After reading the tome 2, so the entire novel, I am now able to qualify or completely invalidate some of these points, and (unfortunately) say how I was right on other matters (the lack of renewal).
Before giving my detailed critique of Volume 2 and all of the novel, I will, once will not hurt my criticism, starting with their conclusion that Volume 2 and the entire novel (Volume 1 + 2 ) you will it please you, is this a good SF novel? The answer is actually complex, depending on your previous readings. Let's already clear that Volume 2 is incomparably greater than the volume 1, this time the pace is there and there, it starts out with a bang and it stops only after frantic 520 pages. So one of the reviews I had issued in Volume 1 is the moot once, throughout the novel the pace and the interest is there, the pages are turned eagerly to know the word end of the story. Although the blow, volume 1 pales next to the 2. And although it is easy to understand that setting up laborious was needed to unfold the story a hundred miles an hour in the second half (= the second book) Book (remember that the original English edition is NOT cut into several volumes).
So if you read Volume 1, buy 2 eyes closed.
The real question is, if you do NOT have bought Volume 1 because you expected to see the reviews on all of history before you decide if you should buy Volume 1 +2 or not. It all depends on your previous readings:
- If you have never read the other novel by Peter Hamilton, and do not particularly read SF, go, it is a masterpiece.
- If you have read other novels by Peter Hamilton but not Pandora cycle, and you do not have particular knowledge of SF, you can go there without fear is very good although Hamilton there are some repetitions or recurring themes in relation to his previous novels (I invite you to refer to my review of volume 1 for a list of these themes or characters / recurring archetypes).
- If you have read Pandora but you do not have particular knowledge of SF, you may have trouble digesting one of the key points of the story, for it is cut and pasted against a Key points of worms. I will say no more, but you are warned, our good Peter did not set foot on this one. However, it remains a good Hamilton and a good SF novel, though for once there CARREMENT of repetition.
- One last point: you're like me, you are a scholar of SF, you've read anything almost. And there you go say "this novel is nice, but besides the fact of self-plagiarize or almost old Peter has shed more of a look at Hyperion and its sequels or Greg Heritage Bear (or perhaps Foundation and Earth Voyager and Star Trek / Star Trek Deep Space Nine matter). " Rhoooo, the ugly! M'enfin the result is very pleasant to read, even if not for the original touch to two sous, and then after all, copy a person is plagiarism, use several sources of inspiration is to research and all writers do.
So to summarize, if you are a scholar of Hamilton having read Pandora, and / or SF in general, you'll see the overwhelming majority of twists / big revelations arrive hundred pages before (apart from one, but nothing will 'announced, so it was impossible to predict) and say "nice but already seen." Even if (and Dan Simmons proved with Hyperion), a novel mixing catalog as a tribute to classic themes of SF, it can be great. And Volume 2 of the Great North Road proves too.
That said, there are very good things in volume 2 (and so suddenly in the full novel). I have already said all the good that I thought the character of Angela, but at the end of Volume 2 she poses dangerous rival to Paula Myo in person! Unlike Volume 1, flashbacks do not concern Angela (well ... not directly), and I must say they are very well integrated into the fabric of the plot. If this book were a movie, it would clearly have an Oscar for Best Editing. The lack of pace and a certain lack of interest (compared to previous Hamilton productions, especially the Void trilogy) that I reproached in Volume 1 are blasted in Volume 2. In just the first 50 pages, we go of "the alien does not exist" to "but if there are" then "but not" Hamilton played with our nerves and causes knowingly the revelations at a pace cleverly designed (although according to your previous readings, you can see it coming long before).
Here comes the painful part of my criticism: for fifteen years, Hamilton is one of my favorite SF authors, with the late Iain Banks. And here I'm going to speak ill of him (a little, and nuancing). In my review of volume 1, I found a pity that unlike usual, he has injected much material from his previous novels, especially Pandora, in Great North Road. There have always been recurring themes or archetypes home, but never like this. Between the universe is very, or even TOO similar to Pandora (in stark contrast to his previous ability to reinvent each time an entirely different universe), and history who drew a key point of the Pandora, it's a little too much for my taste, only in terms of self "plagiarism". But if we add to that the loan to some classics of SF, that's really too much. I feel that for the first time, Hamilton has taken the easy, and I hope it will not become a habit, especially not for novels devoted to Nigel Sheldon, the first to be published in October (England). It is far from my point of view, the original mixture between daring and breathtaking Space Op, zombies space and Al Capone of Dawn of the Night, there is 15 years. Another point that bothers me: the whole end is sewn with white thread, I really feel that the protagonists are making a quantum leap in wisdom to mankind in three seconds while twelve seen how they have drooled , it still should have (logically) to finish a little more bloody and laborious. An identical result over the long term, yes, but in a snap, yeah, it seems somewhat artificial. Difficult to say more without spoiler, you will make your own mind after reading Volume 2. It's the same, I find all the end how to say ... gnan gnan what. Fortunately there was the flash-forward several times in the future, because otherwise it would have disappointed me altogether.
M'enfin even with all this put together, make no mistake, you will in anyway for your money with the Great North Road.
Ultimate regret the uncertainty surrounding the Zanth. I would have liked more. Especially after the last sentence of the epilogue (the most insignificant you also notice the tremendous wink addressed to the character of the story in the last line). I thoroughly enjoyed against by the use of the Dogon myths is an enigma that fascinates me for ages and which, to my knowledge, had not been used in SF. Mr Hamilton hat.
A final word: If you look at the cover image on this page, you'll notice that a genius thought it appropriate to insert a quote from Ken Follet just below "The great northern road to the square." Yes, you read on the front cover. Not on the back cover, not on a removable panel (technique used in Elsewhere & Tomorrow) no, no, on the cover. Personally, I find it in bad taste, I liked just as far, our French editions avoid this through imperial editions that the front cover becomes real press review. All the more pity that the cover illustration is very successful and perfectly in keeping with the terrible odyssey 18 days of Elston and Angela. Still on nitpicking, the "Volume 2" is still small at the bottom right (and on the other hand it does overlap with the "square" of the title). So, I am not convinced that enthusiastic people or not reading the back cover (and not having heard of Volume 1) will not buy Volume 2 taking it for a full novel.
In summary, a very Volume 2 greater than the first, and a novel as a whole (Volume 1 +2) ranging from excellent to not so bad according to your previous readings. But a big regret on a story at all original, with large repetitions, see the recycling Pandora (+ world history), much thicker strings, and hope that this is not a preview of the future production of the author. Although the novels with Nigel Sheldon, the repetition is required, since it is the Void universe. So hard to judge immediately, it will be seen in the more distant future.