Humanity has reached the stars – the Commonwealth is spread to over 600 star systems across 400 light years with Earth at its centre. Long life can be enjoyed by nearly everyone thanks to rejuvenation and of the alien races encountered to date, only one, the Silfen, is sentient and poses no threat to humanity. All human worlds are interlinked by wormholes and travel to each is as simple as stepping on a train. Organic circuitry tattoos give the owners everything they could need, from e-butlers to unisphere interface. With memory crystals in widespread use, even death can now be overcome. When Dudley Bose observes the Dyson Pair, two stars over a thousand light years away, instantly disappear, enclosed in some sort of force field, human curiosity is triggered and the first faster-than-light starship is built. Captained by Wilson Kime, an ex-NASA pilot that flew on the first mission to Mars over three hundred years ago, the Second Chance is tasked with investigating the barrier and what they discover inside.
The Guardians of Selfhood are considered nothing more than an organized terrorist group that brings misery to the Commonwealth through its propaganda messages and acts of violence. Led by Bradley Johansson and based on Far Away, the clans that make up the Guardians fight against what they claim is an alien entity, the Starflyer, controlling and influencing the human race through its servants.
Pandora's Star is the first part of The Commonwealth Saga and is a full fledged space opera containing multiple plot threads that include the discovery of, and mission to, the Dyson Pair; the activities of Adam Elvin, the Guardians main man when it comes to arranging weapon and technology shipments to Far Away; the brutal one-mindedness of Paula Myo, a detective with the Intersolar Serious Crime Directorate, while she investigates a case of murder, and of her continuing dedication to tracking down Adam Elvin; the political manoeuvring of various individuals to gain support for their causes; following the journey of Ozzie Isaacs, the co-inventor of wormhole technology, as he travels the paths of the alien Silfen in search of answers to the Dyson pair. Even this doesn’t cover it all, there is just so much to take in and enjoy.
As you can imagine, this book covers a whole lot – but it hits the ground running. Chapter one starts the book off as it means to go on and doesn’t let go, even once you’ve reached the end you’re left wanting more. There is little here that is not to like if you enjoy a well thought out and action packed story. The book is well paced and the subplots are almost all interesting and add to the story and in-universe history. There are a couple of exceptions, these being the political manoeuvring section and to an extent some of the Guardians sections, especially those set on Far Away that feature the clans. These couple do add to the back story and raise some questions, but the difference in pace sticks out like a sore thumb.
The Second Chance plot is one of the best in the book and the most enjoyable as far as a sense of wonder and discovery go. It is especially good when the Guardians attempt a sabotage of the Second Chance during it’s construction during what has to be one of the stand out passages in terms of pure all out action. If you like detective fiction, then the Paula Myo subplot will suit you to the ground. Seeing a character as defined as Paula conducting an investigation and showing how resourceful she is brings a smile to your face. Ozzie and his self-imposed mission along the Silfen paths from planet to planet is also a good example of fine storytelling of adventure and exploration. I can only imagine what sort of stories could come out of the Silfen paths if Peter so wished.
What really works in Pandora’s Star is the way that Peter has built a universe from scratch and made almost every aspect believable. There is the sort of depth here that you don’t normally find in a single book, but even though there are the occasional info-dumping passages it really doesn’t feel that it detracts from the story, simply adds to the experience. Few books have managed to have this affect on me and this book can come heartily recommended with very few complaints. An almost perfect balance between world building and storytelling makes this a must read for any fan of the genre.
Overall rating: 9/10
Buy from: Amazon.co.uk, Play.com
