Void Trilogy

The Void Trilogy is a science fiction series by British SF writer Peter F. Hamilton. The series is set in the same universe as The Commonwealth Saga, 1,200 years after the end of "Judas Unchained".

Announced in August 2005, the series contract calls for it to be completed by 2011. Hamilton released the first book in August 2007.

Peter F. Hamilton has sold the American rights to the series to Random House. http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/004019.html] . The three books will be entitled "The Dreaming Void", "The Temporal Void" and "The Evolutionary Void".

A time line that links the Commonwealth Saga with the Void Trilogy, filling in the 1500-year gap, has been written by Hamilton. [http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk//index.php?page=timeline]

The following books are in the series:
*The Dreaming Void (released on August 3rd, 2007), ISBN 978-1405088800
*The Temporal Void (released on October 3rd 2008 (UK), March 24th 2009 (US)), ISBN 978-1405088831
*The Evolutionary Void (forthcoming, late 2009, according to the author's best guess)

Content

Peter F. Hamilton has revealed that the trilogy will reveal the function, purpose and fate of the High Angel, the sentient alien ark ship which played a small but crucial role in the events of The Commonwealth Saga. A myriad of minor cliffhangers from The Commonwealth Saga, mostly related to the fates of several characters which are left unresolved, are also expected to be addressed.

Hamilton has revealed that the storyline revolves around the discovery that the black hole at the core of the Milky Way Galaxy is actually a portal to a utopian, paradise-like dimension. However, mass-migration through the black hole threatens to destroy or devastate the entire galaxy, triggering a major interstellar debate and crisis.

Hamilton has said that notable characters from the commonwealth saga will return, but will have changed a lot since Judas Unchained. One given example is Justine Burnelli.

The following timeline gives an overview of events that take place in the 1500 years between the end of Judas Unchained and the beginning of The Dreaming Void.

Timeline

2384 - First ‘lifeboat’ (a Brant Dynasty star ship) leaves to found human colony outside Commonwealth.

2384 - Firewall project concluded, no further outposts of Prime aliens detected.

2385 - Barsoomians advocate Advancer genetic concept, and declare Far Away politically independent from Commonwealth.

2413 - Last (23rd) original Dynasty lifeboat departs on colony founding flight.

2403 - Paula Myo wins the final appeal in the Senate Supreme Court to have Gene Yaohui serve an 1100 year suspension sentence.

2518 - End of post-Starflyer War economic recession as new 47 worlds approach completion, resettlement taxes reduced.

2520 - CST forms star ship exploration division to scout new H-congruous worlds.

2520 - 2532 - Second 47 populations emerge onto their new worlds.

2545 - onward - Use of large star ships to establish Commonwealth ‘External’ worlds in phase 3 – 5 space, extending approximately 500 light years out from Earth.

2547 - The Cat establishes her Knights Guardian movement on Far Away.

2550 - Commonwealth Navy Exploration fleet founded to explore the galaxy beyond phase 5 space.

2552- 3450 - contact made with 47 sentient (physical stage) species across the galaxy.

2560 - Commonwealth Navy ship Endeavour circumnavigates galaxy, captained by Wilson Kime, discovery of the Void is made.

2603 - Navy discovers 7th ship of High Angel type.

2620 - Raiel confirm their status as ancient galactic race who lost a war against the Void, builders of High Angel ships, which are trans-galactic arks.

2652 - Paula Myo arrests The Cat, riots follow on Far Away.

2653 - The Cat is sentenced to 5,000 years in suspension.

2833 - Completion of ANA first stage on Earth. Grand Family members begin memory download into ANA rather than to SI.

2856 - ANA begins to contact other post-physical entities in the Milky Way galaxy.

2867 - Sheldon Dynasty gigalife project is partially successful, first human body biononic supplements for regeneration and general geriatrics.

2872 - Start of Higher humans, biononic supplements allowing a culture of slow-paced long life, rejection of commercial economics and old political ideologies.

2880 - Development of weapons biononics.

2913 - Earth begins absorption of ‘mature’ humans into ANA, the inward migration begins.

2934 - Knights Guardian adopt Higher biononic technology.

2955 - Phase one worlds are now predominately part of the Higher culture.

2958 - Contact with Hancher homeworld (Tochee-species) is made 8,640 light years away, on the other side of the Eagle Nebula (7000 light years).

2967 - First neoGuardian downloads memory into ANA.

2973 - 3060 - Commonwealth Navy helps defend Hancher homeworld against The Ocisen Empire expansion waves.

2984 - Formation of radical Highers who wish to convert the human race to Higher culture.

2991 - Establishment of the Protectorate, an anti-Higher movement, on External worlds.

3001 - Ozzie produces uniform neural entanglement effect, known as the gaiafield.

3040 - Commonwealth Navy Exploration Fleet joins Centurian Station, the Void observation project supervised by Raiel, a joint enterprise between over 30 alien species.

3084 - Non-incursion treaty is agreed between Hancher homeworld and the Ocisen Empire.

3088 - Military assistance agreement is inaugurated between Hancher homeworld and Commonwealth Navy, enforcing non-incursion.

3120 - ANA officially becomes Earth’s government, planetary population is now fifty million (activated bodies) and falling.

3150 - Ellezelin is settled, 420 light years from Earth, by pro-cybernetic capitalist Advancer culture.

3255 - A radical High Angel arrives on Anagaska, Inigo’s conception.

3290 - Ellezelin opens wormhole to Tari 15 light years away, start of Ellezelin Free Market Zone.

3320 - Inigo goes to Centurian star system, his first dream.

3324 - Inigo settles on Ellezelin, founds Living Dream movement, begins construction of Makkathran 2.

3338 - Ellezelin opens wormhole to Idlib.

3340 - Ellezelin opens wormhole to Lirno.

3378 - Ellezelin opens wormhole to Quhood.

3407 - Ozzie departs Commonwealth for The Spike to build a ‘galactic dream’.

3456 - Living Dream movement has over 5 billion followers amid the External worlds, very strong across Ellezelin Free Market Zone.

3466 - Ellezelin opens wormhole to Agra, last planet to be joined to the Core of the Free Market Zone.

3478 - Living Dream becomes majority party in Ellezelin parliament with 72%, converts planet to theocracy, Makkathran 2 becomes the planetary capital.

3503 - Gene Yaohui comes out of suspension, re-lifed in new Advancer/Higher body, settles on Tourakom at the boundary of External space, 520 light years from Earth.

3520 - Inigo ‘rests’ from public life, Cleric Council assumes guidance of Living Dream.

3587 - Fragments of Second Dream appear in the gaianet.

3589 - Ethan is elected as Cleric Conservator, announces Pilgrimage.

References

ources

* [http://www.peterfhamilton.co.uk/index.php?page=Void_Trilogy News item at www.peterfhamilton.co.uk]