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The cover of Peter F. Hamilton's Exodus: The Archimedes Engine (Become the Traveler) by Edwin A. Vazquez drew me in. I was expecting something like Dune, The Expanse or Red Rising. Exodus takes place millennia after arkships began to flee dying Earth, and still arrive in the Centauri Cluster, in the 41,000 - 42,000's AD. Various advanced transhuman species, the Imperial Celestials, oppress humans by not giving them a voice in how they live. There are powerful family houses (like in Dune), an arkship/starship, the Diligent (like the Rocinante) and a sort-of hero Finn (unfortunately not like Darrow).

While I persevered to the end, I often felt like not finishing the novel. Except maybe Terence Wilson-Fletcher, the detective, and Ellie Oponi, from Old Earth, the characters were disappointing (view spoiler)[especially Josias Aponi, not a hero from Old Earth but a womanizer and “master class� politician (hide spoiler)]. Unending versions of “Asteria� are used for profanities, along with mostly current (YA?) language and idioms (“what the hell�, “crap�, “you are kidding me�, “damned if I do damned if I don't�). A couple of minor SSA characters are added in because, apparently, that's what's done these days. It's too long, overly descriptive and not very original.

Warning: This hardcover is about 900 pages so is quite heavy and awkward to hold for any length of time.