Latest Instalment

This is the first Peter F Hamilton book that I've read that is just an instalment rather than a novel on it's own right but part of a series.

Exciting and full of the future tech you expect from him. The best stuff happens towards the end, then it tells you have to wait until next time. Grrrr!

Can't wait for the next part though.

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Excellent Story

Really looking forward to the concluding 3rd book. But don’t rush it Peter, hopeing for surprise’s in the plot

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Picking up the pace in a great sequel

Peter F Hamilton writes vast and intricately plotted space operas with a large cast of characters, mostly over many volumes, and while perhaps most known for his Night’s Dawn trilogy, it’s his Commonwealth Universe books that really show the staggering vision he has when telling his stories. The Salvation Sequence continues this trend, the first in the series, Salvation, building up a picture of humanity’s near future in detail, and leading us towards a revelatory conclusion. Salvation Lost is the second novel in the series, essentially picking up the moment where Salvation left us, and it jumps straight in to the action.

Before going any further it’s safe to say that as this is a sequel there will be spoilers for the first book, Salvation...

Salvation closed on a major reveal that will propel the story forward from here: the Olyix are a threat beyond humanity’s wildest fears. Having used their advanced technology to infiltrate all aspects of human society by replacing human brains with one of their own, connecting it to the rest of its quint (a group of five Olyix that are quantum entangle and share all experiences), they know so much more about humanity and its secrets than almost any single human. With Feriton Kayne discovered as one of these Olyix quint, and the subsequent revelation that there is also another alien species, the Neána, present in human society, the Assessment Team find themselves scrambling to discover the truth with an Olyix invasion imminent.

As the Assessment Team return to Earth they are sceptical of Jessika’s revelation about the Olyix, especially with her true nature revealed as a Neána construct sent to help humanity escape. But they start to tentatively plan against such an invasion, confident in only the way humans can be that they will triumph. With city shields and interstellar portals at their disposal, everyone is sure that the Neána threat reports are exaggerated.

Down on the ground we follow the Southwark Legion gang members as they carry out jobs and raids for the mysterious Jade, hoping that she’ll give them the big job she’s been dangling in front of them for months. Little do they know just how bad things are soon going to become.

And we follow Dellian and his colleagues many millennia in the future, having left Juloss behind and continuing the plan the Saints left humanity. With a lure star created at Vayan they lay in wait for the arrival of the Olyix. But they aren’t alone…

Salvation Lost isn’t so much a sequel to Salvation, but merely the second part of a larger story. This is most obvious with the direct continuation of events, picking up straight away and dealing with the fallout from the Olyix revelation. Gone are the flashback sections: Salvation Lost is all about the here and now. And honestly, it’s a stronger novel for it.

The on-the-ground view from Ollie, Tronde, and the rest of the Southwark Legion, and that of Gwendoline and Horatio, really helps to show how events are effecting society on different levels. It’s an interesting viewpoint, and the way that media and instant information plays into this emphasises the fight that humanity has on its hands. It’s also good to see the plans of those left in charge, how they adapt and how they refuse to believe the Neána option is the only way to survive.

Hamilton is deft at creating future societies and populating them beyond the pages of the story, with everything having that lived-in feel and the knowledge that what he includes is done for a reason. Coming in at 460 pages of story (plus additional pages dedicated to characters and timeline), Salvation Lost is almost trim in comparison to Hamilton’s previous works, yet it doesn’t feel any less of a story. If anything, it feels a tighter novel without indulging in more points of view than necessary. And when you add in the backstory and progression from the first book it feels more complete.

This all brings me to perhaps the only negative with Salvation Lost, and a point I mentioned in my review for Salvation: it’s clearly part of a bigger story, a story that may need to be read as one whole to fully appreciate it. That isn’t to say that Salvation Lost isn’t good in its own right – it really is – but more that this is the first series I’ve read from Peter that feels completely connected and dependent on the whole to really deliver.

Ultimately, I thoroughly enjoyed Salvation Lost. It ticks all the boxes, and now that the build-up is out of the way and we’re getting into the true action, it’s a thrilling read that will keep you reading chapter after chapter, eager to find out what happens next. Personally I can’t wait for The Saints of Salvation to bring this all to a close. I bet it’ll be fantastic.

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Loving this series

I was amazed when he read the parts happing in Croydon, some of it was right on my doorstep down Beddington Lane. Great work Mr Hamiltion. Glad John Lee was narrating again to.

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Amazing *****

Amazing story it's definitely up there with Ian Banks, can't wait for the next one

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Really good but feels like a middle book

To start I think Hamilton is the best writer - Pandoras, Commonwealth, Nights dawn, Void - all masterpieces.

But his books end poorly with a deus ex machine.

Again, I love the journey in this book but I am already dreading the ending - please not again!

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Salvation series improving with each instalment.

Well narrated. A big improvement on book one. I am looking forward to book three.

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Decent continuation

This was a pretty good continuation of Salvation, continuing in just about every way that the first book in the series did.

Things came together more as the plot narrows down towards the actions in the 3rd book. I think that the plot arc is good and has more drive to it than the first book but I think that it still lacks some overall drama. There were some points where we were left waiting which is never particularly awesome.

John Lee is just amazing, there isn't anything really to say about that.

If you like Hamilton, you'll probably continue to get along with this as I did.
I'd probably not recommend this as a gateway into reading his books though.

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Love it!

I'm loving this series! I can't wait to continue with the next book. Great performance and excellent story. Highly recommended!

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Would make for Fantastic TV

An excellent follow up to the superb Salvation. The story whips along much faster this with none of the character flashbacks this time. My only mild criticisms are: it’s over too soon! Obviously it lacks some of the mystery of the first book...

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