Review of 'The Reality Dysfunction'

The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton
1st book in the 'Night's Dawn Trilogy' series

The staggering first novel in the Night's Dawn Trilogy sees the release of an untold terror on the universe. Lalonde is a small planet in the process of being colonised by the Confenderation. It is here that the horror is released. A 'virus' is released causing people to become 'possessed'. The seemingly limitless violence performed by the possessed is certainly not to be trivialized but it is the fact that ANYONE can become 'infected' to become one of the possessed is the truer horror. In another storyline, Joshua is the owner of the ship Lady Macbeth, lovingly refitted after for haulage (of legal and not quite-so-legal cargo) though he is unaware that his ship will be pressed into service in an attempt to defeat the threat. He has no idea of what will face him and his crew…The story is intricate with Hamilton creating a completely believable universe – a universe with sentient ships, living space habitats and super-advanced technology. Do not be put off by the thickness of the novel – it is suprisingly easy to read having only a few story-lines and not getting bogged down in a great deal of detail. Highly recommended read.

Rating: “Nearly perfect, but not quite”

Review Date: 2005-08-30


Genre: Science Fiction

Publisher: Pan

Publication Date: 1996


Other reviewed books in the 'Night's Dawn Trilogy' series:

Other reviewed books by Peter F. Hamilton: