Questions About Pandora's Star (Commonwealth Saga, #1)

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I have heard so many great things about this novel and it's second half Judas Unchained, but I keep starting it, getting 200-300 pages into it and get really bogged down; too many characters, kind of boring, should I plow through or have others had a similar experience. Does the novel blossom after page say 400?

Gerard Ditch it immediately! Don't waste another minute on this overblown, badly written nonsense.
My god it was a terribly long march to the end and it just …moreDitch it immediately! Don't waste another minute on this overblown, badly written nonsense.
My god it was a terribly long march to the end and it just got worse page by page. There were whole plot lines that went nowhere and characters who did nothing and added less.(less)

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I just finished this, and I'm now reading the second "judas...". But I still do not understand why the novel was called "Pandoras Star", since it was never even mentioned in the book. Is it because of the well known story about Pandoras Box or something? Can someone please help me? :)

Amber Yes, it is an allusion to Pandora's Box. Pandora was given a jar as a gift and told never to open it. Naturally, being a human being, she was curious …moreYes, it is an allusion to Pandora's Box. Pandora was given a jar as a gift and told never to open it. Naturally, being a human being, she was curious and she opened it anyway, and as a result, unleashed evil into the world.

In this story, the metaphorical "box" is a star, and the title of the book is a pretty strong foreshadowing that something bad is going to happen when curious humans explore the star and start messing around with what they find there.(less)

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Why are the stars called "The Dyson pair" before Dudley Sees their enclosure? Surely the commonwealth had no idea they would be surrounded before then since it is referenced to at some point (and I'm paraphrasing here) that the enclosure was sudden

Alex Shrugged Freeman Dyson was the guy who first seriously proposed capturing all the energy from a star by enclosing it. This idea is now called a Dyson sphere. S…moreFreeman Dyson was the guy who first seriously proposed capturing all the energy from a star by enclosing it. This idea is now called a Dyson sphere. Since Pandora's Star is about two stars being enclosed, they naturally call them "The Dyson Pair".

The idea of a Dyson sphere was picked up in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Episode 130, "Relics." where the Enterprise is suddenly drawn into a Dyson sphere.

Astronomers today have been seeking evidence of a Dyson sphere in the process of being built. Look up "Tabby's Star" (KIC 8462852). It probably isn't a Dyson sphere (or Dyson swarm), but people are looking.(less)

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At this point I am totally turned off on Hamilton. This book is not for me. But, since I have invested 400 some pages in it, can someone tell me if there is a point at which it becomes interesting? Maybe I'll jump ahead and skip all the dross.

Alex Shrugged I found it extremely interesting in less than 300 pages. If it is not interesting to you after 400, then I'd skip it. It's not for everyone. …moreI found it extremely interesting in less than 300 pages. If it is not interesting to you after 400, then I'd skip it. It's not for everyone. (less)

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What is the purpose of the Chapters? I am about 350 pages into the book. It is 1000 pages with 25 chapters, but there does not appear a logical reason for placement of the next chapter. Each chapter is approximately 40 pages long, and divided into logical subsections, where each subsection switches character or situation. Is the chapter placement meant to indicate how much I should attempt to read in 1 sitting?

Vladimir Vázquez I started reading it like that, but each chapter is way too long. so I switched to read for a limited amount of time instead.

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