Customer Reviews

Hidden Empire (Saga of Seven Suns 1)

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(23)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

I didn't really start to enjoy this book until I was about halfway through. Anderson starts off by introducing you to ALL the characters immediately, and there's a good number of them. I think this is mainly because he's trying to set up a whole elaborate universe, and wants to set down all the rules and history immediately, rather than exposing you to them as it becomes necessary. So it's a bit confusing at first. He does start bringing their plot lines together around the midpoint, and as I mentioned, that made it more interesting and coherent. However, I never really identified or personally cared for any of the characters. Anderson never sold me on any of them.
Also, it should be noted that this is indeed the first book of a series, and it can NOT stand on it's own. He leaves you with cliffhangers, so expect to read the sequel(s?) also.

I love Space Opera. It is my favorite genre within Science Fiction. Peter Hamilton, David Brin, David Weber and Iain Banks are my favorite Space Opera masters. I love a big story, so I went ahead and read this whole series. But as I got closer and closer to the end of the final book the horrifically bad plotting just got worse and worse and I actually started to lose respect for myself as an intelligent reader. I will give you three examples of Anderson's ridiculousness and let you decide for yourself.

A fundamental constraint of Space Opera stories is the question of interstellar travel: how is it accomplished? how long does it take? The answers to these questions are critical to the issues of trade and warfare within the fictional universe. Anderson does not answer the question - sometimes traveling from star to star seems to take effectively zero time, other times travel time seems extended and slow. He writes about an interstellar drive and in-system drives without indicating when or how they are used. Sometimes ships seem to appear immediately above their destination planet without any need to travel through the system on a slower drive, other times it takes two hours to travel from Earth to the Moon. Multiple fleets, using different technologies, leaving from far flung destinations, all arrive more or less simultaneously for multi-sided battles on many different occasions. Space flight happens however Anderson needs it to happen for any given scene.

Anderson also has failed to grasp the basic concept of space being vast and empty. There are at least four separate times in the series where one group of ships just happens to blunder into another group of ships in the middle of interstellar space - without even the poor excuse of traveling between the same two points!

Finally, an interstellar empire of 100 planets or more is governed entirely despotically by just one man, the Chairman of the Hansa, Basil Wenceslas. There are no factions, there are no congresses or parliaments, he has one assistant and that is the entirety of the governmental system. Wenceslas's word is law and no one ever resists or disagrees with him. There is absolutely no representational government whatsoever.

I was flabergasted by the ridiculous simplicity of the plot until I discovered that this was a multi-media effort with a series of comic books that goes along with it. Once I realized he was writing for comic books it all made a lot more sense. Anderson writes things that would look cool if you drew them. The rigors of detailed thought that characterize a lot of Science Fiction are just not present. If David Weber's Honor Harrington series sometimes goes too far in detailing the workings of parliamentary government and 'showing the math' behind his warfare model, Anderson's Saga of the Seven Suns brushes all the details aside and simply says "wouldn't this look cool?"

I gave it three stars because I actually read all seven books and was pretty entertained most of the time. I read books very quickly so it wasn't that much of an investment on my part. If you like to be choosy about what you read and only want to invest in the best stuff, this certainly isn't it.

My main problem with this book is in the behaviour and thought processes of the main characters. These are people who are supposed to be highly intelligent leaders of worlds and yet who act and react with child-like simplicity. For instance, while it takes the reader mere paragraphs to realize what our protagonists have done to invoke the wrath of the mysterious race of "hydrogues", it takes the characters, in what can only be termed a truly world-class exhibition of monumental stupidity, many chapters to come to the same realization. In fact, said hydrogues have to explicitly spell it out for them. And this is representative of the whole book. Another example: I love how he has characters repeatedly proclaiming their desire to fight the enemy and, when they do, running for the hills when they realize, YET AGAIN, that they don't stand a chance against this invincible foe. Just silly silliness.

And clearly Anderson has absolutely no understanding of economics and geopolitics. The way that the job of harvesting the most valuable resource in the universe ("ekti") is delegated to others because the powers that be just can't be bothered to do the dirty work is simply inconceivable. If only our oil-based world was like that!

And finally, the pièce de résistance. I read my first book when I was six years old. A science fiction story complete with beautifully drawn full-colour art that I still remember fondly to this day. In fact, this is the book that started my life-long love affair with science fiction. I am now in my mid-fifties and have read many science fiction books over the intervening years, both good and bad. But in reading all those books, I have never had a reaction like the one I experienced while reading a certain passage in this book. It's hard to describe but basically I did the reading equivalent of a "double take". Anderson has these floating factories that harvest hydrogen in the upper levels of gas giant planets. He also has these factories completely open to the environment. Open-air factories in the noxious, poisonous atmosphere of a gas giant! Wow. I actually had to pause for a moment when I read this. And there are more science gaffes in this book; so many in fact that I just cannot fathom how someone so obliviously ignorant of science ever got started down the path of writing science fiction.

Another (smaller) gripe: It seems every page is laced with the phrase "Guiding Star". If I see that stupid phrase one more time...

Suffice it to say that this work is much too simple-minded for its intended adult audience and is probably best suited to act as an introduction to science fiction for children below the age of 13.

By the middle of the twenty-fifth century, humanity has proven its adaptability by accepting that we are not alone and in fact are the third sentient space travelers in our galaxy. The Ildirans have explored space for centuries finding the abandoned ruins of the Klikiss back in the mid twentieth century earth time. The Ildirans have shared science and technology speeding up humanity's journey in the galaxy.

In 2427, xeno-archaeologists Margaret and Louis Colicos know how to use a Klikiss device to convert a gas giant planet into a sun. They choose a hydrogen giant five times the size of Jupiter with numerous moons to create a new solar system for commercial venture. However, the implosion arouses a fourth intelligent race previously unknown to humanity and the Ildirans, the even more advanced Hydrogues, dwellers of the gas giants and now the victims of unintentional genocide making war imminent.

Science fiction fans need to set aside plenty of time as the first book of The Saga of Seven Suns: Hidden Empire is a one sitting reading though well over four hundred pages. The tale grabs the audience from the start as Kevin J. Anderson does not just introduce the several races and the orbs, but blends the players and worlds into the thrilling plot. Thus, the audience does not receive an extended prologue as often seen in first novels. Instead readers obtain a powerful futuristic epic that contains a robust stand-alone story line yet provides a puissant cliffhanger that will keep the audience wanting to continue non-stop with Book Two, Veiled Alliance.

Harriet Klausner

I came. I bought. I read.

I had been looking forward to this series ever since I saw Anderson mention it during an interview that revolved around the Dune trilogies he has been working on with Brian Herbert.

Being a fan of epic fantasy, the idea of a new sci-fi saga really interested me. Now that I have finished the first volume, I am eagerly anticipating the next: A Forest of Stars.

This first volume really sets the stage for what is shaping up to be a large scale, interstellar war between multiple alien races. Anderson put in some of my favorite sci-fi concepts making this series a blend of Star Wars, Dune, Stargate, and Starship Troopers all rolled into one.

Short chapters with a now popular point of view style make it hard to put the book down. It's a fun, smooth read.

It is worth noting that Anderson's gifts as a writer do not seem to venture into the arena of character development. I say this because if you are about to spend time with a series of books whos pages will end up numbering in the several thousand, it might be a little disapointing to realize half way through that no one here if identifiable to the reader. Like many genre writers, Anderson is more concerned with the universe he is creating rather than the daily minutia that tend to be the difference makers between a good and seminol read.

One comparison I would like to make is between Anderson's Seven Sun series and George RR Martin's books. Both of these epics deal with dozens of protagonists and the chapters spin from one to the next in a cliff-hanger like methodology. The primary difference can be seen in how Anderson seems to be focused on moving the plot along, and Martin is content to sit back and gain an understanding of his characters with the reader. I think that Anderson knows where he is going and doesn't want to spend time discovering the small details while Martin has no clue where his books are heading, instead he relys upon the personalities of his characters to inform him on how to proceed.

I heard a lot of good things from other people about this book by Anderson, So you might find it of more interest than I did. But it is nowhere near the masterpiece of Martins that I was equating Hidden Empire to.

There is a good story here. Vast space empire, alien freinds and nemesis's... splinter groups, conspiracies, rebels, schemes and plots...all that you could expect in such an "epic" type of book.

Book is told from a "rulers" viewpoint. You follow the story thru the political rulers, kings, magistrates, etc...perspectives. Which always gives you the larger picture in such stories (hence, "epic").

I liked the book. For this type of story, I thought it was original and interesting.

But...

It was a little too wordy and descripitive. I beleive this story could have been written at less than half it's current size...mebbe a third. If you've read any of Robert Jordans books, especially the latter ones...you'll understand what I'm talking about.

One description of the majistrates appearance would have been enough. One good description of the worldforest and I woulda got it. I don't need constant reminders of who the Roamers are...I got it the first time. Yes, the "Prime designate" is a hunk spreading his bloodline...I didn't forget, honest!

One of the advantages, in the "several storyline" format, is that they can keep re-introducing the people/places/things each time they get back to that particular storyline. You can create a lotta words that way. I guess this can be beneficial to an author. But, damn...it's annoying.

I was also a little annoyed at the flippant attitude this vast empire had on the most important resource in the universe...the "ekti" that fueled their stardrives. I mean, without ekti, the empire virtually collapses. They seemed to care less about who, or where it comes from. What empire takes that sorta attitude over their lifeblood?

Anyway, I still enjoyed the book. There IS a good story in here. It just took me a little longer than I wished to finish it (10 days, cuz I kept falling asleep while reading it.) It sounds weird, but the storyline actually moved along pretty quickly, it's just that the descriptions were somewhat overbearing. It got to that "I think I'll just read what's in quotes" point :)

Good book, but plan to spend some time with it (which can be a good thing)...it's not a 1 sitting novel.

Humanity has reached the stars--not through their own efforts, but largely through the gift of an alien race. The ancient Ildiran Empire has dominated the stars alone for thousands of years. They have willingly shared their technology with the humans, but are now increasingly concerned about the human urge to expand, and the risks that humans are willing to take. When the humans take one risk too many, creating a new star out of a gas giant, both humans and Ildirans must pay the price. The gas giants are inhabited--and don't take kindly to the genocide of their people.

Author Kevin J. Anderson delivers an impressive display of world-building. The divisions of humans into mercantile Hanse, mystic Theroc, and entrepreneurial Roamers, the all-knowing Priest-King of the Ildiran, and the enigmatic robots of long-extinct Klikiss make for a fascinating background. Unfortunately, Anderson's clunky writing, constant repetition, and the illogical actions of many of his characters mar an otherwise interesting story.

The humans have an ultimate weapon at their fingertips--the tool that created a star from a planet that set off the war in the first place, yet neither they, nor the inhabitants of the gas giants seem to recognize the power that this gives them--or the danger that it offers to the gas dwellers. With careful editing, this cuold have been a fine novel. Perhaps Anderson will deliver in the sequel.

This is definitely one of the better books in the Galatic Empire/Space Exploration saga genres. Kevin Anderson has always been a very entertaining and engaging writer, as evidenced in his Star Wars books. Here again, he tells a complex yet believable story, or rather, the beginning of a story, effortlessly and with a well-paced style typical of him. There are more than a few original ideas in this book, and quite a few fully fleshed out characters that really brings the reader into their minds. It's refreshing to finally see someone do a good job of tackling the concept of a vast (mostly human) galactic empire without peppering it with well-worn cliches or ridiculously irrational circumstances or Forest Gump-like brawny protagonists. Here is an author that respects the intelligence of his readers and takes the time to develope the intricate yet plausible storyline. The only major criticism I have for this novel is that it can be confusing for people who are not as adept at switching perspectives multiple times in the same chapter. Anderson could use a little more polish in keeping the pace up without loosing the readers. All in all, this Book 1 leaves you hungering for more of Anderson's excellent story telling.

This is my first review. I've trusted the reviewers on Amazon for a long time for honest reviews on books that I'm interested in. After discovering what a train wreck this book is I decided I needed to add my 2 cents.

The overall story seems very interesting. The author attempts to write each chapter from the point of view of a different character. Depending on the author this can be an interesting approach to a great story as you get the interconnecting plot lines and pieces of the puzzle from different corners of the map, or in this case, the galaxy. Anderson's execution of it just falls flat. The characters are, for the most part, uninteresting and sometimes just feel dumb.

Things happen in this book that just have no rhyme or reason and just plain don't make sense! For instance, there are these alien robots, the Klikiss robots. The creator race, the Klikiss, have disappeared and no one knows why. The robots claim to have no 'memory' of what happened and don't even understand how they work. The human empire seems to say 'ok' to this and allows these alien robots to interact however they want within our society, gaining fundamental knowledge on how the humans operate.

The antagonists, or bad guys, of the story are not subtle or discreet. Their motives and actions are blatant, and they scream at the reader, 'I am the bad guy!' It's difficult to read, it really is. You have the completely inept human military commander that does the wrong thing when it's obviously wrong, ignoring common sense advice. You have the obvious saviors of humanity thrown in your face from the beginning of the first book as the Roamers. The Roamers can do no wrong. Anything the galactic human empire can do, the Roamers, with their limited resources, can do better, make more efficient. And they do it all with an, 'Aww shucks, you know us Roamers, we innovate.'

I was actually angry at the juvenile level of this book. I bought the second one, determined to get through the series to the final outcome. I got about halfway through it. He introduced a new race.....and I just couldn't go on. The science in the books, as previous reviewers have mentioned, is non-existent.

My cousin is a huge fan of Star Wars novels, and was particularly fond of Kevin J. Anderson's Star Wars novels. I gave him book one and he gave it back a week later and said, 'No thanks' with a laugh.

Save your money for something better, unless you want to laugh you way with disbelief through a book.

Thank you.