The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton

The Reality Dysfunction (The Night's Dawn trilogy, #1) (Night's Dawn Trilogy (Subterranean Press), #1)

by Peter F. Hamilton

The Reality Dysfunction is a modern classic of science fiction, an extraordinary feat of storytelling on a truly epic scale.
Space is not the only void. . .

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.

Reviewed by empressbrooke on

4 of 5 stars

Share
The word "epic" was created for books like this. Clocking in at 1100 pages, this is only part 1 of a trilogy that consists of two more similarly sized volumes. I thought at first that the author might just need a really good editor, especially since the first half dozen chapters kept introducing entirely new settings and characters. It was difficult to get into because it didn't seem to focus on any one plot and it was hard to remember who was who. However, all the different threads slowly began to weave together and my patience was rewarded. Despite the massive page count, it never seemed wordy and it certainly never dragged. It may have helped that I flipped back and forth between this and other books instead of trying to devour this in one go, but I never got tired of the story and am eager to start volume #2.

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 26 June, 2011: Finished reading
  • 26 June, 2011: Reviewed