The novel “Pandora’s Star” by Peter F. Hamilton was published for the first time in 2004. It’s the first book in the Commonwealth Saga.

When astronomer Dudley Bose discovers that two stars have disappeared, he sees the possibility of becoming famous in the Intersolar Commonwealth. Observations suggest that the stars have been surrounded by Dyson spheres, and this would indicate the presence of a sentient species.

The two stars are far beyond the borders of the Commonwealth, so there’s no wormhole nearby that allows humans to get there quickly. A starship capable of interstellar travel at speeds greater than the speed of light is designed to be sent to explore the area. Wilson Kime is one of the very few humans with experience in space travel even though his last trip was a few centuries earlier and he’s chosen to command the mission.