Scan barcode
A review by wyrmbergmalcolm
A Second Chance at Eden by Peter F. Hamilton
3.0
Being unfamiliar of the world of the Night's Dawn trilogy has not left me feeling like I'm missing out at all. These stories are pretty good in their own right, without the back story to go with them. With most of the stories not being too lengthy, this collection was easy to read. Even the novella-sized story was intriguing enough to be worth it.
It wouldn't be fair to review a short story book without looking at the stories themselves so here goes:
Edit: I've since read the Night's Dawn trilogy and have reread this book. I've added further thoughts as to how the stories tie into the main trilogy.
Story Name: Sonnie's Edge
What is it about?: Robot Wars meets cock fighting. Affinity controlled creatures are made to fight. We learn why Sonnie is practically unbeatable.
Thoughts: A strong start to a story collection. Being new to this universe, I didn't feel left out having not read the books (yet) and at the same time got a good introductory understanding of affinity and humanity.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: This is largely a stand-alone story that's set in a London archology as it's being built. It focuses mainly on the use of affinity.
Score: Buy the book for this story
Story Name: A Second Chance At Eden
What is it about?: In an enclosed habitat orbiting Jupiter, a woman is murdered. It's left to a newly arrived detective to solve the case.
Thoughts: This is more of a novella than a short story. Based during the early days of Eden, home to the Edenists, this is a pretty decent detective story in its own right. It also explores the ethics of affinity as well as the differing religious views towards it.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Not only is this a great detective story, it also features Wing-Tsit Chong, the creator of affinity as well as chronicles when humanity split into Edenists and Adamists.
Score: Buy the book for this story
Story Name: New Days Old Times
What is it about?: On a planet in a different system, in an orchard of genetically engineered apple trees, humans are still humans.
Thoughts: It was nice having a much shorter story after the last one. This story shows a pretty depressing viewpoint that no matter how far humanity goes, if people can be prejudiced to others, they will do so. This exact story could have been told at any time of our history and barely a word needs to be changed.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Very little ties this to the main series, affinity exists, that's about it.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Candy Bud
What is it about?: A ruthless tycoon spots a rival entrepreneur and attempts to gain the new technology.
Thoughts: This one left me quite conflicted. I certainly enjoyed the premise of this unscrupulous guy taking in these young kids in order to steal their technology and exploit them. Having it interspersed with short 'dreams' giving examples of what this candy buds can do, also worked well. However, I found the ending both very abrupt and a little unclear as to what just happened. I was beginning to suspect the kids were hustling the guy but then I began doubting most of what happened as having happened.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Affinity again, but the Candy Buds themselves are a one-off.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Death Day
What is it about?: A man hunts a native creature but there's more to it than he first thought.
Thoughts: Not much can be said about this one without giving too much away. It is a story that goes in a different direction than expected. Certainly an interesting premise.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Not much, this could have been a stand-alone story and nothing need be changed.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: The Lives And Loves Of Tiarella Rosa
What is it about?: A man looking to disappear finds work on a remote archipelago, a place he was destined to go to, but not for the reason he thought.
Thoughts: The lead character, Easson, is a bit of an arse which made him a little difficult to relate to or like very much. However, the story flowed pretty well and had an interesting twist. I'd guessed a bit of it, but was a little out. I enjoyed the "base under siege" segment but was a little disappointed that there were no further attempts. The final scene can leave you thinking.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Takes place on the same planet as Candy Buds, some years later. Zero Tau pods are used, affinity again as well as anti-matter.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Escape Route
What is it about?: A ship's captain and his crew are hired to pick up some easily acquired precious metals from an area in space, only they find something else.
Thoughts: The story started off quite dry and I feared this would be a bit of a slog. However, once the crew reached their destination the story takes on a compelling 'The Sphere' quality and made of a top read.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Marcus Calvert and the Lady McBeth, only Joshua's Dad and ship. Also hints of Joshua's half-brother Liol. The Omuta-Garrisa war has also recently happened.
Score: Buy the book for this story
It wouldn't be fair to review a short story book without looking at the stories themselves so here goes:
Edit: I've since read the Night's Dawn trilogy and have reread this book. I've added further thoughts as to how the stories tie into the main trilogy.
Story Name: Sonnie's Edge
What is it about?: Robot Wars meets cock fighting. Affinity controlled creatures are made to fight. We learn why Sonnie is practically unbeatable.
Thoughts: A strong start to a story collection. Being new to this universe, I didn't feel left out having not read the books (yet) and at the same time got a good introductory understanding of affinity and humanity.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: This is largely a stand-alone story that's set in a London archology as it's being built. It focuses mainly on the use of affinity.
Score: Buy the book for this story
Story Name: A Second Chance At Eden
What is it about?: In an enclosed habitat orbiting Jupiter, a woman is murdered. It's left to a newly arrived detective to solve the case.
Thoughts: This is more of a novella than a short story. Based during the early days of Eden, home to the Edenists, this is a pretty decent detective story in its own right. It also explores the ethics of affinity as well as the differing religious views towards it.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Not only is this a great detective story, it also features Wing-Tsit Chong, the creator of affinity as well as chronicles when humanity split into Edenists and Adamists.
Score: Buy the book for this story
Story Name: New Days Old Times
What is it about?: On a planet in a different system, in an orchard of genetically engineered apple trees, humans are still humans.
Thoughts: It was nice having a much shorter story after the last one. This story shows a pretty depressing viewpoint that no matter how far humanity goes, if people can be prejudiced to others, they will do so. This exact story could have been told at any time of our history and barely a word needs to be changed.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Very little ties this to the main series, affinity exists, that's about it.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Candy Bud
What is it about?: A ruthless tycoon spots a rival entrepreneur and attempts to gain the new technology.
Thoughts: This one left me quite conflicted. I certainly enjoyed the premise of this unscrupulous guy taking in these young kids in order to steal their technology and exploit them. Having it interspersed with short 'dreams' giving examples of what this candy buds can do, also worked well. However, I found the ending both very abrupt and a little unclear as to what just happened. I was beginning to suspect the kids were hustling the guy but then I began doubting most of what happened as having happened.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Affinity again, but the Candy Buds themselves are a one-off.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Death Day
What is it about?: A man hunts a native creature but there's more to it than he first thought.
Thoughts: Not much can be said about this one without giving too much away. It is a story that goes in a different direction than expected. Certainly an interesting premise.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Not much, this could have been a stand-alone story and nothing need be changed.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: The Lives And Loves Of Tiarella Rosa
What is it about?: A man looking to disappear finds work on a remote archipelago, a place he was destined to go to, but not for the reason he thought.
Thoughts: The lead character, Easson, is a bit of an arse which made him a little difficult to relate to or like very much. However, the story flowed pretty well and had an interesting twist. I'd guessed a bit of it, but was a little out. I enjoyed the "base under siege" segment but was a little disappointed that there were no further attempts. The final scene can leave you thinking.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Takes place on the same planet as Candy Buds, some years later. Zero Tau pods are used, affinity again as well as anti-matter.
Score: Worth reading
Story Name: Escape Route
What is it about?: A ship's captain and his crew are hired to pick up some easily acquired precious metals from an area in space, only they find something else.
Thoughts: The story started off quite dry and I feared this would be a bit of a slog. However, once the crew reached their destination the story takes on a compelling 'The Sphere' quality and made of a top read.
Edit: Relevance to Night's Dawn: Marcus Calvert and the Lady McBeth, only Joshua's Dad and ship. Also hints of Joshua's half-brother Liol. The Omuta-Garrisa war has also recently happened.
Score: Buy the book for this story