Rating: 
Summary: I DON'T THINK IT IS A SEQUEL!
Review: I really don't think that The Neutronium Alechemist is a sequel to the Reality Dsyfunction series. It seems to be more of a continuation of it. I'm sure that he(the author) didn't write the Reality Dsyfunction and purposely leave that many holes in the plot and not write more books on that same story line. I liked the Reality Dysfunction and will most likely like this series. GOOD BOOK!
Rating: 
Summary: Dickens Lives!
Review: I think Hamilton has some great ideas, but in trying to tell twenty stories he's lost the ability to tell even one properly. I found myself skipping whole paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter because I didn't care to get bogged down in the ecology of another fantasy star system or the details of another invented technology.If the "big deal" is the how and why of souls returning from the dead, then why are crucial details shunted into side conversations that have little other meaning? If that's not the big deal, what is? Joshua Calvert's next conquest? The wonder weapon to finally seal the breach opened to the Beyond by the Li-Cylph (remember them)? All the enthusiasm I had generated during reading Reality Dysfunctions has petered out, finally squelched when I found out the sequel to this book isn't the end of the saga. I think he had enough ideas for 2 or 3 books, not 5.
Rating:
Summary: Hamilton & Developing Ideologies
Review: I'm impressed with the Hamilton novels; for one thing it's fairly brave to base the Greg Mandel series in the Fens! But the most fascinating thing for me in the Night's Dawn books is the development of different ideologies and ethics as a result of his expanding storylines and the parallel expansion of this fictional universe. I don't think I have come across many sci-fi authors who actually tackled the spiritual or ethical side of things - normally characters live, die, are remembered, but he delves into issues which are only now coming to the fore of popular debate - gene-tailoring, bio-technologies and cryogenics. From this he develops some great "faiths" - the Edenists and Adamists; fusions of existentialism, telepathy and respect for other sentient life, as well as synergistic groups developed from the older religious orders. And what a wonderful concept the the Laymil's home planet is. I really think Hamilton is not only providing us with a brilliant concept, but gives us an interesting insight into different non/believers' attitude to apocalypse. The threat here isn't annihilation of home, family, the standard social constructs, allowing a storyline with goodies, baddies and a happy ending; rather it's the utter annihilation of every belief, every standard, every value, and the fabric of the universe which is at threat. How do you beat that? Absolutely great!
Rating:
Summary: A study in irrelevance
Review: It has often been said that the second book in a trilogy establishes nothing and goes nowhere. This is truly the case with this 1200 page indulgent study of irrelevance. Despite the innane sex and pre-pubescent heroes rife in this series, I enjoyed the 'Reality Dysfunction' enough to suffer this second instalment to the series. Tragically Hamilton's creative insticts seem to have left him in this turgid and irritatingly repetitve novel. The plot is broken into a number of tenuously related stories; Dr Mzu tracking down her planet buster with intelligence agents and our juvenile 20 year old hero, Joshua, in hot pursuit; Quinn zipping off to earth to wreak his vengeance; the Confederation attempting to deal with AL Capone and various enclaves of the possessed; and other more or less significant side stories. In each of them, the one dimensional unoriginal central figures move from one act of stupidity to another. The pursuit of Dr Mzu is tragic. She eacapes the clutches of her pursuers only to run foul of them again and again. They reminded me of a Japanese TV drama where the two predestined lovers are brought tantalisingly close to some kind of resolution or closure only to have it ripped from them by some mindless act of stupidity and misunderstanding. Other strands of the narrative follow a similar pattern. There is so much procrastination! Probably what I found most ceaslessly irritating was the cast of morons brought together by Hamilton to save the universe. Joshua epitomizes the shallow teen dork we have all come to know and hate from somewhere in our lives. He experiences a bit of late 'teen angst' after his dead mate tells him not to treat his girls so poorly. Wow. It is wonderfully pathetic. But he is not the only stupid one. With the galaxy on the brink of Chaos and humanity's resources stretched to the limit, one wouold think anything that could be done would be done. But no! One of the demon-evil possessed is in scientific 'torture-like' surveillance. She demands to see a lawyer and naturally is 'released' into a courtroom to chat about whether this kind of treatment is really kind of below the belt, or unsportsmanlike, as it were. Predictably, she explodes and kills people for a few minutes before being subdued again. Tragically for humanity, this allows important intelligence to be passed on to the dead and Al Capone to save his entire fleet of possessed starships. Doh! Al Capone, the silly tart banging him, and the and whole '101 most loved' undead people thing only adds to maelstrom of irritation unleashed in this book. As others before me have said, this is pulp. And like them I found myself flicking through the storylines I could no longer endure. I have never felt so enervated after a book in all my life. But what's the use? Some people seem to have enjoyed it. But then again some people ike Nascar and Daytime TV soaps... If you have read the first book in the series you will probably read this. After that, do yourself a favour and read Jack Vance 'Demon Princes' series. Now that is writing!
Rating:
Summary: Great, but only if you were captivated by the first book
Review: It is a very good book. I read both of the book as one, The Reality Dysfunvtion was one book and the Neutronium Scientist also as one. The end to this book is a real cliffhanger, I won't go into details but it is real good.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent - shame to split it...
Review: It's a shame to split the story into two volumes - it was published as one volume in the UK which although a heavy read at over a 1000 pages it realy builds nicely as the threat escalates from the previous book. I had a few reservations about the powers of the possesed and how they developed, but threads which seemed to be discarded off hand in book one are brought nicely to the fore in Neutronium Alchemist... It's nice to find out exactly what that is too... whoops sorry - but the next volume is worth it...
Rating:
Summary: Haven't been to work in DAYS!
Review: It's that good folks. More plot lines than you can shake a stick at, and the cast just keeps growing. Humanity starts to turn the tide, but the uncertainty keeps you on the edge of your seat. Even a non SF reader could get into this series, it's a great novel, that just happens to be staged across half a dozen planets far in the future.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable swashbuckling adventure with horror overtones
Review: Lots of characters and lots of plotlines. Fun reading, but sometimes too much distance between connecting a single plot thread. Some good inventions, mysteries and races. Should be readable by a non-SF reader as well. My biggest complaint is it could stand some compressing.
Rating: 
Summary: The Beginning of the Middle Section
Review: Not really a separate novel, this is the start of the middle section of "The Night's Dawn," which started with "The Reality Dysfunction" and will conclude with "The Naked God." Again, a pretty good read, but it drags in spots. All in all, it was good enough to keep me reading.
Rating:
Summary: The Tour-de-force continues...
Review: OK, lets get some things straight. If you didn't like the first book then there's no real point in you reading this one. Because it's more of the same. If, like me though, you thought the first book was superb and you're gagging for more then this is an essential purchase. This second instalement of the NIGHT'S DAWN trillogy is stunning. Hamilton weaves an excellent plot. Strands which were in the background in THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION are brought to the fore in this, and to some extent vice-versa. Consistent though is the same blend of amazing, visonary technology mixed with great, emotive characters breath-taking action and an intriguing plot. It's hard in places to keep track of the wealth of diverse characters in the book, which is why the list of characters and timeline at the back of the book prove paticularly usefull from time to time. That, really, is my only gripe. Some peole have complained about the 'posession' side to the story. Well if you don't like it then there's no point continuing on to what will no doubt be a climactic final installment. Personally I think Hamillton has a great take on what at first seems to be a cliched idea. Instead of a means-to-an-end, the full extent - ie. social and religious consequences and power of this 'reality dysfunction' are explored in great depth. Individual and brilliantly concieved societies of humanity battle against a different form of darkness. The scope remains breathtaking. From the personal strife of individuals on the smallest personal level, to the enginnering of entire planetry systems. Sentient organic constructs in space forty miles long are mind-bonded with individual human beings. Edenist ship captains, are literally *one* with thier ships. Planetry destruction plays against smatterings of romance... There is *so* much in the exotic, epic universe that has been created here. In closing, this is a dangerous book. Dangerous because, well, I don't know how I am going to bridge the gap between finishing this book and October 1999 w! hich aparantly is when NIGHT'S DAWN PART III - 'THE NAKED GOD' will be published. This second part was sheer brilliance, instead of what could have so easily have been a real let-down after 'THE REALITY DYSFUNCTION'. What can I compare it to? Ah, BABYLON 5 at it's best - epic space battles, multiple plot stands, great three-dimensional characters... Blend in even more exotic technology and you get on a par with this book. In a word... AWESOME.
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