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Pandominion #2
Echo of Worlds
Following the critically acclaimed Infinity Gate comes the second and final novel in the Pandominion by international bestselling M.R. Carey. A thrilling adventure set in the multiverse, it tells of humanity's expansion across millions of dimensions, and the AI technology that might see it all come to an end . . .
Two mighty empires are at war - and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that's what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force - the Mother Mass - that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it. Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion's doomsday machines are about to be unleashed - and not even their builders know how to control them.
Discover the conclusion to the spectacular Pandominion duology - an exhilarating science fiction series from the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts . Perfect for fans of The Space Between Worlds, The Long Earth and Children of Time.
Two mighty empires are at war - and both will lose, with thousands of planets falling to the extinction event called the Scour. At least that's what the artificial intelligence known as Rupshe believes.
But somewhere in the multiverse there exists a force - the Mother Mass - that could end the war in an instant, and Rupshe has assembled a team to find it. Essien Nkanika, a soldier trying desperately to atone for past sins; the cat-woman Moon, a conscienceless killer; the digitally recorded mind of physicist Hadiz Tambuwal; Paz, an idealistic child and the renegade robot spy Dulcimer Coronal.
Their mission will take them from the hellish prison world of Tsakom to the poisoned remains of a post-apocalyptic Earth, and finally bring them face to face with the Mother Mass itself. But can they persuade it to end eons of neutrality and help them? And is it too late to make a difference?
Because the Pandominion's doomsday machines are about to be unleashed - and not even their builders know how to control them.
Discover the conclusion to the spectacular Pandominion duology - an exhilarating science fiction series from the author of the million-copy bestseller The Girl With All the Gifts . Perfect for fans of The Space Between Worlds, The Long Earth and Children of Time.
496 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2024
About the author
M.R. Carey
30 books6,094 followersMike Carey is the acclaimed writer of Lucifer and Hellblazer (now filmed as Constantine). He has recently completed a comics adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere, and is the current writer on Marvel's X-Men and Ultimate Fantastic Four. He has also written the screenplay for a movie, Frost Flowers, which is soon to be produced by Hadaly Films and Bluestar Pictures.
Also writes as Mike Carey
Also writes as Mike Carey
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
Shelved as 'to-be-released'
October 20, 2023I absolutely can't wait to get to this sequel after reading the blurb. A five star read incoming for sure! So stoked!
June 14, 2024
The sequel in the Pandominion duology, Echo of Worlds is a VERY satisfying conclusion – but what else do you expect from M.R. Carey, everything this man writes is gold!
Humanity is at risk of extinction in a no-holds-barred war with an AI civilization. The Pandominon – an empire consisting of countless alternate Earths spread throughout the multiverse – is desperately seeking a weapon that can defeat them, consequences be damned. But what if there’s a way to end this conflict peacefully? Are the AI’s really an evil, mindless force? And will the very weapon the Pandominion seeks to use be their own undoing?
We return to the same wonderful characters, a mix of ‘selves’ from different evolutionary chains on different Earths. We have soldiers, AI’s, children, and spies, working together to save their worlds and atone for their own pasts. M.R. Carey seamlessly blends action and a well paced story with the emotional stakes. Thorough world building and character development are a hallmark of this author. I always know when I pick up any of his work, I’m going to drop right into a whole new world where I don’t see gaps or holes in the story. It feels like a world that has always existed and will continue to exist once I put down the book; I’m just here visiting for a bit. The science is futuristic enough to feel exciting and novel, but realistic enough to not feel absurd. The ending feels earned and extremely satisfying.
I’m a sucker for multiverse stories, and if you are as well, then I strongly recommend this duology. It hits all the sweet spots with a complex world, human vs AI, the question of what it is to be human and sentient, rich characters, great science. The first book, Infinity Gate, is just as great, and Echo of Worlds will be out June 25.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This was definitely one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read so far this year.
Humanity is at risk of extinction in a no-holds-barred war with an AI civilization. The Pandominon – an empire consisting of countless alternate Earths spread throughout the multiverse – is desperately seeking a weapon that can defeat them, consequences be damned. But what if there’s a way to end this conflict peacefully? Are the AI’s really an evil, mindless force? And will the very weapon the Pandominion seeks to use be their own undoing?
We return to the same wonderful characters, a mix of ‘selves’ from different evolutionary chains on different Earths. We have soldiers, AI’s, children, and spies, working together to save their worlds and atone for their own pasts. M.R. Carey seamlessly blends action and a well paced story with the emotional stakes. Thorough world building and character development are a hallmark of this author. I always know when I pick up any of his work, I’m going to drop right into a whole new world where I don’t see gaps or holes in the story. It feels like a world that has always existed and will continue to exist once I put down the book; I’m just here visiting for a bit. The science is futuristic enough to feel exciting and novel, but realistic enough to not feel absurd. The ending feels earned and extremely satisfying.
I’m a sucker for multiverse stories, and if you are as well, then I strongly recommend this duology. It hits all the sweet spots with a complex world, human vs AI, the question of what it is to be human and sentient, rich characters, great science. The first book, Infinity Gate, is just as great, and Echo of Worlds will be out June 25.
Thank you NetGalley and Orbit for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review! This was definitely one of the best sci-fi books I’ve read so far this year.
June 13, 2024
The Pandominion duology, I am happy to report, wraps up well.
Everything I liked about the first book, Infinity Gate, carries through here. Good characters, interesting world building, and thorough consideration of the implications of all the science-fiction at work. All good, and all familiar to those who read book 1.
I don’t honestly know how I was expecting the conflict between the Pandominion and the Machine Hegemony to be resolved - if I had any ideas when I read book 1 I’ve forgotten them. But I know I didn’t expect the end that happened. Obviously I’ll say no more because of spoilers.
The identity of the narrator was another unknown from book 1. The mystery around it reminded me strongly of the Broken Earth trilogy. The reveal here wasn’t quite as good as what Jemisin was able to pull off, but it still was very good. Didn’t see that one coming until very late in the book.
What struck me from a writing perspective is just how well and how thoroughly Carey used the Chekov’s Gun principle. He planned this duology out very thoroughly; nothing done in the first book was wasted. Everything I expected to matter from book 1 mattered in book 2. Many things I did NOT expect to matter from book 1 mattered in book 2. The sheer economy of it was extremely impressive. And I suspect a result of Carey’s extensive history writing comics, if I had to guess.
I’ve been a Carey fanboy for a long time now, and nothing in this book changed that.
My blog
Everything I liked about the first book, Infinity Gate, carries through here. Good characters, interesting world building, and thorough consideration of the implications of all the science-fiction at work. All good, and all familiar to those who read book 1.
I don’t honestly know how I was expecting the conflict between the Pandominion and the Machine Hegemony to be resolved - if I had any ideas when I read book 1 I’ve forgotten them. But I know I didn’t expect the end that happened. Obviously I’ll say no more because of spoilers.
The identity of the narrator was another unknown from book 1. The mystery around it reminded me strongly of the Broken Earth trilogy. The reveal here wasn’t quite as good as what Jemisin was able to pull off, but it still was very good. Didn’t see that one coming until very late in the book.
What struck me from a writing perspective is just how well and how thoroughly Carey used the Chekov’s Gun principle. He planned this duology out very thoroughly; nothing done in the first book was wasted. Everything I expected to matter from book 1 mattered in book 2. Many things I did NOT expect to matter from book 1 mattered in book 2. The sheer economy of it was extremely impressive. And I suspect a result of Carey’s extensive history writing comics, if I had to guess.
I’ve been a Carey fanboy for a long time now, and nothing in this book changed that.
My blog
July 21, 2024
Fantastic.
Weirdly, I have always had a bit of an issue with Carey’s writing style, but whatever it was that previously bothered me was nowhere in evidence in this top-notch duology. Both books are amazing, with complex characters and a story that never lags. This second book picks up the story smoothly from the first and absolutely sticks the landing.
Weirdly, I have always had a bit of an issue with Carey’s writing style, but whatever it was that previously bothered me was nowhere in evidence in this top-notch duology. Both books are amazing, with complex characters and a story that never lags. This second book picks up the story smoothly from the first and absolutely sticks the landing.
July 9, 2024
To be completely honest, this was disappointing. Infinity Gate was a five star read for me, so I came to this with very high expectations. Unfortunately Echo of Worlds fell a bit flat for me.
This book starts up right where Infinity Gate leaves off; it's like one book has been split into two volumes. This volume spends some time setting up motivation and creating tension, then sidequests for what feels like way too long, then finally comes to the unsurprising conclusion in the last few percent. Overall, my biggest issue is the pacing - it felt like it dragged except when critical conflicts were being resolved in way too few words.
I am still completely enthralled by the characters and the setting and the world building in general. It's still a good book and it's a necessary read if you start the series. On it's own, it's not the best MR Carey book but it's still a good read and worth the time.
This book starts up right where Infinity Gate leaves off; it's like one book has been split into two volumes. This volume spends some time setting up motivation and creating tension, then sidequests for what feels like way too long, then finally comes to the unsurprising conclusion in the last few percent. Overall, my biggest issue is the pacing - it felt like it dragged except when critical conflicts were being resolved in way too few words.
I am still completely enthralled by the characters and the setting and the world building in general. It's still a good book and it's a necessary read if you start the series. On it's own, it's not the best MR Carey book but it's still a good read and worth the time.
July 23, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Echo of Worlds is the second and final book in the science fiction duology Pandominion, written by M.R. Carey and published by Orbit Books. An explosive conclusion, with two superpowers threatening to destroy the other, the Pandominion and the Ansurrection, with a third force, the Mother Mass, that might be necessary if our group wants to stop the annihilation from both sides.
With all the previous build-in work done on Infinity Gate (and probably at this point, I might recommend doing a re-read before diving into Echo of Worlds), Carey sends us into a journey against the clock with our unlikely band; while the first book could be said it's more focused on the individuals and how they reunite, this one plays more with the collective idea, not discarding the elements, but using them in a different way.
An agile pacing that plays into the idea of the urgency makes the perfect complement to that unknown narrator that eventually gets revealed; each single element that was put in the tabletop is used, sort of fulfilling the Chekov's Gun principle. While the first book might have promised a longer series, I feel quite satisfied with how Carey decides to keep it as a duology with the potential of returning to this world that is quite similar to the Long Earth.
Echo of Worlds is a quite smart way to conclude the Pandomonion series, a perfect read for all the SF readers, especially those that love space opera and a more military approach at times. Carey shows why he's a master of the genre, and hopefully, I will continue reading his books in the future.
Echo of Worlds is the second and final book in the science fiction duology Pandominion, written by M.R. Carey and published by Orbit Books. An explosive conclusion, with two superpowers threatening to destroy the other, the Pandominion and the Ansurrection, with a third force, the Mother Mass, that might be necessary if our group wants to stop the annihilation from both sides.
With all the previous build-in work done on Infinity Gate (and probably at this point, I might recommend doing a re-read before diving into Echo of Worlds), Carey sends us into a journey against the clock with our unlikely band; while the first book could be said it's more focused on the individuals and how they reunite, this one plays more with the collective idea, not discarding the elements, but using them in a different way.
An agile pacing that plays into the idea of the urgency makes the perfect complement to that unknown narrator that eventually gets revealed; each single element that was put in the tabletop is used, sort of fulfilling the Chekov's Gun principle. While the first book might have promised a longer series, I feel quite satisfied with how Carey decides to keep it as a duology with the potential of returning to this world that is quite similar to the Long Earth.
Echo of Worlds is a quite smart way to conclude the Pandomonion series, a perfect read for all the SF readers, especially those that love space opera and a more military approach at times. Carey shows why he's a master of the genre, and hopefully, I will continue reading his books in the future.
July 19, 2024
Первая книга не была ничем выдающимся, но — была местами изящно и изобретательно написанной вещью, которой интересны и её персонажи и что-то в более широком мире; с налетом боевой фантастики и технотриллера.
Вторая каким-то образом пережевывает по второму разу все сюжетные биты первой (не бывшие и её сильной частью), и не делает особенно ничего сверх этого.
Вторая каким-то образом пережевывает по второму разу все сюжетные биты первой (не бывшие и её сильной частью), и не делает особенно ничего сверх этого.
July 20, 2024
[This review can also be found on my BLOG]
**I received a copy of the book from Orbit Books UK in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, war, death, genocide/mass murder, kidnapping
--
Echo of Worlds kicks off right where Infinity Gate left off with the culmination of the interdimensional war between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection. As with the first book this conflict is a key part of the overarching plot of the series however, the primary focus of the narrative lies with the multi-species rag-tag group of characters that we have slowly come to know and follows them on various missions as they try to put a stop to what looks to be the complete annihilation of the entire multiverse.
I was mistaken into thinking that this was going to be longer than a duology with the way the first book had this expansive space opera feel to it but nevertheless this sequel sure wrapped up the story in a satisfying way. All the groundwork has been laid so the storyline in this one leans much more on the action/adventure and character development side of things and whilst the pacing dragged in some parts, the overall thrill of the high stakes easily keeps you turning the pages to see how everything goes down.
I didn’t get a chance to go back and reread Infinity Gate before picking this up but a big difference I noticed was that there seemed to be less of a balance with the perspectives of the original protagonists this time round. Hadiz’s involvement for the most part was a little subdued, Essien felt much more like a background character and then Paz stepped more into a central role.
This could be down to the fact that the chronological narration at the start of the series gave each of those characters more of a spotlight before their paths aligned. That being said I was still very much invested in their individual journeys and loved how this dysfunctional found family feel developed between them all. I was surprised to find that Moon who was more of a secondary character in the first book played a bigger part too and I loved the contrast between her character and Paz. The banter between them was great.
The worldbuilding was still the most fascinating aspect and I enjoyed how there were moments where Carey zoomed out to the wider picture of this showdown between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection within the main storyline, even touching on some of the background and history to it all and how it in turn circled back to the unknown narrator. There are definitely some moments when you have to dispel belief but at the same time the discussions on the themes of power, personhood and prejudice ground the story too and give us much to think and reflect on with regards to the real world.
Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable duology that I’d highly recommend for its rich character work and wholly original take on the multiverse!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
**I received a copy of the book from Orbit Books UK in exchange for an honest review**
CW: violence, gun violence, blood, injury, war, death, genocide/mass murder, kidnapping
--
Echo of Worlds kicks off right where Infinity Gate left off with the culmination of the interdimensional war between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection. As with the first book this conflict is a key part of the overarching plot of the series however, the primary focus of the narrative lies with the multi-species rag-tag group of characters that we have slowly come to know and follows them on various missions as they try to put a stop to what looks to be the complete annihilation of the entire multiverse.
I was mistaken into thinking that this was going to be longer than a duology with the way the first book had this expansive space opera feel to it but nevertheless this sequel sure wrapped up the story in a satisfying way. All the groundwork has been laid so the storyline in this one leans much more on the action/adventure and character development side of things and whilst the pacing dragged in some parts, the overall thrill of the high stakes easily keeps you turning the pages to see how everything goes down.
I didn’t get a chance to go back and reread Infinity Gate before picking this up but a big difference I noticed was that there seemed to be less of a balance with the perspectives of the original protagonists this time round. Hadiz’s involvement for the most part was a little subdued, Essien felt much more like a background character and then Paz stepped more into a central role.
This could be down to the fact that the chronological narration at the start of the series gave each of those characters more of a spotlight before their paths aligned. That being said I was still very much invested in their individual journeys and loved how this dysfunctional found family feel developed between them all. I was surprised to find that Moon who was more of a secondary character in the first book played a bigger part too and I loved the contrast between her character and Paz. The banter between them was great.
The worldbuilding was still the most fascinating aspect and I enjoyed how there were moments where Carey zoomed out to the wider picture of this showdown between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection within the main storyline, even touching on some of the background and history to it all and how it in turn circled back to the unknown narrator. There are definitely some moments when you have to dispel belief but at the same time the discussions on the themes of power, personhood and prejudice ground the story too and give us much to think and reflect on with regards to the real world.
Overall, this was a solidly enjoyable duology that I’d highly recommend for its rich character work and wholly original take on the multiverse!
Final Rating – 4/5 Stars
July 12, 2024
Had a lot of fun listening to this, delivered in erudite & scientific stanzas this duology explores a space opera set on a single planet Earth and all it's alternates across the multiverse. The science fiction of multiversal traversal and the implications of an infinite set of possible worlds inhabiting a mandelbrot set are used to explore the meaning of sentience, and self determination.
Interestingly In the stories universe our own world (Earth) is a minor backwater at the brink of an apocalypse caused by warring factions, we learn that other worlds in the extra dimensional empire that is the Pandominion are far more advanced socially, culturally and technologically than Earth. In fact humanity being descended from Apes is a suboptimal form of sentience being war like and flawed. In this universe world's where the sentient beings descend from rabbits (Lagomorphs) are far more stable and advanced.
The characters are thus pulled from across the multiversal Pandominion and feature different sentient species, life took different routes on parallel worlds. Most of the events in the story occur in an around Lagos Nigeria and it's multiversal counterparts; Lago Decaramo, Canoplex of planet Ut (a Rabbit earth) and others. It was refreshing to see an African country, city and even characters being central to the plot.
The story starts on our earth with a Nigerian scientist Hadiz Tambowell attempting to save her world from destruction before accidentally discovering "step technology" and becoming embroiled in an Interdimensional war that takes our characters on a philosophical journey of self discovery.
This story is about sentience or as the author says "Self-hood"; what is a self? Who is a self? What about AI and the implications of digital sentience. What forms can sentience take and can a sentient species recognise sentience in another species? What are the implications when different sentient species discover one another but don't understand each other? Interspecies communication is a thread handled deftly with aplomb.
The story boasts strong and distinct characters from all walks of life and life forms. I recommend as a fun caper tackling philosophical themes on identity, family and artificial intelligence.
Interestingly In the stories universe our own world (Earth) is a minor backwater at the brink of an apocalypse caused by warring factions, we learn that other worlds in the extra dimensional empire that is the Pandominion are far more advanced socially, culturally and technologically than Earth. In fact humanity being descended from Apes is a suboptimal form of sentience being war like and flawed. In this universe world's where the sentient beings descend from rabbits (Lagomorphs) are far more stable and advanced.
The characters are thus pulled from across the multiversal Pandominion and feature different sentient species, life took different routes on parallel worlds. Most of the events in the story occur in an around Lagos Nigeria and it's multiversal counterparts; Lago Decaramo, Canoplex of planet Ut (a Rabbit earth) and others. It was refreshing to see an African country, city and even characters being central to the plot.
The story starts on our earth with a Nigerian scientist Hadiz Tambowell attempting to save her world from destruction before accidentally discovering "step technology" and becoming embroiled in an Interdimensional war that takes our characters on a philosophical journey of self discovery.
This story is about sentience or as the author says "Self-hood"; what is a self? Who is a self? What about AI and the implications of digital sentience. What forms can sentience take and can a sentient species recognise sentience in another species? What are the implications when different sentient species discover one another but don't understand each other? Interspecies communication is a thread handled deftly with aplomb.
The story boasts strong and distinct characters from all walks of life and life forms. I recommend as a fun caper tackling philosophical themes on identity, family and artificial intelligence.
Want to read
November 5, 2023Really enjoyed Infinity Gate and looking forward to the sequel. I loved the exploration of diversity and different types of lifeforms and the way they relate to their worlds. In Infinity Gate I definitely felt the big societal (cosmic, in this case) changes that are unfolding in this story and I really did enjoy the thread of optimism and empathy throughout. I’m sure this book won’t disappoint:)
Will write a full review after I have a chance to read this.
Will write a full review after I have a chance to read this.
May 20, 2024
Advanced Review Copy provided in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley.
Score: 3.5/5 (rounded to 4/5)
Since this is an ARC, the review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
Read this review and more on my Medium Blog: Distorted Visions
A fresh take on the often-trod setting of the multiverse, Echo of Worlds is the gripping conclusion to the Pandominion duology, following the well-received Infinity Gate.
The sequel continues the high-octane conflict between the multi-Earth governance Pandominion, as they face the looming threat of the Machine Hegemony, known as the Ansurrection. This greater conflict was set up in the closing chapters of Infinity Gate. The first book dealt with the worldbuilding of the reality-teleporting “step plate” technology and how that gave rise to the Pandominion. It also introduced and fleshed out the key players of the series, brought from various factions and various realities, forced together to face the larger threat facing the entire Pandominion. Thereby setting up the central premise of Echo of Worlds.
Echo of Worlds follow our rag-tag group of unlikely protagonists, the artificially enhanced rabbit-analog Topaz “Paz” Tourmaline FiveHills, her friend-but-actually-imposter-Hegemony-traitorous AI being, Dulcimer “Dulcie” Standfast Coronal, the fox-analog grizzled Pandominion jarhead Moon Sostenti and human-soldier-dealing-with-battle-PTSD Essien Nkanika, the treacherous Watchmaster Orso Vemmet, as well as the scientist-turned-AI Hadiz Tambuwal and her faithful benevolent super-AI friend, Rupshe. Forced together by the culmination of the events of the first book, this multi-species, the multi-allegiance group has to work together to come up with a plan to thwart the inevitable Mutually Assured Destruction event, the Scour, from annihilating both the Ansurrection as well as the billions of lives across all realities of the Pandominion.
With stakes as mind-bogglingly vast as this, Carey does an amazing job zooming in and out between the “bigger” picture of the reality-spanning conflict, as well as the smaller set-pieces of our protagonists navigating various subquests to effect a change in the larger conflict. While many of these set-pieces felt a bit too “checkpoint-y” and not properly motivated beyond “benevolent AI says this will help the war effort so we must push on”, it does help to ground the reader into a more familiar territory rather than getting lost in the technobabble that multiverse sci-fi usually devolves into.
The compression of this series into a duology caused uneven pacing issues and a rushed second half as the plot raced toward its conclusion. Carey does a serviceable job tying up all the loose ends in a reasonably satisfying way, I cannot help but feel a wee bit shortchanged in the journey to get there. There was plenty of material and an expansive plot structure to spend the requisite time fleshing out a more robust second act to make even the dreaded “middle book” a rewarding setup for the final conflict in what could have been an explosive conclusion to the trilogy.
A particular gripe was that the Mother Mass was set up to be a key plot element (not a spoiler since it is mentioned in the official synopsis). Still, the entire plotline felt quite lackluster and left me scratching my head about its ultimate need in the overall story. It was also the aspect of the book where the story dived into the metaphysical side of SciFi which is often my least favorite aspect of this genre, and I find myself glossing through the overly philosophical sections. Again, Carey does a much better job than other writers, but if your name doesn't begin with Adrian and end with Tchaikovsky, these overtly abstract set pieces are best left out.
The author tried his level best to give some level of depth, to varying degrees of success. I preferred the more morally grey characterization of all the protagonists in Infinity Gate and the switch to “we have to be on the same side, the side of good” felt a bit hamfisted, with only Sostenti’s character devolving into the stereotypical naysayer. Paz’s character too felt too hero-washed and her character became more of a caricature of the “even a small creature can change the universe” trope, again, a little too heavy-handed. To repeat, many of these issues would have been assuaged greatly by the luxury of having a third book to flesh out the characters, their motivations, their roles in the plot, and the overarching conflict to yield a more thorough product.
Still, Echo of Worlds is a satisfying and largely enjoyable read, with cool concepts, and a fresh take on the tired multiverse trope that Marvel has driven into the ground. With influences ranging from the Culture series to the Children of Time series, along with a smattering of other classic and modern sci-fi elements, Echo of Worlds and the Pandominion duology can largely be called a success!
Score: 3.5/5 (rounded to 4/5)
Since this is an ARC, the review aims to be as Spoiler-free as possible.
Read this review and more on my Medium Blog: Distorted Visions
A fresh take on the often-trod setting of the multiverse, Echo of Worlds is the gripping conclusion to the Pandominion duology, following the well-received Infinity Gate.
The sequel continues the high-octane conflict between the multi-Earth governance Pandominion, as they face the looming threat of the Machine Hegemony, known as the Ansurrection. This greater conflict was set up in the closing chapters of Infinity Gate. The first book dealt with the worldbuilding of the reality-teleporting “step plate” technology and how that gave rise to the Pandominion. It also introduced and fleshed out the key players of the series, brought from various factions and various realities, forced together to face the larger threat facing the entire Pandominion. Thereby setting up the central premise of Echo of Worlds.
Echo of Worlds follow our rag-tag group of unlikely protagonists, the artificially enhanced rabbit-analog Topaz “Paz” Tourmaline FiveHills, her friend-but-actually-imposter-Hegemony-traitorous AI being, Dulcimer “Dulcie” Standfast Coronal, the fox-analog grizzled Pandominion jarhead Moon Sostenti and human-soldier-dealing-with-battle-PTSD Essien Nkanika, the treacherous Watchmaster Orso Vemmet, as well as the scientist-turned-AI Hadiz Tambuwal and her faithful benevolent super-AI friend, Rupshe. Forced together by the culmination of the events of the first book, this multi-species, the multi-allegiance group has to work together to come up with a plan to thwart the inevitable Mutually Assured Destruction event, the Scour, from annihilating both the Ansurrection as well as the billions of lives across all realities of the Pandominion.
With stakes as mind-bogglingly vast as this, Carey does an amazing job zooming in and out between the “bigger” picture of the reality-spanning conflict, as well as the smaller set-pieces of our protagonists navigating various subquests to effect a change in the larger conflict. While many of these set-pieces felt a bit too “checkpoint-y” and not properly motivated beyond “benevolent AI says this will help the war effort so we must push on”, it does help to ground the reader into a more familiar territory rather than getting lost in the technobabble that multiverse sci-fi usually devolves into.
The compression of this series into a duology caused uneven pacing issues and a rushed second half as the plot raced toward its conclusion. Carey does a serviceable job tying up all the loose ends in a reasonably satisfying way, I cannot help but feel a wee bit shortchanged in the journey to get there. There was plenty of material and an expansive plot structure to spend the requisite time fleshing out a more robust second act to make even the dreaded “middle book” a rewarding setup for the final conflict in what could have been an explosive conclusion to the trilogy.
A particular gripe was that the Mother Mass was set up to be a key plot element (not a spoiler since it is mentioned in the official synopsis). Still, the entire plotline felt quite lackluster and left me scratching my head about its ultimate need in the overall story. It was also the aspect of the book where the story dived into the metaphysical side of SciFi which is often my least favorite aspect of this genre, and I find myself glossing through the overly philosophical sections. Again, Carey does a much better job than other writers, but if your name doesn't begin with Adrian and end with Tchaikovsky, these overtly abstract set pieces are best left out.
The author tried his level best to give some level of depth, to varying degrees of success. I preferred the more morally grey characterization of all the protagonists in Infinity Gate and the switch to “we have to be on the same side, the side of good” felt a bit hamfisted, with only Sostenti’s character devolving into the stereotypical naysayer. Paz’s character too felt too hero-washed and her character became more of a caricature of the “even a small creature can change the universe” trope, again, a little too heavy-handed. To repeat, many of these issues would have been assuaged greatly by the luxury of having a third book to flesh out the characters, their motivations, their roles in the plot, and the overarching conflict to yield a more thorough product.
Still, Echo of Worlds is a satisfying and largely enjoyable read, with cool concepts, and a fresh take on the tired multiverse trope that Marvel has driven into the ground. With influences ranging from the Culture series to the Children of Time series, along with a smattering of other classic and modern sci-fi elements, Echo of Worlds and the Pandominion duology can largely be called a success!
June 8, 2024
Infinity Gate sucked me right in, so of course I was going to read the sequel. Echo of Worlds didn't disappoint. There was always this impending doom and I began to love Paz so much. She was such a brave, courageous character that I could have done without all the other POVs. She's a Bunny, what more could I ask for? But I did like the way the story was broken up into multiple POVs, including the AI which I felt was written so well. The characters that are put together, don't exactly get along, but the way the story is written I was interested in each one.
I didn't know how I'd feel about reading a multi-verse book but I'm so glad I read this duology. I found the world building interesting with the step plates and how each planet was like Earth but yet....nothing like Earth. I agree with other reviewers about pacing. There were a few parts that kind of dragged. I loved Moon in Infinity Gate, but in Echo of Worlds her dialogue felt so forced.
Overall, I really liked the book. It kept me turning pages throughout. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.
I didn't know how I'd feel about reading a multi-verse book but I'm so glad I read this duology. I found the world building interesting with the step plates and how each planet was like Earth but yet....nothing like Earth. I agree with other reviewers about pacing. There were a few parts that kind of dragged. I loved Moon in Infinity Gate, but in Echo of Worlds her dialogue felt so forced.
Overall, I really liked the book. It kept me turning pages throughout. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy.
April 20, 2024
I"m not so sure about Mike Carey but I will follow M. R. Carey until the ends of the earth. I didn't get the musically inclined demon fighter( yes I'm oversimplifying) but the Girl with All the Gifts is probably one the greatest zombie books ever written.
Infinity Gate was amazing and the world building second to none. Echo of Worlds cuts back on the world building and serves up the character development and the action.
If I had to pick between the two books Infinity Gate would be my first choice but Echo of Worlds will high on my list of any sci fi novel. I'm not sure if I was completely sold on the ending but getting there is one of the better reads this year.
Infinity Gate was amazing and the world building second to none. Echo of Worlds cuts back on the world building and serves up the character development and the action.
If I had to pick between the two books Infinity Gate would be my first choice but Echo of Worlds will high on my list of any sci fi novel. I'm not sure if I was completely sold on the ending but getting there is one of the better reads this year.
July 20, 2024
Fingers crossed. I haven't read a Carey story I didn't like. (Feb 2024)
(July 2024): So. Mixed feelings. 3.5/5
Not quite a 4/5
Readable scifi. Fast paced. Die-hardesque.
Realistic ending, to be honest, it's just...
I don't know.
(July 2024): So. Mixed feelings. 3.5/5
Not quite a 4/5
Readable scifi. Fast paced. Die-hardesque.
Realistic ending, to be honest, it's just...
I don't know.
June 21, 2024
Echo of Worlds by M.R. Carey is a science fiction novel, looking into AI technology, and the second (and final) in the Pandominion series.
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Orbit Books and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Series Background:
The Pandominion: a political and trading alliance of a million worlds – except that they’re really just the one world, Earth, in many different realities. The Registry has created "step plates" to move between universes. And when an AI threat arises that could destroy everything the Pandominion has built, they'll eradicate it by whatever means necessary, no matter the cost to human life. Human vs machine consciousness.
My Synopsis: (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
They are at war. Coordinator Melusa Baxemides is called in to develop a plan to end all machines. She is looking at various experimental weapons and programs (collectively called Robust Rebuke). She is not having a lot of luck.
Enter Professor Kavak Dromishel. He is an organic chemist with a background in cybernetic research. He is now largely concentrating his work on weapons research, and he feels he has the solution (although it has been somewhat tried before). Baxemides lets him run with it.
Meanwhile, on another world, physicist Hadiz Tambuwal finds herself a remnant of the woman she was before she was shot at very close range. Having lost her body, her memories are in a "Second Thoughts" box, and she now sees and interacts with the world through the eyes of a drone. Along with Moon Sostenti (a cat-like enhanced soldier of the Cielo that doesn't really want to be here), Essien Nkanika (a human ex-soldier who is trying to atone), Topaz (Paz) Tourmaline FiveHills (a child, and descendent of a rabbit), and Dulcimer Coronal (a robot spy that looks like a toy Paz once held), they are travelling through the much-changed world of Lagos. Hadiz is in communication with Rupshe, a powerful AI housed in the university campus.
Rupshe believes in the Scour. that all the planets are doomed, and they may all end at one time. That's why the group has been brought together. To prevent complete destruction of both Pandominion and AI. Rupshe believes that perhaps Mother Mass (a neutral world) may be able to help them. They just have to find her.
Both Pandominon and the Machine World both have a plan....but those plans will be the end everything. Rupshe's group is determined to stop that end.
My Opinions:
Again, I realized this was going to be a long book, and I admit that every now and then - I skimmed. Not that it wasn't interesting, because it really was. Carey's work is awe-inspiring. Thankfully for those of us that don't always "get" science fiction, he simplifies things, and he did so again in this second book.
So, as a continuation of the first book, this one looked at two "species" at war. Machine vs human. It also looked at a small group of individuals (a mixture of human, AI, robots, and others who fear for the lives of all. It also looked at friendship and loyalty. And it tackled some hard truths....will generations learn from the past?
I continued to love Paz and Hadiz (my favorites from the first book). I grew to love Dulcie and Essien. Although Rupshe, Moon and Vemmet had some redeeming qualities, I still struggled to like or trust them.
Again, another long, slow-moving book, but Carey brought the series to a rather satisfying conclusion.
For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, as well as author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
June 29, 2024
Now that all the characters have been established and gathered together it's time for them to put their plan into action. However, the plan requires most of the book to be prepared. The focus is no longer on learning about the characters but rather on gathering information and materials. A third, much more powerful force, is sought out to resolve the conflict that began in the first book and comes to a head in this one. The story continues to be narrated, though the narrator is made explicitly clear. This framing device doesn't seem to have served much purpose but it doesn't really detract either. This isn't much of a military or adventure story, so much as just doing stuff. There's nothing really wrong with that, though it wasn't what I wanted. Many others will enjoy it well enough.
On a personal level I'm considerably disappointed. I hoped it'd more with the premise of unlimited Earths. Unfortunately they're mostly a backdrop to what really matters, the conflict between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection, which didn't interest me. The synopsis does say that's what it's about, but I preferred not to believe. It also spells out the plot from beginning to end which says to me that the plot isn't what's important. The characters and themes are what matters. The characters all moderately enjoyable, nothing to praise or complain about. The themes weren't what I wanted to read.
The metaphors are even more heavy-handed this time around, especially with the ending, which I disliked for its convenience, immediacy, and how little what came before mattered. I disagree with its ideals, but more importantly they strain any suspension of disbelief. I have no problem at all with stories that others may find embarrassing that rely on the power of courage, friendship, and determination. By comparison, it's recently become evident to me through multiple examples that I do have a problem with empathy being the solution by itself. I can't accept that it's that simple or believe that it resolves matters so easily. No matter how much we learn or understand each other there may still remain irreconcilable differences in goals and values that results in conflict. The problem is that thematically that's what this series is about, to the exclusion of almost all else.
This series should've been a single book that condensed the plot. That way it would also be more suitable for what it may well become, a movie or TV series, as was the case with a previous work by the author, The Girl with all the Gifts. I'd watch it if it were done tolerably well. As for reading more books from this author, it's a toss-up because I believe they'd continue to be initially promising but end up disappointing, as has been the case before. I believe the average reader will enjoy this more than I did and I don't see any problem with problem with recommending it to others as the issues I have with it are personal.
On a personal level I'm considerably disappointed. I hoped it'd more with the premise of unlimited Earths. Unfortunately they're mostly a backdrop to what really matters, the conflict between the Pandominion and the Ansurrection, which didn't interest me. The synopsis does say that's what it's about, but I preferred not to believe. It also spells out the plot from beginning to end which says to me that the plot isn't what's important. The characters and themes are what matters. The characters all moderately enjoyable, nothing to praise or complain about. The themes weren't what I wanted to read.
The metaphors are even more heavy-handed this time around, especially with the ending, which I disliked for its convenience, immediacy, and how little what came before mattered. I disagree with its ideals, but more importantly they strain any suspension of disbelief. I have no problem at all with stories that others may find embarrassing that rely on the power of courage, friendship, and determination. By comparison, it's recently become evident to me through multiple examples that I do have a problem with empathy being the solution by itself. I can't accept that it's that simple or believe that it resolves matters so easily. No matter how much we learn or understand each other there may still remain irreconcilable differences in goals and values that results in conflict. The problem is that thematically that's what this series is about, to the exclusion of almost all else.
This series should've been a single book that condensed the plot. That way it would also be more suitable for what it may well become, a movie or TV series, as was the case with a previous work by the author, The Girl with all the Gifts. I'd watch it if it were done tolerably well. As for reading more books from this author, it's a toss-up because I believe they'd continue to be initially promising but end up disappointing, as has been the case before. I believe the average reader will enjoy this more than I did and I don't see any problem with problem with recommending it to others as the issues I have with it are personal.
June 1, 2024
After the extended table setting that was Infinity Gate, the first book in his Panedmonium Duology, MR Carey returns with the conclusion in Echo of Worlds. Infinity Gate established a multiverse that is made up of different instances of the planet Earth, the biological worlds are ruled over by a bureaucracy known as the Pandemonium which has found itself at war with a machine hive-mind hegemony which it calls the Ansurrection. This book focussed on three disparate characters brought together by a rogue and very individual Artificial Intelligence that thinks it has the solution to stopping the total annihilation that will come from this war.
Carey effectively keys in readers who may be a bit hazy on the details of that first book and then sets up what is essentially a heist narrative. The three main characters from the first book – Essien, who has become a solider, scientist Hadiz who died but has had their consciousness preserved, and humanoid rabbit Paz – are joined by Essien’s antagonist Moon, a cat-like soldier, and Dulcie, a robot former spy for the Ansurrection. They are deployed on a series of increasingly dangerous missions in which are intended to stop the oncoming war. But as with any good heist narrative nothing ever goes to plan.
The trick that Carey successfully pulls in this book, and the series as a whole, is to deal with massive concepts (infinite versions of Earth, planet-busting weapons, artificial intelligence hegemonies) and bring them down to the personal. He makes readers really care about the individuals that they are following and not only their overarching mission but their personal growth. And he builds the story so that the stakes are constantly raised and the solutions that they come to are never the ones they started out with but emerge from those individual personalities. He also, as expected, solves the mystery of the narrator (the reason why despite all the cliffhangers readers can be fairly sure that at least some things will work out), in a way that is surprising and refreshing.
MR Carey has been working across the gamut of speculative fiction. He has now delivered great reads with zombies (The Girl with All the Gifts), a post apocalyptic tale (Book of Koli), ghosts (Fellside) and now, with The Pandemonium duology, he firmly has the multiverse (with a side of robopocalypse) under his belt. It is exciting to consider where he might go next.
Carey effectively keys in readers who may be a bit hazy on the details of that first book and then sets up what is essentially a heist narrative. The three main characters from the first book – Essien, who has become a solider, scientist Hadiz who died but has had their consciousness preserved, and humanoid rabbit Paz – are joined by Essien’s antagonist Moon, a cat-like soldier, and Dulcie, a robot former spy for the Ansurrection. They are deployed on a series of increasingly dangerous missions in which are intended to stop the oncoming war. But as with any good heist narrative nothing ever goes to plan.
The trick that Carey successfully pulls in this book, and the series as a whole, is to deal with massive concepts (infinite versions of Earth, planet-busting weapons, artificial intelligence hegemonies) and bring them down to the personal. He makes readers really care about the individuals that they are following and not only their overarching mission but their personal growth. And he builds the story so that the stakes are constantly raised and the solutions that they come to are never the ones they started out with but emerge from those individual personalities. He also, as expected, solves the mystery of the narrator (the reason why despite all the cliffhangers readers can be fairly sure that at least some things will work out), in a way that is surprising and refreshing.
MR Carey has been working across the gamut of speculative fiction. He has now delivered great reads with zombies (The Girl with All the Gifts), a post apocalyptic tale (Book of Koli), ghosts (Fellside) and now, with The Pandemonium duology, he firmly has the multiverse (with a side of robopocalypse) under his belt. It is exciting to consider where he might go next.
July 9, 2024
A delightful sci-fi adventure that comes to a neat and optimistic conclusion, avoiding too formulaic a feel whilst using familiar elements.
The first book in the duology broadly set up a war of empires, an AI-versus-organics war. It introduced a wide array of different sentient selves along the way: some AI, some borne of terrestrial species such as cats, rabbits, and, well, us.
This concluding volume follows a heist framework for much of its first half, with the diverse gang planning and trying to steal the mystery location of a ... world-carpet (not really). This planet-spanning entity seems to have some majorly godlike talents. Our heroes hope this mother-carpet can smack all of the aggressors collective bottoms and tell them to play nicely. As in all fun adventures, things do not go to plan. Look out here comes some jeopardy with high stakes hot on its heels. Great Scott! M R Carey keeps all the plates spinning and keeps those pages turning.
Character-wise I was a tiny bit disappointed with how lightweight it felt, but I was more than happy that it was effervescing with familiar sci-fi tropes. This is very much whatever the bookish equivalent of a popcorn movie is: this is Back to the Future or Avengers Assemble. It won’t change your life, but it’s a great way to while away some hours.
The first book in the duology broadly set up a war of empires, an AI-versus-organics war. It introduced a wide array of different sentient selves along the way: some AI, some borne of terrestrial species such as cats, rabbits, and, well, us.
This concluding volume follows a heist framework for much of its first half, with the diverse gang planning and trying to steal the mystery location of a ... world-carpet (not really). This planet-spanning entity seems to have some majorly godlike talents. Our heroes hope this mother-carpet can smack all of the aggressors collective bottoms and tell them to play nicely. As in all fun adventures, things do not go to plan. Look out here comes some jeopardy with high stakes hot on its heels. Great Scott! M R Carey keeps all the plates spinning and keeps those pages turning.
Character-wise I was a tiny bit disappointed with how lightweight it felt, but I was more than happy that it was effervescing with familiar sci-fi tropes. This is very much whatever the bookish equivalent of a popcorn movie is: this is Back to the Future or Avengers Assemble. It won’t change your life, but it’s a great way to while away some hours.
June 24, 2024
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!
This was a solid conclusion to the duology, I will definitely be recommending this to my fellow reader friends! Reminded me a bit of Tchaikovsky, one of my favorite authors.
Things I liked:
-I enjoyed the characters and their arcs throughout this book and the series. They were well rounded and each had their own voice so that they felt distinct from the others
-I always enjoy non-human POVs and I thought that the author did a good job conveying the ways that the non-humans think in an interesting and cohesive way.
-The worldbuilding and the scientific elements were done well. I enjoyed the expansion of the ideas presented in the first book
Things I didn't like:
-Pacing felt a bit off. Thought the beginning was slow and the end was fast. I wish we had spent more time focusing on the events that happened at the end of the book and less on the events at the beginning.
-I was kind of annoyed at a few of the characters decisions. I felt like a lot of things could've been avoided if certain decisions were different. I understood the reasons behind the choices and they made sense with who the characters are but I feel like there may have been better ways to go about the decisions.
This was a solid conclusion to the duology, I will definitely be recommending this to my fellow reader friends! Reminded me a bit of Tchaikovsky, one of my favorite authors.
Things I liked:
-I enjoyed the characters and their arcs throughout this book and the series. They were well rounded and each had their own voice so that they felt distinct from the others
-I always enjoy non-human POVs and I thought that the author did a good job conveying the ways that the non-humans think in an interesting and cohesive way.
-The worldbuilding and the scientific elements were done well. I enjoyed the expansion of the ideas presented in the first book
Things I didn't like:
-Pacing felt a bit off. Thought the beginning was slow and the end was fast. I wish we had spent more time focusing on the events that happened at the end of the book and less on the events at the beginning.
-I was kind of annoyed at a few of the characters decisions. I felt like a lot of things could've been avoided if certain decisions were different. I understood the reasons behind the choices and they made sense with who the characters are but I feel like there may have been better ways to go about the decisions.
July 3, 2024
Such a satisfying and original conclusion for this duo. I only wish M.R. Carey would have included more of an epilogue, but hopefully he’ll revisit the concept someday down the line.
My most critical comment is that at points the dialogue felt wrong for the characters (specifically Moon and Paz). Conversely though there are one liner gems from these same characters, so perhaps the complaint is inconsistent dialogue.
This book also had me BAWLING from some mother based perspective taking. So it is the book for you if you want to feel more empathy for your mom whilst exploring the concept of multiverse.
My most critical comment is that at points the dialogue felt wrong for the characters (specifically Moon and Paz). Conversely though there are one liner gems from these same characters, so perhaps the complaint is inconsistent dialogue.
This book also had me BAWLING from some mother based perspective taking. So it is the book for you if you want to feel more empathy for your mom whilst exploring the concept of multiverse.
July 13, 2024
Finishing this book made me feel like I'd finished an exquisite meal. Masterfully pulling together the threads he laid out across both books, M. R. Carey tells a compelling tale of hope never being foolish, even when all seems lost.
July 8, 2024
Not quite on the level of the first one. Missing some chaos and was wrapped up to well. But overall great.
July 10, 2024
What a knockout, satisfying ending to this brilliant series. Hands down the best sci-fi series I've read since Silo by Hugh Howey. Paz is my hero!
July 13, 2024
This series is a wild ride. Enjoyed them both and wish there would be another.
July 14, 2024
Impressive. Review to come on the blog. I was given a review copy by the publisher
July 15, 2024
An incredibly satisfying continuation of Infinity Gate. The strong focus on characters keeps this lofty multiversal story grounded. As the plot is crafted by the doings of so many individuals and entities, the narrative feels really vibrant without being overwhelming or technical. A book I will be thinking about for quite a while.
July 11, 2024
The pacing was excellent and followed on nicely from the first book, really enjoyed the world building and technobabble.
July 20, 2024
4.5
An excellent follow up and conclusion.
Mindblowing ideas, great character development, and plenty of action.
An excellent follow up and conclusion.
Mindblowing ideas, great character development, and plenty of action.
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