealth, astronomer Dudley Bose observes the impossible: Over 1,000 light-years away, a star...vanishes. It does not go supernova. It does not collapse into a black hole. It simply disappears.

Since the location is too distant to reach by wormhole, a faster-than-light starship, the Second Chance, is dispatched to learn what has occurred and whether it represents a threat. In command is Wilson Kime, a five-time rejuvenated ex-NASA pilot whose glory days are centuries behind him. Opposed to the mission are the Guardians of Selfhood, a cult that believes the human race is being manipulated by an alien entity they call the Starflyer.

Bradley Johansson, leader of the Guardians, warns of sabotage, fearing the Starflyer means to use the starship's mission for its own ends. Pursued by a Commonwealth special agent convinced the Guardians are crazy but dangerous, Johansson flees. But the danger is not averted. Aboard the Second Chance, Kime wonders if his crew has been infiltrated.

Soon enough, he will have other worries. A thousand light-years away, something truly incredible is waiting: a deadly discovery, the unleashing of which will threaten to destroy t...

©2004 Peter F. Hamilton (P)2008 Tantor

What the critics say

"The depth and clarity of the future Hamilton envisions is as complex and involving as they come." ( Publishers Weekly Starred Review)

What listeners say about Pandora's Star

Average Customer Ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

not perfect, but good

narrator is a bit dry. definitely had to speed it up some. story was good. a few long drawn out parts that didn't seem to add to the story much but if u make it through all that, it does get fairly intense and does draw the reader into the world.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

great book, terrible narration

Narrator over acts and has horrible volume consistency. Still managed to enjoy Hamilton's masterpiece, but I had to speed it up and listen at higher than normal volume to do so

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story. Bad read.

I had to listen at 1.4x speed because he reads so slow. It was difficult to hear sometimes.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Moat enjoyable, Immersive.

John Lee Narration is outstanding, so entertaining throughout the 30 hour listen. Story is mind blowing, yet PFH explains the complex in fascinating terms and attention to detail has the listener swept along. It’s a mix of distant futuristic imagined possibilities and familiar human situations and conditions. Lots of interesting ideas and character development throughout. 👍🏻

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

A++

This was such a good book! I can't believe how deep and complex of a universe the author has created here.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great book. Voicing of characters was indistinct.

Hamilton created a superb galaxy. Each character rich. Character narration was monotone and hard to discern.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointed

Enjoyed it until after 30 hours listening to poor narration only to have a everyone was run of by a truck ending.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

wow! amazing!

epic sci fi universe. a little slow to start but the detail and development of the story is amazing.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Perhaps a bit too much drama

A little long and full of drama leaving a the reader wanting more SiFi from the main plot. Lots of worm holes, politicking and spy craft though if that’s your jam.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Boring sometimes hokey storey

some interesting concepts, some badly executed, I hate the word "e-butler" it's the worst name... it's like everyone in the story saying things like: "call me on my cellular phone" nobody says that, the would say "call me on my cell". so similarly even if there was a thing called e-Butler that's such a terrible name it would get nicknamed to something else. Not in Peter f Hamilton world though, instead you have people seeing a train and going into an elaborate speil about that particular model of train. Do you care about fictional train makes/ models? I sure don't. then when somebody does something interesting like go through a wormhole you don't get the same level of detail about that as you do about sci fi trains... this book is boring, has goofy plot elements. did not finish.

narration is decent, but the narrator STARTS OFF Loud and then trails off to almost inaudible near the end of every paragraph. I found it annoying.

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