[Avi_stetto]

I'm sure there's probably been a thread on this series, so please forgive any redundancy.

Any way, I was wondering what the general consensus here was concerning Kevin J. Anderson's (http://www.wordfire.com/) series, The Saga of Seven Suns. The books so far are:

1. Hidden Empire

2. A Forest of Stars

3. Horizon Storms

4. Scattered Suns (FORTHCOMING)

There's also a graphic novel prequel entitled Veiled Alliances.

In an interview (http://www.writerswrite.com/journal/oct03/anderson.htm), Mr. Anderson described his intentions for the SoSS:

Well, first, it's just so much fun to do. I'm just having a blast with it. Terry Brooks, the author of the Shannara series, is a friend of mine. George R. R. Martin is writing these big fantasy books that have gone on for volumes. Ted Williams, Robert Jordan and Terry Goodkind all write these big, fat fantasy series. I read them and I enjoy them, and they are very successful. One day, I stopped what I was doing and asked, "Why is everybody doing these as fantasies? I like science fiction." Then I thought, "Well, I'll do it then." What I did is I tried to pull together everything -- and I mean everything -- that I loved about science fiction, from Asimov to Zelazny, and threw it into this giant universe.

I've read all of the series so far, and personally, I find them entertaining, but a bit vapid. They're fun to read, but not very original. You know, something to grab when you're on a long car trip.

Anyway, what do you all think?

[Archren]

I've only read the first one, and I liked it well enough that I picked up the second one over the weekend.

My biggest problem with the first one was that there were too darn many point-of-view characters. I actually counted; there were 33! Of course, a few of them only existed in one chapter and then died, but still, 33! That seemed like WAY too many.

I'm interested to see if that trend continues in the second book.

[Avi_stetto]

Yeah, the large point of view character cast does continue so far throughout the series and is, in my opinion, one of the flaws. Some of them die and some new ones are added, though.

[Sell Sword]

Maybe that's what the mystery # on bottles of Rolling Rock is?!?!

I don't care if it's 100 POVs...I love this series, and there's a handy-dandy glossary for reference for when ya' can't remember your Rlinda Ketts from your Tasia Tamblyns. ;)

[DragonReader]

Maybe that's what the mystery # on bottles of Rolling Rock is?!?!

I don't care if it's 100 POVs...I love this series, and there's a handy-dandy glossary for reference for when ya' can't remember your Rlinda Ketts from your Tasia Tamblyns. ;)

I thought I heard somewhere that the number on the rolling rock bottle is the number of the race horse the company's founder owned. But that may just be rumor. Who knows.

Anyway, haven't read the series yet, but I know GRR Martin uses a huge number of POV cahracters and it works pretty well.

[Keyoke]

I read the first book, and while I didnt think it was great, I blazed through it.

So, I bought the second. I'll pick it up one day, seems like a good book to take camping with. :)

Keyoke

[NeonKnight]

Thought you might like a link to an older thread:

http://www.sffworld.com/forums/showthread.php?p=219146#post219146 (http://)

[dude_138]

I have read all of the current 3 books and have been uterly entranced. I am a big fan of the shannara series and even though I am not such a lover of science fiction, these books are great. The thing with the multiple character plots is that they always keep you on the edge and wondering what will happen next - a great thing for a book to do. I couldnt put them down. I just cant wait till the new release...

[Avi_stetto]

I have read all of the current 3 books and have been uterly entranced. I am a big fan of the shannara series and even though I am not such a lover of science fiction, these books are great. The thing with the multiple character plots is that they always keep you on the edge and wondering what will happen next - a great thing for a book to do. I couldnt put them down. I just cant wait till the new release...

From what I understand, Anderson wanted to write a space opera story that felt like Big Fat Fantasy series, and I think he's suceeded so far.

I'm looking forward to the fourth book marginally. I won't drop everything I'm reading to get it, but I think it will be fun. The ending of the third book grabbed my attention.