The explosive beginning of Hamiltons epic space opera trilogy.

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Product Description

In AD 2600 the human race is finally beginning to realize its full potential. Hundreds of colonized planets scattered across the galaxy host a multitude of prosperous and wildly diverse cultures. Genetic engineering has pushed evolution far beyond nature’s boundaries, defeating disease and producing extraordinary spaceborn creatures. Huge fleets of sentient trader starships thrive on the wealth created by the industrialization of entire star systems. And throughout inhabited space the Confederation Navy keeps the peace. A true golden age is within our grasp.

But now something has gone catastrophically wrong. On a primitive colony planet a renegade criminal’s chance encounter with an utterly alien entity unleashes the most primal of all our fears. An extinct race which inhabited the galaxy aeons ago called it “The Reality Dysfunction”. It is the nightmare which has prowled beside us since the beginning of history.

‘Absolute vintage science-fiction. Hamilton puts British sci-fi back into interstellar overdrive’ The Times

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6032 in Books
• Published on: 1996
• Format: Unabridged
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 588 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
The term "space opera" has evolved over the decades. Originally it meant "hacky, grinding, stinking, outworn, spaceship yarn" (Wilson Tucker), but since then it has come to be (slightly) less pejorative, encompassing any sci-fi action story on an interplanetary or interstellar scale. The Reality Dysfunction rests firmly in the space- opera camp with its intense starship combat, roguish space captains and raw frontier planets, but Peter Hamilton keeps the formula fresh and up-to-date with an infusion of "modern" science fiction technology. His universe is digitally and nanotechnologically savvy, which opens up plenty of possibilities for new perils and plot twists.

It is the late 26th century and humanity's thriving culture spans 200 planets. The usual squabbles and disagreements continue, but generally everyone gets along and lives well as humanity's outward expansion continues apace. On newly colonized Lalonde, though, a strange force emerges from the jungle, lobotomizing people and turning them into super-powered soldiers. At the same time, the story of Joshua Calvert emerges. He's the young captain of a trading ship, who innocently travels to Lalonde and becomes embroiled in the mysteries there. Both threads have plenty of action and exotic scenery. Peter Hamilton's descriptive prose, particularly in action sequences, is breathtaking (and scientifically accurate), creating a dramatic backdrop for a story where the stakes keep getting higher, the villains keep growing more evil and the heroes keep surviving--but only just. Space-opera fans will enjoy this deftly written and engaging novel. Those who feel they don't like the genre might give this example a try to see just how unhacky, ungrinding, sweet-smelling, and robust it can be. --Brooks Peck

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 Pandora's Star.

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Customer Reviews

4/5
...So anyhow, 4/5. This is thrilling stuff, once you manage to get into it, which will take a while. The central horrific concept (which unlike some reviewers I won't spoil just now) is fantastically daring, the Adamist/Edenist conflict well thought out and realised, and the characters, while not perhaps as complex as those of Banks etc, are more than believable and suitably alluring/terrifying/comic even. The one complaint I feel is fairly valid is the ending- while the book as a nice conclusion for certain elements of the plot, it does feel (as does LOTR) more like the first part of a book rather than a distinct part of a trilogy. So, once I've finished the whole trilogy, I've no doubt that Night's Dawn as a whole will be worth 5, but I feel 4/5 for the first third of a book is still pretty special.

And for the prudes complaining about the (for me, both realistic and imaginative) sex scenes, don't be such an Adamist.

Superb sci-fi at its very best!
Peter. F. Hamilton's 'The Reality Dysfunction' is quiet simply, a work of art. The characters, settings, and plain simple detail is incredible.
Set in 2610, The Reality Dysfunction begins the emence tail that makes up 'The Night's Dawn Trilogy'. The Confererate Navy is the ruling human corperation, interested in explansion, exploration, and colonisation. The book begins with a battle, and the introduction of the Voidhawks and Blackhawks, huge, massive living ships which are symbiotically linked to their captains, and Habitats, living space stations which are germinated in the orbits of certain planets. Religion is divided between the Adamists and the Edenists, each having their own ideas of certain subjects.
Enter Joshua Calvert, the son of a once famous space explorer, investigating an asteriod belt and discovering the remains of the Lycil, and ancient race that explored the universe; leading to Joshua's emence fame.
Meanwhile, Quinn Dexter arrives on Lalonde, a tropical planet on which the colonsiation has only just begun. Quinn is an Ivet, (a prisoner used to carry out heavy duty work for the colonists), he belongs to a religious group called the Light Bringer Sect, until one of the leaders called Banton led to Quinn's arrest and sentecing. As more colonists arrive, the Ivets continue their wokr, until one night, something is released which infects the Ivets; The Reality Dysfunction. Possessing them with the spirits of the dead, it turns them into near unkillable super soldiers who begin to spread across Lalonde.
Meanwhile, Confederate scintists continue to work on Lycil artifacts while Joshua and the crew of the 'Lady Macbeth' undergo several missions which will eventually lead them to Lalonde, and the massive war which has begun there; a war between the living and the dead.
A superb piece of writing, a masterpiece. And it's only the first part of a trilogy! This is one book, which despite its' length, I will read again and again, together with its sequels,
'The Neutronium Alchemist' and 'The Naked God'.

Uniquely scary SF, will become a classic
I've read lots of SF and this has carved it's own niche. It'sreally a cross between SF and horror, with the precision and detail of Dan Simmons, Iain M Banks and Asimov. The technology is believable (eventually - read the time lines at the end first), the scope is immense, the threat is utterly horrific... The characters are mostly unlovable but Hamilton does give a reasonable characterisation of the important ones.

Once you get into the style it's well written but you need to handle a lot of detail and threads. Perhaps it's too complex but that's the way all our existence is going. The sheer scale of this novel and its horror mark it out as the start of a new genre.