The protagonist is entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding a 12-year-old girl. However, it is established that in the future, these two characters will fall in love, and this fact is repeatedly emphasized. There is an uncomfortable scene where the child is naked and swimming. Even if the protagonist tells himself "I'm not attracted to this!", it is difficult to interpret the scene in any other way than that Simmons was trying to create sexual tension, which is both strange and inappropriate.

Aside from this aspect of the story, Endymion is an acceptable adventure space fantasy. The world-building is good, similar to the other two books. It is really cool to see where this universe stands after the intense events of the previous one, hundreds of years later. It explores an underutilized element, the cross-shaped parasite known as the 'cruciform' that makes its host immortal, which I appreciated. The story is stylistically more conventional, and I would describe it as having a more cinematic feel. The story is also a bit more fun and lighter than the others. In short, it is a different kind of work. While it is very much a sequel, it is not a necessary continuation of the first two.

I would recommend stopping at Fall of Hyperion. Endymion lacks most of what made the other two books great. The mysticism, the strangeness, and the literary feel are all absent. The references to mythology and poetry are sparser and feel more superficial. The plot does not have the wild unpredictability. It's all fine and enjoyable, but if the first book of the series had been like this, I wouldn't have continued reading. I will definitely only continue to the last novel because of my enjoyment of the first two.

Pretty big letdown after the first 2 books in this series.

This book had none of the tension, mystery or brilliant world-building of the first one and none of the complex military and political shenanigans of the second.

The first half to 2/3 of this book was especially slow and although it picked up a bit towards the end, it still wasn't enough to redeem it.

Hoping that the fourth book picks the series up again in a big way.

The start of this book was really frustrating and slow with lots of bad stuff being piled on the protagonist, who I didn't really care about.

His reactions to such terrible and unexpected events seemed underwhelming.

Having read the Riyria prequels just before starting this, I had been hoping for some Royce style fucking people up on a revenge mission but he pretty much completely forgot about the whole thing.

This was a recurring theme with the central characters of this book: They just didn't capture my interest or even sympathy.

Aenea was a typical precocious 12-year-old, Bettik boring as fuck and De Soya was equally dull and his complete devotion to the obviously shady Catholic Church was really frustrating.

The secondary characters were quite a bit better fortunately.

This would have been a much better read if they had been more prominent.

Silenus from the first books returned and was as foul-mouthed and ridiculous as ever.

Cardinal Lourdusamy was a menacing presence when he appeared.

Father Glaucus was a warm and sympathetic and the swole tunnel-dwelling midgets had a really intriguing and unique culture established.

Which brings me to world-building.

I had really been looking forward to the world in this one.

The world-building in the first 2 was among the most vivid and unique I've read and I was really looking forward to seeing how the events of the second book would effect the inter-planetary society that humanity had built.

I expected a cool Dark Ages type of set up with pockets of civilization struggling to survive after being isolated by the downfall of the farcasters, instead the rise of the Pax had pretty much restored society to what it was in the first 2 books.

The only main addition was the Cruciforms from the first books becoming a key part of society.

While I found this really creepy, I was interested to see how the impact on a society of people being granted immortality would be shown.

Surely birth-rates would soar to unmanageable levels? And there would be power struggles between people who had been in power for 200 years and the younger generations.

But none of this was really shown.

Overall this was a pretty mediocre read, especially given the high bar established by the first 2 books.

Hoping the standard will be picked up again for the series' conclusion.

Another solid entry in the Hyperion Cantos.

This story is set some centuries after the Fall of Hyperion, which witnessed the destruction of the farcaster network. It presents a different narrative from that of the first two books.

After the collapse of the farcaster network and the AI Technocore, space travel is now mainly limited to FTL travel, and the Hegemony does not survive. Replacing the old system of government is the "PAX," which is essentially the old Roman Catholic Church. Somehow (one of the mysteries), they have managed to perfect the technology behind the cruciform parasites, enabling perfect resurrections without the genetic degradation seen in the first two books. The PAX, having a monopoly on the cruciforms, has risen to power by offering eternal life via the parasite.

Endymion is told from the perspectives of two characters. The first is Raul Endymion, a Hyperion citizen who is sent on a quest by a thousand-year-old poet (guess who) to rescue, protect, and transport a human messiah (Brawne Lamia's daughter) along the old Tethys river, which ran through multiple planets via farcaster connection.

Pursuing them is the second POV character, PAX officer Fedirico De Soya, commissioned by the Pope to stop them at any cost.

I found it interesting and novel that one POV is told in the first person while the other is in the third person.

I gave this book only four stars instead of the five I gave to the first two books because most of the concepts in this book were already introduced in the first two. So, the WOW impact of reading something new is not as great as it was in the first books. However, there are still some new concepts and expansions of the old ones that are very interesting. For example, the application and role of the cruciforms, the new government, some new technologies, and some new revelations about the Techno core. And we also get to meet a few old (very old) friends from the previous books.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading the fourth and final book in the series.

Just pick up the next book, because you can't just stop here.

Although so far this is my least favorite Hyperion book, I understand why people might be inclined to stop at this point. However, it's important to push through.

Each book in a series often builds upon the previous ones, and there may be hidden gems and revelations waiting in the next installment.

By continuing, you might gain a new perspective on the story or characters, and it could enhance your overall reading experience.

Don't let the fact that this particular book wasn't to your liking deter you from exploring what comes next.

Give the series a chance to redeem itself and you might be pleasantly surprised.

So, take that step forward and pick up the next book in the Hyperion series.

I truly relished this book. Some individuals informed me that book 3 did not measure up to books one and two, yet I really quite relished it. I'm finding it difficult to precisely define it, but I believe the dynamic among Raul, Aenea, and A Bettik was a potent one - they evidently cared for one another, and it was evident that they would even come to love each other in the future.

It encompassed all the elements of a magnificent epic: robust heroes on a mission of great significance to humanity, a malevolent empire striving to impede them, and a mysterious force in the universe attempting to assist them. The world is nearly 300 years after the fall of the farcasters, and is described in a manner that almost evokes nostalgia. The hawking mat, all the characters and elements from Cantos, the consul's ship, and so on.

One of the predominant themes of the book appears to be how incredibly harsh the universe can be. This quote encapsulates it splendidly:

\\"The universe is indifferent to our fates. This was the crushing burden that the character took with him as he struggled through the surf toward survival or extinction. The universe just does not give a shit.\\"

And I simply adored this one:

\\"I remembered Grandam telling me about an early Old Earth scientist, one Charles Darwin, who had come up with one of the early theories of evolution or gravitation or somesuch, and how—although raised a devout Christian even before the reward of the cruciform—he had become an atheist while studying a terrestrial wasp that paralyzed some large species of spider, planted its embryo, and let the spider recover and go about its business until it was time for the hatched wasp larvae to burrow its way out of the living spider’s abdomen.”

In harsh times, people frequently turn towards religion. It is fascinating to observe that after the Fall, following all the chaos, war, and death that ensued, it was the Catholic church that ascended to power and went on to rule the universe. People find solace in its capacity to make the universe safe for them through the power of the cruciform.

One of the themes of the book is undoubtedly fear. Fear of death, in particular. De Soya fears each death he experiences, and Raul came perilously close to death on Mare Infinitus with the sharks. The Chitchatuk were intriguing in this regard - having to lead a particularly fearful life, reliant on the thing that preys upon them for food (artic wraiths).

However, love serves as the counterpoint to the theme of fear. We continuously receive intimations that Aenea is the missionary from the human god and will reveal to us all a superior path through love. Raul follows her because he has faith in her - and it is clearly foreshadowed that they will love each other.

Oh, I really like this series.

It has captured my attention from the very beginning. The storylines are engaging and full of excitement. Each episode leaves me on the edge of my seat, eagerly waiting for the next one.

The characters are well-developed and have their own unique personalities. I find myself easily getting attached to them and rooting for their success.

The production values are also top-notch. The cinematography is beautiful, and the special effects are seamless. It really adds to the overall atmosphere of the series.

Overall, I would highly recommend this series to anyone looking for a great entertainment experience. It's one that I will definitely be watching again and again.

This story is a significant improvement over the previous two. It is more engaging and focused, captivating the reader's attention from the start.

However, it does suffer from a major flaw in the middle section. The plot seems to drag on with very little progress or development. The reader may find themselves growing impatient as they wait for something significant to happen.

Thankfully, Simmons manages to turn things around in the last 100 pages. He finally begins to provide the much-needed explanations and set the stage for the final book in the series. This sudden burst of activity and information is both exciting and satisfying, leaving the reader eager to see what comes next.

Overall, while the story has its flaws, it is still a worthwhile read. With its engaging premise and strong characters, it has the potential to be a truly great series. Fans of Simmons' work will not be disappointed.

After having re-read the superlative original Hyperion Cantos recently, I was burdened with the thought that nothing afterwards could possibly match the quality and lyricism or the sheer gorgeousness of story, worldbuilding, or character.

Alas, this still holds true even after reading book three, which takes place over 250 years after the events that irrevocably transformed the known universe at the end of Fall of Hyperion.

However, this is not a lament for Endymion. In fact, when compared to just about any modern SF adventure, most will pale in comparison to the standards set here. True, there isn't a Canterbury Tales stylization. But there is a fabulous quest given to a new hero by the mentor Martin Selenus (the poet of old who wrote the original Cantos). This quest tasks Raul Endymion with truly impossible tasks. Such as helping a girl who is truly out of time, finding and returning the old destroyed Earth to its rightful place, and toppling the religious empire that has taken over the old hegemony with its promise of cruciform immortality.

These are no small tasks. And there's no reason to believe he could ever accomplish even one of them. The stakes are极高 and the enemies are amazingly unyielding. Federico de Soya is one of the most amazing antagonists I've ever read, right up there with Captain Ahab, only that captain never had to endure quite this much transformation.

Truly, no review can fully capture the essence of this novel. It is a straightforward adventure, rich in location after location, a pure delight for the imagination. It revisits and deepens the events from the previous books, but also builds upon them, painting pictures that I will never forget. Of course, the interesting chase through all the old worlds is executed in very cool ways, both diverse and clever. And I'll never forget how a twelve-year-old girl stands up to an entire fleet and outwits them not just once, but several times. The escapes are brilliant.

No, this book may not be on the same level of brilliance as the two that preceded it, but I'm proud to say that I love it anyway. It's a true work of the imagination and so exciting that I wish there was a full SF TV series with a huge special effects budget to do it justice.

Truly. It would be incredibly awesome.

3 Stars

Unfortunately, this installment was not as good as Hyperion. While it was still somewhat entertaining, there were several aspects that detracted from the overall experience. For one, I didn't really care for the characters. They felt flat and uninteresting, lacking the depth and complexity that I had come to expect from this series. It was difficult to become invested in their stories or to root for them.

Additionally, some parts of the book were just plain boring. I'm not exaggerating when I say that there were sections that I had to force myself to get through. I found myself constantly checking the page count, hoping that something more exciting would happen soon.

What I really missed was the endless tension and mysteries that had characterized the previous books in the series. This one seemed to lack that sense of urgency and anticipation, leaving me feeling a bit disappointed. Overall, while it wasn't a terrible read, it definitely didn't live up to my expectations.

Taking a decent break following the two Hyperion novels before starting Endymion was actually a very good decision.

I was fully aware that this series of four books provides diminishing returns after Hyperion. For me, the first book was nothing short of a masterpiece and easily ranked among my all-time top five reads.

Having the time to breathe and armed with the knowledge that this probably wouldn't reach the heights previously seen allowed me to approach it with a different mindset and enjoy it for what it is. It was a welcome return to some familiar locations and faces.

I would offer the same advice for this series as I would for Frank Herbert's Dune. Every lover of the sci-fi genre should at least read the first book. However, one should continue only if they truly loved it and have a strong desire to extract every last piece of lore possible.

This way, readers can make an informed decision based on their own preferences and not feel obligated to plow through the entire series if it doesn't resonate with them.

4.5 Stars

For a Simmons work, it earns 4 stars. The reason is that it fails to achieve the epic quality and remarkable structure of the first Hyperion book. However, when compared to some other science fiction books that I have rated 4 stars, it actually deserves a 5-star rating. (This is not the first time I have wished for a more detailed rating system here.)

In most of this third installment of the Hyperion Cantos, the tone feels lighter. The multiple points of view in the prequels are reduced to mainly two. One is Raul Endymion, a former shepherd (among other things) who suddenly finds himself facing the task of becoming a hero by saving the girl, saving the world, and destroying evil (sort of). The self-deprecating tone of his points of view is refreshing and makes me like him immediately. The twelve-year-old girl Aenea, whom he tries to protect, is also an immediate favorite of mine, even though she is clearly more in control of most situations than he is. Their journey along the river Tethys towards an unknown goal reads like a delightful adventure, enhanced by the elaborate world-building that the first books already excelled in.

Their parts are contrasted with the points of view of a priest-captain whose goal is to stop the girl because she will cause great harm to the church-based cosmic order. Simmons does an excellent job of describing this Papal State. They are not the bad guys; on the contrary, most of the characters there are quite likable. The confrontation is between two world views, not between good and bad. This is always the best and highest form of creating suspense and driving a story.

This is one of those books that I couldn't put down once I started reading. Simmons always manages to engage me. I wonder if there is a novel of his that is not at least a little bit awesome. I have some books to read next, and after that, I will pick up the last part. I'm really excited to see how this story unfolds.

My reaction to this book after reading #1 and #2 is truly one of disappointment.

My god, for the sake of all that is good and holy in this imperfect world, I must firmly state that one should NOT read this book.

Never before in my life, and I mean this literally, have I been so in love with an author only to be so completely let down.

I don't even know how to properly express my feelings. This might sound a little melodramatic, but reading this book actually put me off reading scifi for months. The blow was that crushing, and I still haven't fully recovered.

I struggle to critique this book. I don't want to dredge up the memories of the bland protagonist and her equally bland companions on their uninteresting journey through a series of lackluster internal and external adventures.

I only gave it 2 stars and not just 1 because I suspect that if Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion hadn't been so incredibly good, I wouldn't be so bitter and dejected about book 3. In a strange way, it's almost a testament to Simmons' talent that he could elicit such a strong reaction from me.

An accurate description of Simmons' thought process while writing it might be something like: "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 13:41-42).