Pandora's star - Peter F. Hamilton

The first part of the epic Commonwealth Saga, Pandora's Star by Peter F. Hamilton is a fantastic galaxy-spanning novel from the master of space opera.

Earth AD 2329: Humanity has colonized over four hundred planets, all interlinked by wormholes. For the first time in mankind's history there is peace.

Then a star over a thousand light years away suddenly vanishes, imprisoned inside a force field of immense size.

Only a faster-than-light starship, captained by ex-NASA astronaut Wilson Kime, can reach that distance to investigate.

But there was a good reason for sealing off an entire star system. And getting in may not be as difficult as stopping something from getting out . . .

The Commonwealth Saga concludes with Judas Unchained.