Customer Reviews
Excellent, worth reading the first book to get to this one - By: J. McAllister, 06 Jan 2009 
Great story, highly engaging. I struggled with The Dreaming Void a little as I wasin the wrong mindset - I wanted to see what had become of the Commonwealth characters, not this backward Edeard. It was a slow book until the final chapters...
Not so with this one. Edeard's development & a couple of plot twistsin the Commonwealth make for a real page-turner.
I have been reading mostly Banks, Reynolds & Hamilton sci-fiin the last few years & its easy to become spoiled... It's only when you go back to reading the truly derivative space opera like the Saga of Seven Suns or The Dread Empire trilogy that you realise what masters the aforementioned gentlemen are.
Let's just hope that Mr Hamilton can resist his trademark deus ex machina ending for what is becoming a thrilling trilogy. I wait with baited breath for the next chapter!
Very, very powerful story... - By: Mr. G. Wyness, 05 Jan 2009 This second part of the Void trilogy glides perfectly on from the first. The skill involvedin melding sf with fantasy on this hugely expectant level is very brave, but crikey, it's simply, uniquely, fantastic.
Peter keeps the sex to a young adult levelin this series, which should make it universally appealing for those 'shyer types'...
I am busting my chops waiting for the final instalment of this deeply moving tale.
Grant
Absolutely brilliant - By: Adam Watson, 16 Nov 2008 I just finished reading the Temporal Void last night, & I would implore anyone who has a mind for imaginative sprawling space operas to buy this book. It is a wonderful addition to Hamilton's established Commonwealth series, beginning chronologically with Pandoras Star & Judas Unchained (known collectively as the Commonwealth saga), & the Void trilogy, of which the Temporal Void is number 2.
The plot picks up directly after the end of Dreaming Void, with Justine escaping Centurion Station, immediately after the Void encroachment is triggered by the Second Dreamer's rejection of the Void entity known as a Skylord. Aaron, the ANA agent, is on Hanko with Inigo & his estranged wife Corrie Lyn, trying to escape before the world implodes from an m-sink which was driven into the planet. The threat of the Ocisen fleet is a constant danger, with a few nostalgic twists that I couldn't help but smile at,in particular the Ocisens very formidable ally, unknown as yet to the Navy. If you've read the Commonwealth saga, you will know what I mean. The book basically kicks off with most of the characters trying to escape certain death, (or capture,in Araminta's case).
There is also another vital aspect of the book which I find very engaging. The story of Edeard the Waterwalker is one of the best concepts I've seenin large scale sci fi such as is fitting to Hamilton's writing style. If you were to take out all the segments entitled "Inigo's Dream", from the first 2 books so far, you would have a thoroughly engaging stand alone fantasy novel. But the way it tiesin with the rest of the storyline is a winner, expertly switching from the eventsin our Universe, & that of the Void.
The closing chapters supplied me with many memorable (and emotional) moments. Edeard's plight as he consolidates Makkrathan & drives out the gangs, amounts to a series of wonderfully fashioned events which I found immensely gripping, paying homage to Hamiliton's development of his characters within the Void.
Allin all, I would thoroughly recommend this book, whether you've read Hamilton's books or not (though is you haven't you're going to be very confused). I will let something slip though, which I cannot contain, but it sets up the final installment nicely. If you don't want to know finish reading here. To be honest it was inevitable, but if you're wondering where the hell Ozzie's been all this time, you're guaranteed to pay him a visitin the 3rd book.
Congratulations Peter Hamilton. I cannot wait until the final book.
Adam
Glorious Convolution - By: J. Flaton, 12 Nov 2008 While I agree with one reviewer about the usefulness of a summary of Part I, I also think that you just have to sink yourself into Hamilton's marvellous universe (or universa?) to fully appreciate the wild & convoluted rollercoaster you're about to undergo.
Plus that I think Hamilton is one of the very few to have created a consistent universe, including delightfully contradictions. I'm wondering why othersin this region (Iain Banks, Terry Pratchett, Alastair Reynolds, to mention just a few) are all British writers. Mmm... something to do with Empire-building... ;-)
In the meantime, enjoy Hamilton. And now we have to wait about 1 1/2 year for the conclusion...
Magic Realism - By: Parsifal, 10 Nov 2008 Just superb fiction, up Hamilton's best standard. I just wonder however if some of the other reviewers have got it right describing Edeard's adventuresin Makkathran as fantasy. I found that part of the work best savoured rather than rushed as it reminded me of the Magic Realism style (Gabriel Garcia Marquez et al. ) which I think would elevate the work to literary fiction rather than Science Fiction.
