Product Description

Dr Edward Kitchener, a brilliant researcher into quantum cosmology for the Event Horizon conglomerate . . . but no good to anybody now, lying dead with his lungs spread out on either side of his open chest.

The security system at Launde Abbey was premier-grade, yet a mercenary could still have got through, and plenty of people anxious to stop Kitchener’s work would pay the killer’s fee. But why would a professional waste time in ritually slaughtering the target?

Event Horizon needs to know fast, so Greg Mandel, psi-boosted ex-private eye, is enticed out of retirement to launch himself on a convoluted trail involving confrontation with a past which – according to Kitchener’s theories – might never have happened.

‘I cannot recommend this too highly’ IAN McDONALD

‘Peter Hamilton manages a very neat trick, combining deft scientific and social speculation with the page-turning appeal of the best thrillers’ TAD WILLIAMS

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37413 in Books
• Published on: 2006-05-05
• Format: Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 9999 pages

About the Author

Peter F. Hamilton was born in Rutland in 1960, and still lives near Rutland Water. His previous novels are the Greg Mandel series and the bestselling 'Night’s Dawn' trilogy: The Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist and The Naked God. Also published by Macmillan (and Pan) is A Second Chance at Eden, a novella and six short stories, and The Confederation Handbook, a vital guide to the ‘Night’s Dawn' trilogy. His most recent novels were Fallen Dragon, Misspent Youth and the Commonwealth Saga novels, Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained, the latter to be published in hardcover in October 2005.

Customer Reviews

Excellent
Set in the same universe as "MINDSTAR RISING", this is a sort of cyber /detective novel hybrid. An emminent professor has been brutally slaughtered, the main suspect is one of his brilliant students. Greg Mandell Psi enhanced ex soldier, now a private detective is bought out of self imposed retirement to investigate. I enjoyed this book, though unfortunately you can work out whodunnit halfway through. Not as good as his first but still a worthwhile and sometimes exciting read.

More of Greg's Jedi Mind Tricks
Following on from 'Mindstar Rising', Greg Mandel is once more persuaded to leave his farm and use his special interrogatory talents and techniques. Dr Edward Kitchener has been found in his home, ritually slaughtered with the MO of a serial killer. The house was thoroughly secure, however, and the killer in question locked up in a secure facility at the time of the murder. The only possible suspects were Kitchener's six students. Greg, via his empathic gland, has already determined they are all innocent.
One has to applaud Hamilton for not only creating a page-turning sequel to Mindstar Rising, but also for placing it in such a realistic setting with a detailed back story.
Hamilton's Britain is about thirty years ahead of when he wrote this. The ice-caps have melted, the sea level has risen, Britain has shrunk to a shadow of its former self and is recovering from several years of dictatorial rule by the People's Socialist Party and their thuggish black-shirted People's Constables.
In fact, the novel begins with Greg having to rescue a neighbour in his village from a lynch mob who believe him to be ex-PSP, which sets the tone very well for the background of the story.
Hamilton still seems to be finding his feet plotwise, since it's not that difficult to guess how Kitchener was murdered, although the why of it thankfully remains a mystery to the end. As a kind of light relief counter-tale to the main plot Julia Evans plots to bring down a media commentator who seems to revel in criticising Julia's choice of outfits for public appearances.
What is exceptional about this book, and in a sense heralds Hamilton's later work and his multi-character epics, is the characterisation. He certainly seems to have a gift for bringing personality and individuality to even the smallest characters.
Once again, perhaps the only failing in the novel is that Greg Mandel is just too damned happy. He has his own farm, a gorgeous wife, the friendship and patronage of the richest woman in Europe and everyone likes him, apart from those who are a tad nervous of his spooky Jedi mindtricks.
A little traditional gumshoe loneliness and angst might have made Mandel's character more convincing and enhanced the sexual tension between Julia and himself, but it's a small quibble. The book is a solid and enjoyable piece of work.

A Quantum murder
ah the book that introduced me to Mr hamilton what a writer utterly superb the Greg mandel books are set in the rutland area and also peterborough

its set in the none to distant future and global warming has caused sea levels to rise so that peterborough is now on the coast and most of lincolnsire is shallow water
oakham (like many places)is full of the refugees from that time and greg lives in a former timeshare complex (where incidently i used to work)
greg was part of a military experiment called mindstar and has a gland in his head which gives him (as he describes it) a foresite equal to everybody elses hindsite

a murder has occured very secure Launde Abbey it would take a highly skilled mercenary to get in yet the body was laid out ritualy the facts dont add up enter of course greg

brilliant book i read book 2 then 1 then 3 (there is no book 2 marking on mine)
in order would be better
but just be sure to read book 3 last

book 1 Mindstar Rising
book 2 A Quantum Murder
book 3 Nano Flower
and if u like these Nights dawn triligy will blow your socks off :)