Customer Reviews

The Nano Flower (Greg Mandel)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The three books in Peter F. Hamilton's Greg Mandel series were written before his "Night's Dawn" series. I'm not certain of this, but they seem to occur in the same universe as that series, just at a MUCH earlier time. Regardless, this series is excellent. What's especially nice, is that, for the most part, each of these books stands alone. You still need to read them in order, but none of them ends in a cliff-hanger requiring your reading of the next. Unfortunately, each of these books has a few fairly explicit sexual situations described in them. The amount of sex increases as you move from book to book. If it weren't for that, I'd recommend these books for everyone.

"Mindstar Rising" is the first book in the series. It's a very good, fast-paced sci-fi action thriller. The book introduces all the important characters and the "universe" used throughout the series. For the most part, the character development is good. I have a few qualms about a character or two suddenly being more capable than they are during the majority of the book, but that's mostly inconsequential. The plot, too, is very good. However, the transition between the first, introductory, situation in the book and the primary situation could have been worked better: it seems contrived. But, I might be seeing that solely because I've read the book four times now.

"A Quantum Murder" is the second book in the series. This book takes place about three years after "Mindstar Rising." Instead of being the science-fiction action thriller that the first book is, it's more of a science fiction mystery. It's a close call, but I think this book is slightly better than "Mindstar Rising." Once again, there's good character development, but this time, the plot is somewhat more tightly put together. I've only got a couple of quibbles: first, in one scene, Mandel's psi powers inexplicably include actual telepathy instead of just the empathy described in "Mindstar Rising." And, second, after the characters find out who the murderer is, instead of sending the police out immediately, they close up shop for the night and say they'll do it in the morning. Other than that, this is an excellent book which shows the origins of a lot of the technology in the "Night's Dawn" series.

"The Nano Flower" is the third, and final, book in the series. The various dates specified in the book don't quite agree, but, in general, it seems to takes place about 16 years after "A Quantum Murder." Like "Mindstar Rising," it's a sci-fi action thriller. Like "A Quantum Murder," it further develops technologies that Hamilton uses in his "Night's Dawn" series. Also, as in "A Quantum Murder," Mandel's psi-powers have once again expanded. Of the three books, this is probably the best. It's a hard comparison to make since the second book is more of a mystery and this book more of an action-thriller. But, in general, I'd say there's an incremental improvement in these books as you move through the series (all of them are very good, though).

This book is a climatic conclusion to Peter Hamilton's cyberpunk trilogy. Crusading Trinities had taken out the last remnants of PSP agents; there were heavy losses on both sides. Now, the New Conservative Government is in power, backed by a new, promising economic growth. Set a couple of decades after 'A Quantam Murder', Julia Evans, now physically the owner of multi-billionaire corporation 'Event Horizon', visits Greg on a personal matter of some urgency. Royan - once a chairbound info-guru - has gone missing. Equally distressed, Greg accepts the challenge. But the trail is besmirched with blood and deceit. Innocent people are being killed, as a ruthless murderer is hot in pursuit. Greg's only chance of finding Royan is a mysterious message: a strange flower. Leol Reiger is great as the gunning villain, while the final conclusion is a beginning of another, more fantastic trilogy... I thoroughly enjoyed this Greg Mandel case, reminiscent of an English 'Bladerunner' in global warming. The setting meant a lot to me, because I once lived in Oakham, near Rutland Water, and have often visited Peterborough (quite dry, though, not yet 'Fens'!) Seeing 'Mindstar Rising' advertised as written by a local author, besides the exciting concept on the backcover, inspired me to purchase the trilogy - and then went on to Night's Dawn! Gripping stuff, intricate, believable characters, and cybernetic technology in a world that might one day exist.

The first Mandel book (Mindstar Rising) was an excellent Cyberpunk novel, the second (A Quantum Murder) was a futuristic whodunnit and this one, set about fifteen years after the others, reaches for the stars: We have (albeit limited) starships and 'there is life out there'.

As in the books before, Hamilton creates a convincing mix of future technology, politics, economics and action. This time he throws in a very different kind of alien presence. I have read Hamilton's short-story collection 'A Second Chance At Eden' and, judging from the alien technology/biology, it's leading from the Mandel Universe into the Night's Dawn Universe (Hamilton's monumental series starting with The Reality Dysfunction).

I'm not going to rehash the storyline, but it's very entertaining, I finished the 600 pages in less than a week and Greg Mandel says 'No Messing' a lot less often than in the other books!

In this third and (so far) final installment of the Greg Mandel series, Hamilton brings the trilogy to a new level. The story is fast-paced, with some of the most intense action scenes I've ever read. As usual, the characters are well drawn and the setting is realistic and detailed. After the disappointing "A Quantum Murder", this is a wonderful way to conclude the series. Recommended if you enjoy fast-paced, near-future SF.

The third in this trilogy, The Nano Flower really delivers. I have enjoyed everything that Peter Hamilton has written. He creates a complete world for the reader to become engrossed with and good characters. I highly recommend this book.

I really enjoyed this novel, which got me through a long stretch of jury duty. Contrary to what is implied, however, in the Booklist review posted above, "The Nano Flower" has nothing to do with the recent movie "Event Horizon." The fact that there's an company called Event Horizon in Hamilton's book is merely a coincidence.

I am new to Peter Hamilton's writing and The Nano Flower is the first of his novels that I have read. I used to be an avid SF reader in the 60s and 70s but found progressively fewer new writers appealed to me. I guess that I make a rather demanding audience but, I am happy to report, Peter Hamilton may well make the grade with me.

Other reviewers make a number of valid points about the book and I don't intend to repeat them save to say that I agree it is let down by a rather limp ending. Hamilton doesn't always play to his strengths or, indeed, recognise a strong character when he creates one. Although I am new to the series I can already see that Hamilton's chief protagonists are often his most wooden creations - I found Greg Mandel and Julia Evans unsatisfying as characters. Perhaps I have done Mr Hamilton a disservice and they were better developed in early books.

On the other hand there are a number of characters who fleetingly come to life - even though they are later discarded by the author. Baronsky is sufficiently fleshed out to be intriguing and, until her liberation from the airship, Charlotte Fielder is also very promising.

The real pleasure of the book is the imaginative development of technology and predictions of future business and political structures. Hamilton has a good mix of familiar global names diversifying into new, but convincing, business lines and minor brands of today emerging as global players. There are also a number of sly and knowing political and regional developments that will amuse British readers but may go unnoticed by others.

All in all I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading other by the author.

In this book, the last in the trilogy, we find Greg Mandell retired from being a private detective for a number of years; but being called back to 'duty' by Julia Evans, to find her missing husband. I could sympathise with Greg, and his feeling that he was getting too old for this type of work, especially when things starts getting quite physical.

Greg's psychic talent doesn't play quite as much part in this book, and I think we get to see a bit more of his human side (that doesn't sound right, but you know what I mean).

There are a lot of strands to the story, which are brought together well - a good testing ground for the methods he used in writing 'The Reality Dysfunction'.

I have to say that, while I really enjoyed the book, I found the ending to be almost unfinished; as if, once he had all the strands in one hand, neatly coming together after encirling the package - and most of them tied off - he didn't quite know how to finish the knot, and ended up with a slightly ungainly 'granny' knot.

I'd be interested to know if this was caused by space constraints; or had he something else in mind, that didn't work out the way he wanted.

The Nano Flower (1995) is the third SF novel in the Greg Mandel series, following A Quantum Murder. The initial work in this series is Mindstar Rising.

In the previous volume, Eleanor and Greg watched Nicholas murder Kitchener in a vision. Then Greg is enticed to review the killing. He and Teddy infiltrated into Walton to find a former detective. He told them about the drowning of a student at Launde Abbey a decade before.

In this novel, Greg Mandel is a former Captain in the Mindstar Brigade. He has a bionode that allows him to tell whether a person is lying and enhances his intuition. He had been a private detective, but now he is retired and married to Eleanor.

Eleanor Broady is married to Greg. They are now living on a farm across the water from his former chalet. They have four children and expecting another.

Philip Evans was Chairman of Event Horizon and the grandfather of Julia. Now his persona resides within a neural network.

Julia Evans is now in her thirties and owner of Event Horizon. She is running the company with some help from her management team formed of two neuronodes with her personality and the one with her grandfather's persona.

Royan lost all four limbs and his eyes in a riot against the People's Constables. He was rescued from Mucklands Wood after the final confrontation with the PSP Blackshirts. Julia had his limbs and eyes replaced and then married him. They have two children.

Victor Tyo is head of security for Event Horizon. He took over after Walshaw retired.

Rachel is a former bodyguard for Julia. Now she is Julia's personal assistant.

Suzi is a former Trinity warrior. Since the final battle, she has been running her own tekmerc company.

Leol Reiger is a tekmerc commander. He and Suzi have issues.

Charlotte Fielder is a high class pleasure girl. She works for Dmitri Baronski.

In this story, seventeen years later, Suzi is handling a commercial espionage operation at Newcastle. She guides a cyborg cockroach through sewer pipes to get a data dump from an insider. Then she passes the information on to the client for seven hundred thousand pounds.

After the client leaves with the data, Reiger shows up. He lets her know that he had hired her and is getting five million for the data. He is still laughing as he walks out.

Royan has been missing for eight months, despite every effort to track him through the net. Then Rachel gives Julia an alien flower that she had received from a woman at an affair in Monaco. The note inside the box is from Royan.

Greg and Eleanor are hiring workers to pick fruit from their trees. Julia flies to the farm and asks Greg to backtrack the flower. He only asks for Suzi to guard and assist him. Leaving the picking to Eleanor and the kids, Greg starts looking for the woman who delivered the flower.

Greg, Suzi, Rachel and Victor fly to Monaco, where they coordinate with the deputy police chief. They view videos of the guests at the affair and Rachel identifies the woman. The police face files gives them her name and other data.

Charlotte had left her hotel the evening after the affair. She was picked up by a hired car containing a young man. The car seems to also have another passenger who cannot be seen fully. Neither the chauffeur nor the boy are in the Monaco face files.

Charlotte has not departed Monaco according the official records. Yet the police cannot find her within the citystate. Suzi points out that very rich people do not get their faces in the files.

Since Charlotte is listed as one of Baronski's girls, Greg and Suzi fly to Salzburg to talk to him. Both Baronski and Charlotte live in the Prezda arcology. After landing, Greg, Suzi and their guards head toward Baronski's suite.

Greg notices that the suite is under observation by a team of at least four agents. They enter the suite and ask Baronski where Charlotte has gone. He says that she was supposed to have gone to Odessa, but has not appeared there.

Baronski reveals that Charlotte's current patron is Jason Whitehurst, who has a fifteen year old son. He also says that Jason is flying in a large airship that is his base of operation. Greg and Suzi leave without telling Baronski about the watchers.

Outside the suite, Greg tries to grab one of the observers, but Reiger shows up with a psychic. Greg throws an illusion at the psychic and Reiger leaves. Greg again tries to capture one of the observers and Reiger reappears with more men. Greg and Suzi manage to escape during the firefight.

Meanwhile, Charlotte and Jason's son are getting along well. Fabian is a typical teenager, but very shy around beautiful women like her. So she seduces him and they have a fun time.

Charlotte discovers that they are flying away from Odessa. Jason tells her that plans have been changed. Then Charlotte learns that her phone is being jammed.

This tale involves Julia in a new technology so revolutionary that it will effect the whole world. Victor goes to consult the manager of the Event Horizon SETI project about aliens and discovers that Royan had sent a probe to Jupiter's rings. Snippets of Royan's persona are found in computers here and there.

This novel is the last story in the series. It being reprinted as The Mandel Files, Volume 2.

Highly recommended for Hamilton fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of psionic talents, private investigations, and determined women. Read and enjoy!

-Arthur W. Jordin

The story was very engaging. I really enjoyed it until about the last 30 pages. The ending was a letdown. I was expecting a lot more from Hamilton.