I could just repeat my review of the first book of the series. I really like the story and the grand ideas, but it could easily been written in two thirds of the volume. I know that's not generally the point of space opera but it seems like a waste to "get through" one third of the book just to get to "the good part". Nevertheless, I will be reading the third installment of the series because this world and this story are just too interesting to quit. I'll give my brain some rest first though... ( )

I think I'm going to have to do a more thorough review later. At this point, I'm just going to focus on mechanics.

I like this book. And this series. Honestly, I do. However, I'm at the point where I really think that the whole Night's Dawn series was actually written as one big tome of an epic, and the publishers decided to break it into three (or six, as you decided to buy them) novels just for the sake of the spine. And geez, what a doorstopper a 3500 page book would be anyway. There are just limits.

But, when we hit the last chapter of The Neutronium Alchemist, I really didn't feel like we were building toward a climax. Nothing heart-wrenching, no amazing clincher that wraps the book up, not even a real cliffhanger to make people want to read the next one. There were a couple of mysteries, but not really a "OH HOLY CRAP WHAT THE HECK'S HAPPENING" sort of thing. And starting the next book, the first chapter felt like it was just the next chapter of the previous book.

I think that's the thing that's getting me the most, besides the outrageous number of POVs and locations. It's really taking a wiki for me to get through this without losing track of who's where and doing what. And the plot feels like it's ramping up at a steady pace, and in such a way that it feels more real to me than a typical epic. I feel like I could be reading a tome about WWII at this point, although I think an author would have selected fewer POVs for an actual history book to avoid confusing his reader.

I'm finding the meat of the series interesting in and of themselves; we don't often deal with religions in science fiction that are not utterly imaginary, unless it's a Christian Sci-Fi novel, which I steer clear of. Hamilton definitely handles it with the care of a historian -- no proselytizing, just reflecting the different beliefs of the systems and cultures he's working with. It's interesting, and something I'd like to write a review or an essay specifically addressing, but one that will take some significant research and thought on its own. I'm still curious about the implications of Father Horst's abilities, but it was mentioned in the first book and then never again.

As it stands, I'm continuing on in the slog. Not because it's particularly sloggy, as it t'were, but because the world building really is intricate and extensive. Not an easy series to read by any means, but if you're really looking for something TRULY EPIC in its story, this is definitely what to go for. ( )

And I made it through another one. Wow. Would've liked this twice as much if it were half as long. ( )

At this point, the novelty has warn off and I just want to finish. I love the universe but I think I'll take a break to read some other more diverse authors. I do plan to come back to see how it all ends, though (hopefully something big and interesting). Unfortunately, the plot structure is surprisingly similar to the previous book and the title is a bit of a give away. I am, however, interested to see how all the forces interact in the next and final book. ( )

Hamilton, Peter F. The Neutronium Alchemist. 1997. Night’s Dawn No. 2. Warner, 2000.
About eight years after Dan Simmons wrote a monumental space opera series in which he resurrected John Keats, Peter F. Hamilton wrote an equally impressive, albeit much less literary, series in which he resurrects the like of Fletcher Christian, Al Capone, and Elvis. On a distant planet some aliens manage to lock open the gate to a pocket universe, allowing the sensation-deprived dead to take over the bodies of the living. That was all in Reality Dysfunction, the first novel. In this one, the dead are getting organized with leadership by Al Capone. Will Al conquer the galaxy? In another ring of Hamilton’s interstellar circus, a mad scientist with a grudge and a superweapon (the Neutronium Alchemist of the title) is looking to get even with some war criminals. Al Capone and others would also like the weapon. The action moves right along but following it all presents a considerable challenge. There are a dozen different locations with a gaggle of different characters in each one. Since many of the locations are spaceships, you cannot count on them staying in one place. There is also a lot of far-future technology, much spooky physics, and several religions and governing philosophies to get the head around. Is it worth the effort—yes, indeed! But I do have two nits to pick. Why Al Capone and not some far future gangster? Finally, can’t we find a less old-fashioned term than “datavise” for a future alternative to email? Take a deep breath. On to The Naked God to wrap up the plot. ( )