Hidden Empire (The Saga of the Seven Suns, Book 1)

Rating:
Summary: sometimes fun is just enough
Review: In Hidden Empire, the whole is greater than its parts. There are, without a doubt, many flaws in the book. The chapters are far too short and change perspective far too often, diluting the impact of any particular character or action at the time. I've never been a fan of this "quick-editing" style (Tom Clancy does the same) and felt the same way here. The characters can be a bit shallow, even after spending a few hundred pages with them. The science is sometimes iffy, sometimes wrong, sometimes just safely unexplained. Some of the plot points are a bit implausible, many of the characters are a bit too naive/ignorant/obtuse with regard to important plotpoints, some actions are telegraphed too obviously. The dialogue is mostly serviceable. Some of the ideas we've seen before: the stagnant older race, the brash upstart humans, gas giant dwellers, etc. And he has a strange and at times maddening stylistic tic of repeating information every few chapters as if the book were being serialized in a monthly magazine and the author needed to remind readers of what they had read so long ago.
Despite all these valid criticisms, however, I found the book a fast enjoyable read and look forward to the sequel. I can't say I find myself caring too much yet for any individual character, yet most are likable and interesting enough that I don't mind spending more time with them and I'm hoping the characterizations will deepen in subsequent novels in the series. While the short chapters and shifting points of view are a bit overdone, it does keep the book zipping along and I'm hoping for the same pace but more moderate use of the style later. And while the basic storyline may be a gathering of elements we've seen before (giant colonizing ships from earth, an older benevolent star-faring race helping mankind get a leg up then worrying if humanity is moving too far too fast, a vanished civilization that left behind intriguing ruins, conflict between a mercantile federation and more independent-minded groups, etc.) Anderson manages to tweak them just enough and mesh them in odd enough fashion that the work as a whole seems more pleasingly original than its separate components.
You won't find deep characterization, stellar literary writing, great dialogue, or hard science in Hidden Empire. But you will get a good time. Lots of times that's more than enough. Recommended (with the warning that this is not a stand alone book--it ends in a cliffhanger).

Rating:
Summary: Riveting
Review: Absolutely the best epic I've read since Dune. If you're a space opera or Kevin J. Anderson fan, this one is not to be missed. The well written characters in a thoroughly planned out universe make you feel as if you are really there. Expect to read this book very quickly, as you won't be able to put it down.

Rating:
Summary: Don't bother with the sequel
Review: Easy-to-read (short chapters), but simplistically-drawn story (author is a screenwriter?). Some interesting concepts, but not worth reading the sequel.

Rating:
Summary: Kevin Finally Creates His Own Epic
Review: One of Sci-Fi's most prolific writers over the last ten years or so seems to have finally created his own universe with as much depth as those he's been "playing" in. Kevin's best works until now have been arguably those he's done for Star Wars, Dune and X-files, it really seemed to be his strength, going in and writing good stories in other peoples universes. While his own projects at least in my opinion have been of varying degrees of quality. Well that seems to have finally changed. With all the writing that Kevin has done it seems like he's finally gotten enough practice and some of that depth from the other series he's been writing for has rubbed off. It's like kid who's been tearing it up and down the street with his Bike with training wheels finally discovered he can do it without those training wheels, "hey look ma....". You can definitely see the influence of some of the other universes that Kevin has worked on in this book, but make no mistake this one is all his. The characters in this book are both it's biggest asset and drawback both. They are all fully realized and very believable and compelling, but there are so many that sometimes it's hard to keep track of them all. Which leads me to my one "pet peeve" about this book, every chapter is told from a different characters point of view (usually in totally different parts of the universe) and with there being so many different characters it can sometimes lead to "disjointed feel" that disrupts the flow of the book. I really do enjoy the concept, story and universe Kevin has created here though. I really do applaud Kevin for his ambitiousness with this book (and continuing series) and the fact that he's proving that he's "writer enough" to actually pull it off. The one bit of advice I would give to anyone reading the book for the first time though, don't read the story synopsis on the dust jacket (hard-cover) or back cover (paperback), because it does reveal something in the story that doesn't happen at least until halfway through the book. So I found myself reading and just waiting for "it" to happen sometimes instead of just enjoying the story. For years now Kevin has been that key role-player that every good solid team needs, finally though it seems Kevin has decided to become the leader of his own team and seems more than capable of doing the job. Good job Kevin and keep up the good work!