Mindstar Rising

By: Peter F. Hamilton

Narrated by: Peter Kenny

Read by Peter Kenny, award-winning narrator of the Culture series by Iain M. Banks.

In a ravaged near-future England, a private detective with psychic powers might be the last hope standing between mankind and total collapse. Mindstar Rising is the first cyberpunk thriller in Peter F. Hamilton's hugely popular Greg Mandel series. For fans of James S.A. Corey.

It's the 21st century and global warming is here to stay, so forget the way your country used to look. And get used to the free market, too – the companies possess all the best hardware, and they're calling the shots now.

In a world like this, a man open to any offers can do just fine. A man like Greg Mandel for instance, who's psi-boosted, wired into the latest sensory equipment and carrying state-of-the-art weaponry. He's also been part of the English Army's Mindstar Battalion.

As the cartels battle for control of a revolutionary new power source, and corporate greed outstrips national security, tension is mounting to boiling point. And Greg Mandel is about to face the ultimate test.

Mindstar Rising is followed by A Quantum Murder and The Nano Flower to complete the Greg Mandel trilogy.

Critic reviews

A pacey traditionally styled adventure yarn in which the reader can revel . . . Hamilton doesn’t mess about . . . the story races ahead with verve and flair (Starburst)

The plotting is tight and ingenious (Interzone)

Hamilton appears as a full-fledged SF technician, able to manage the demands of the genre without working up a sweat (Locus)

A stunning new debut novel . . . possibly the best since Bester, incorporating future predictions of climate, social, social, business, and political behaviour, completing this with hard science, believable scenarios, excellently balanced characters, and a good well-told story. What more do you want? Not to be missed (Critical Wave)

Open Minded

A good story to listen to while on a walk. Nice overall "convergance" between external characters.

Poor sound and narration

The book is good! but ... The sound is terrible for being released in 2025. Every 'S', 'T', "D', 'P', and soft 'G' consonants sound like 'SH'. When combined with actual 'SH' and 'TH' and 'F' sounds, the the breathy bouncy articulation, the author's finances for 'S' alliteration, and the speed of narration, it's difficult to follow. I had to slow it down to a shockingly low speed. I liked Peter Kenney's narration of a different book, but here he's talking too fast.

Something is weird

OK, on chapter 5 right now. Something seems strange. This story has been heard or read before. Or, maybe a movie? It's like deja-vu, with the Rolls Royce, the kids in the pool, the setup of an inside job, etc. Everything seems like this isn't new. What gives? I love it though. The descriptions of the girls, the car, the plot, the whole story. Kenny's performance is excellent too. But this seems like a repeat. No?

Is the author a teenage boy?

I liked aspects of the story but the ogling too young women got old quick. I am not a huge fan of objectifying woman.
The narrator needs to pitch down at the end of a sentence and take a breath.

Mixed Experience: Great Story, Challenging Performance

​I am only a few chapters into this audiobook (Chapter 5), and unfortunately, it has been a real struggle to connect with the reading.
​I am a fan of Peter F. Hamilton's work, and the story and setting here seem incredibly intriguing. Easily 5-star material based on the setup. However, Peter Kenny's narration style is proving to be a difficult match for my listening preferences.
​While there is variation in inflection, the rhythm feels very regular from sentence to sentence, giving the overall performance a monotone quality that doesn't draw me in. I frequently find myself struggling to differentiate between when the scene is being set, when the main narration is speaking, and when various characters are being voiced. The lack of distinct shifts makes following the story's flow unnecessarily challenging.
​I've enjoyed other Hamilton books immensely when read by different narrators, but for this specific title, I will be switching to the physical book to truly appreciate the narrative.
​Summary: 2 stars for the performance (which significantly impacts the audiobook experience), but a definite 5 stars for the story's potential.