Emma Goto
40,000 years in the future, five imperial queens take turns ruling the galaxy to ensure stability. As their bodies age, they transfer their mind into a new host body, allowing them to reign eternally. The host bodies are sourced from the queen's genetic children - and they battle to get the coveted spot of next host, so it's not as dystopian as it seems (well, it still is).
An arkship sets out from Earth in 2200, and ends up here 40,000 years in the future (something something space travel). They meet Finn, a high-ranking member of the noble class. As you'd expect he's a bit of a spoilt brat, but sick of the luxurious life he leads and instead wants to explore the galaxy.
The main problem with the story is the amount of info-dumping - the first 10% was quite a struggle to get my head around. Finn meeting the arkship also gives the author plenty of opportunity to infodump, as the arkship people have about 40,000 years worth of history to catch up on.
The last Peter Hamilton book I read (Pandora's Star) I gave 3 stars, which was also for the fact that it felt very long and quite confusing with all that was going on - so maybe this is just Hamilton's writing style.
Along with the queens and Finn and the arkship, there's also another subplot around a police officer dealing with spies and politics. To be honest I had the hardest time following this and couldn't explain to you what was going on, although all three storylines come to be tied together by the end.
If I let my eyes glaze over and speed through the long explanations, otherwise the book had an interesting plot and I was keen to see it through to the end!
Originally posted at www.emgoto.com.
40,000 years in the future, five imperial queens take turns ruling the galaxy to ensure stability. As their bodies age, they transfer their mind into a new host body, allowing them to reign eternally. The host bodies are sourced from the queen's genetic children - and they battle to get the coveted spot of next host, so it's not as dystopian as it seems (well, it still is).
An arkship sets out from Earth in 2200, and ends up here 40,000 years in the future (something something space travel). They meet Finn, a high-ranking member of the noble class. As you'd expect he's a bit of a spoilt brat, but sick of the luxurious life he leads and instead wants to explore the galaxy.
The main problem with the story is the amount of info-dumping - the first 10% was quite a struggle to get my head around. Finn meeting the arkship also gives the author plenty of opportunity to infodump, as the arkship people have about 40,000 years worth of history to catch up on.
The last Peter Hamilton book I read (Pandora's Star) I gave 3 stars, which was also for the fact that it felt very long and quite confusing with all that was going on - so maybe this is just Hamilton's writing style.
Along with the queens and Finn and the arkship, there's also another subplot around a police officer dealing with spies and politics. To be honest I had the hardest time following this and couldn't explain to you what was going on, although all three storylines come to be tied together by the end.
If I let my eyes glaze over and speed through the long explanations, otherwise the book had an interesting plot and I was keen to see it through to the end!
Originally posted at www.emgoto.com.
