3.0
If at First . . . (Short Story)
ByPublisher Description
Peter F. Hamilton has proven himself a modern master of epic space opera, carrying the tradition of far-future empire building begun by Heinlein and Asimov into the new millennium. But Hamilton is also a master of the short story, and when he tackles one of science fiction’s most enduring themes—time travel—the result is as provocative as it is entertaining.
It starts in 2007 with a break-in. The victim: Marcus Orthew, the financial and technological genius behind Orthanics, the computer company whose radical products have delivered a one-two punch to the industry, all but knocking PCs and Macs out of the ring. The perpetrator: a man obsessed with Orthew. Just another simple case of celebrity stalking—or so everyone assumes at first, including Metropolitan Police Chief Detective David Lanson.
But when Lanson interviews the suspect, he makes a startling claim: Orthew is from the future. Or, rather, a future—a parallel timeline.
Thus begins the ride of a lifetime for Lanson, as his pursuit of the facts tumbles him headlong down a rabbit hole—and the hunter finds himself hunted.
It starts in 2007 with a break-in. The victim: Marcus Orthew, the financial and technological genius behind Orthanics, the computer company whose radical products have delivered a one-two punch to the industry, all but knocking PCs and Macs out of the ring. The perpetrator: a man obsessed with Orthew. Just another simple case of celebrity stalking—or so everyone assumes at first, including Metropolitan Police Chief Detective David Lanson.
But when Lanson interviews the suspect, he makes a startling claim: Orthew is from the future. Or, rather, a future—a parallel timeline.
Thus begins the ride of a lifetime for Lanson, as his pursuit of the facts tumbles him headlong down a rabbit hole—and the hunter finds himself hunted.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesIf at First . . . (Short Story) Reviews
3.0
“First - this is primarily a marketing device for one of Hamilton's other books, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45253.Mindstar_Rising__Greg_Mandel___1_ , an excerpt from which constitutes about 2/3 of the book.
If at First
Gene Wolfe introduces one of his stories (in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4395088.The_Best_of_Gene_Wolfe_A_Definitive_Retrospective_of_His_Finest_Short_Fiction ) by suggesting that aspiring authors rewrite it in their own words. I haven't read the https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95562.The_Solaris_Book_of_New_Science_Fiction that this Hamilton story is drawn from, but I hope that rewriting stories by SF masters is its theme. The story is decent, but it is very reminiscent of a George Martin story ("Unsound Variations", I think - Nebula nominee 1983), if not as well done. The concept is so very close that I couldn't get Martin's story out of my mind the whole way through, and Martin's is simply better. I'm afraid I have to recommend reading that instead.
Mindstar Rising
Since the novel excerpt was such a big part of this book, I felt I should say something about that as well. It's a mildly interesting look at a future Earth that's gone through upheaval in the form of rising oceans, cults, and socialist revolutions. In Britain, religious people (of all religions) live on kibbutzim. Some people have ESP. It's a sort of post-not-quite-apocalyptic time. Unfortunately, I found the characters to be neither believable nor interesting.
All in all, I recommend letting this one go, even though it's free. Hamilton has written some good stuff, but little of it is in here.
Merged review:
First - this is primarily a marketing device for one of Hamilton's other books, https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45253.Mindstar_Rising__Greg_Mandel___1_ , an excerpt from which constitutes about 2/3 of the book.
If at First
Gene Wolfe introduces one of his stories (in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4395088.The_Best_of_Gene_Wolfe_A_Definitive_Retrospective_of_His_Finest_Short_Fiction ) by suggesting that aspiring authors rewrite it in their own words. I haven't read the https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/95562.The_Solaris_Book_of_New_Science_Fiction that this Hamilton story is drawn from, but I hope that rewriting stories by SF masters is its theme. The story is decent, but it is very reminiscent of a George Martin story ("Unsound Variations", I think - Nebula nominee 1983), if not as well done. The concept is so very close that I couldn't get Martin's story out of my mind the whole way through, and Martin's is simply better. I'm afraid I have to recommend reading that instead.
Mindstar Rising
Since the novel excerpt was such a big part of this book, I felt I should say something about that as well. It's a mildly interesting look at a future Earth that's gone through upheaval in the form of rising oceans, cults, and socialist revolutions. In Britain, religious people (of all religions) live on kibbutzim. Some people have ESP. It's a sort of post-not-quite-apocalyptic time. Unfortunately, I found the characters to be neither believable nor interesting.
All in all, I recommend letting this one go, even though it's free. Hamilton has written some good stuff, but little of it is in here.”
About Peter F. Hamilton
Peter F. Hamilton is the author of numerous novels, including The Evolutionary Void, Fallen Dragon, Judas Unchained, Pandora’s Star, and the acclaimed epic Night’s Dawn trilogy (The Reality Dysfunction, The Neutronium Alchemist, and The Naked God). He lives with his family in England.
Other books by Peter F. Hamilton
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