[Keyoke]

Can someone remind me of who exactly is Dariat, and Rubra.. I only remember them vaguely.. :/

Well, as I write this message, I found a website that seems to have many of the updates and information, right up to the 4th book.

I've placed the link below just in case someone else is in the same boat as I am.

Phew.. This series is massive.. And to think, I'm on the last book, and it's 1400 pages long.. Egad..
http://members.tripod.com/NightsDawn/

Keyoke

[This message has been edited by Keyoke (edited February 20, 2002).]

[estranghero]

Hey, I just finished reading the first 1/2 of book 1 and though it has a good story, good premise, and good characters, I'm a bit turned off about the villains of the story based on the reviews I've read.

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I mean, imagine, having Al Capone as the big baddie? Anyway, wanna ask, is it worth the whole series?

[Keyoke]

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Yah, I was a little turned off when I found out that one of the villains was to be Al Capone, but, susprisingly, it's done well. And keep in mind that he is not the ONLY villain..

To wether the series is worth it? I'm about to start the last 2 books.. 1400+ pages, so, yeah, the series is a definite Scifi must.. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

Keyoke

[estranghero]

Thanks, keyoke. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

I'm trying to maintain a respectable list of sci-fi series (I'm collecting Wingrove's Chung Kuo, Resnick's Prophet, and others) and I figure Hamilton's a good bet.

Now if I can only stop from laughing from incredulousness when I read about Al Capone... http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/redface.gif

[Keyoke]

You won't.. Trust me, their are a few other villains in their that will make you shudder.. It's a great series..

Have you read Chung Kuo? That's a series I've been interested in.. keep seeing it around..

Keyop\ke

[estranghero]

Will take your word for it. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif Still, Hamilton still has a lot to recommend for it. I particularly like the dichotomy between the Adamists and the Edenists.

Funny enough, I have a bad habit of starting series in the middle. I started reading Chung Kuo around book 3 (or was it 4?) and it was very interesting. Space opera at its serious world-spanning.

Since I recently got book 1, will start it one of these days and will give you a review of it as I go on. http://www.sffworld.com/ubb/smile.gif

[James Barclay]

To answer your original question, Rubra is the Valisk habitat personality. Dariat, can't quite remember the origins but he was vaguely unpleasant and a techno freak still curning about a romance gone wrong and hating pretty much everybody for it - a real bitter man.

I think Al Capone as a villian is an excellent idea - bring him into a new culture and see how he works it to his advantage. Splendid stuff.

[Kamakhya]

Dariat was the son of Rubra. He was Rubra's protege until Dariat's g/f killed herself and Dariat lost his mind.

I loved Night's Dawn. I thought there were a number of unique and interesting elements that set this trilogy apart from the rest. After reading this, I picked up The Confederation Handbook which made for a great commpendium to the novels.

Al Capone was for me, a breath of humor in an otherwise intense story.

[Dalem]

I just finished his 7-book series, including "A Second Chance at Eden."

I loved the entire series, so here's some perspective: I read about 75 pages a day of "Night's Dawn" and "Neutronium Alchemist," but read close to 250 pages a day when I reached "Naked God."