Just like in Hyperion, you are suddenly thrust into the midst of a complex plot without any point of reference.

There are unfamiliar words, strangely named places, and the live battle of Troy being overseen by a 21st Century teacher. Surprisingly, having prior knowledge of this battle is not really a prerequisite. My only understanding came from the underrated Brad Pitt film, and it served me well enough. (Yes, I truly believe it was underrated. I absolutely loved it!)

It took approximately 300 - 350 pages before I finally began to engage with this book. Up until that point, it just felt cumbersome and a bit of a jumbled mess. I could envision the direction the story was headed, but I thought it could have reached there more smoothly. However, by the end, I couldn't bear to part with it. I devoured the last 240 pages in a single day, which is something I rarely do.

I will most definitely read Olympos.

I have always liked books that show what and where the human race could be in the distant future. And here, just like in "Hyperion", Simmons mixes the divine with the human.

This definitely appealed to me, and I will read "The Fall of Hyperion" with great interest. Simmons' writing style is captivating, and his ability to create a vivid and detailed world is truly remarkable. In "Hyperion", he takes the reader on a journey through a future filled with mystery, danger, and wonder. The characters are complex and well-developed, and their struggles and relationships add depth and emotion to the story.

I am excited to see what Simmons has in store for us in "The Fall of Hyperion". I expect it to be just as engaging and thought-provoking as "Hyperion". Whether you are a science fiction fan or not, I highly recommend giving Simmons' books a try. You won't be disappointed.

Dan Simmons does it again.

Based on classic literature books, here "The Iliad", and some mentions of "The Tempest", he delivers a sci-fi work that keeps you interested at all times about what is happening.

Initially, we have three main storylines here.

- A kind of robots called Moravecs that are on a mission to Mars to investigate what is going on. One is a fan of Shakespeare and the other of Proust.

- A scholic (a literature professor who acts as a witness to the Trojan War by order of the gods).

- A group of old-style humans in the future who have an adventure and a mystery.

And with these three storylines, he weaves an interesting story, at the same time complex but easy to follow, with various characters from some hateful ones to others that captivate you (for some reason in my case it was one of the little robots), with ideas about why or how that generate a certain level of intrigue.

And that cliffhanger, I can't wait to read the second book.

Although it doesn't reach the level of "Hyperion", it still gets 5 stars.

Spectacular!

I was truly captivated by the remarkable interplay between the robots, the rich literary references, and the fascinating reimagining of the Iliad.

The story's lynchpin, the question of why the post-humans would do such a thing, remains unresolved. However, perhaps the answer can be found hidden within the vast ocean of human weakness and the alluring temptations of absolute evil.

It makes one wonder about the depths of human nature and the lengths we might go to in the face of certain circumstances.

The way the author weaves these elements together creates a thought-provoking and engaging narrative that keeps the reader hooked from start to finish.

Overall, it's a truly remarkable piece of work that leaves a lasting impression.

Considering that this can be fairly described as a sci-fi reworking of the Iliad, and that I'm quite certain the inspiration behind it—or at least the decision to set the Trojan War on Mars—is also the source of my least favorite Ancient Greek tidbit. Homer described the sky as "bronze" on three occasions, which has led to the annoyingly often-repeated claim that the Greeks couldn't see blue. I'm very glad Simmons didn't explicitly reference this. It's actually astonishing how well he executed this concept. Simmons took his research extremely seriously. He managed to use both the Iliad (and the broader Greek Epic matter) and Shakespeare's The Tempest (and derivative works) not just as mere set dressing but as fundamental components of a story (or set of stories). Incredibly, it manages to be compelling both to those who know nothing about either of these and to those who know way too much.

It's a bit annoying that he didn't manage to wrap things up in 640 pages, but at no point did it feel like he was wasting time. I guess I'll have to read the sequel too.

Oh my gosh, this was really long.

It was indeed good, but the length was quite overwhelming.

If you want to truly get the most out of it, it is probably best to (re)familiarize yourself with the Iliad.

As for me, I'm really on the fence about reading the sequel anytime soon.

I'm not sure if I'm ready to commit to another long and detailed story so quickly.

On one hand, I'm curious to see what happens next and how the story continues.

On the other hand, I'm a bit exhausted from this one and need some time to recover.

Maybe I'll wait a while and see if my interest reignites.

For now, I'll just have to think about it and make a decision later.

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The war against the gods has never been a grateful act, and the author reflects this well.

It is an interesting story about the distant future of our civilization, about a world where part of the people are like the Velsa Eloji, who wait for their fifth ten thousand to end in order to be taken up by the gods. And then there is a part that has pretended to be the gods to such an extent that they no longer really remember who they themselves are. And of course, the maroveki, who are created by humans but who apparently possess more reason than the two aforementioned groups combined.

It is a beautiful interpretation of the Iliad.

Overall, this narrative presents a thought-provoking vision of a future society with its complex relationships and identities. It makes the reader wonder about the nature of power, belief, and self-discovery. The different groups and their characteristics add depth and intrigue to the story, making it a captivating read that invites further exploration and reflection.

Perhaps this interpretation can also serve as a reminder of the importance of understanding our own roots and identities in the face of a changing world.

I believe that I have even more appreciated this novel upon the second reading.

I had a hazy memory of some passages (or certain fates), but very clear impressions of other scenes, which I revisited with pleasure.

Now it's time for me to Olympus!

During the second reading, I found myself delving deeper into the story. The details that I might have overlooked the first time around now stood out, adding new layers of meaning and depth to the narrative.

The characters seemed more alive, their emotions and motives more palpable.

I was able to fully immerse myself in the world that the author had created, experiencing the joys and sorrows of the characters as if they were my own.

As I turned the pages, I couldn't help but be amazed at the author's skill in crafting such a captivating story.

And now, with Olympus waiting for me, I am excited to embark on another literary adventure.

I have a feeling that this new book will be just as engaging and thought-provoking as the one I have just finished reading.

In spite of the violent content, I have a genuine liking for Dan Simmons' Hyperion and its sequel.

This book initially seemed to possess great potential. For reasons that remain unknown, the Greek gods are present on Mars, and the Trojan War is being waged with their significant participation.

As the story progresses, the book begins to introduce all kinds of sci-fi wonders, which is nice but not sufficient to salvage the overall experience.

Firstly, it is overly detailed and contains numerous repeated references to the Iliad. Secondly, several highly unbelievable events occur multiple times. And thirdly, it is handicapped by excessive withholding of revelations. One can sense the author doing this repeatedly.

Positive proof of this is that after reading seven hundred and twenty-five pages, one is just now commencing a major conflict, and many things remain unexplained and unresolved. The sequel may lead you there if you have the perseverance.

I managed to get through the first one, but despite purchasing the second one inexpensively at the same time as the first, I have no intention of reading it.

Wow. This book was truly amazing.

I never would have thought that reading a science fiction book could inspire me to explore Shakespeare, Proust, Greek mythology, and reread Homer.

Despite understanding some of the references, I felt there were many more that eluded me.

The level of detail and how everything meshes together is simply astounding.

If it weren't so long, I might have immediately started over to catch the details I missed on the first read.

I don't believe anything I could write would do this book justice.

At first, switching between the three seemingly unrelated points of view was a bit overwhelming.

The morovecs were especially confusing initially, and I didn't understand their purpose for a while.

However, I had faith that it would all be explained and be crucial to the story, and indeed I was right.

The world Simmons built is fascinating, with its concept of the five twenties, the firmary, the modified humans with apps in their palms but no knowledge of their history, and the morovecs policing the "idiot savants" in space.

The return of the Scholics and the motivation behind it, as well as the questions about Zeus's knowledge and what he was trying to prevent, add to the complexity.

Of course, I immediately added the sequel to my to-be-read list, but I'm horribly disappointed as everything I've read suggests it's not as good.

I'm sure I'll be even more disappointed when I actually read it, but I will because I want to know more about the post-humans, the history of the morovecs, and what happens to the humans now that they've received enlightenment.

Certainly, what I can say about this particular book is that it is in a category of its own. At least I have never read anything similar before. Besides managing to create a new world (a dystopia), it effortlessly transports us from the siege of Troy and the battles of the warriors to the new world and to Olympus (very nice descriptions of the Gods).

For most of the book, I read with pleasure what was happening in Ilion. In fact, I laughed quite a few times at the way Hakenperry told the story. However, from a certain point onwards, the situation got a bit out of hand and I didn't enjoy it as much. Also, for most of it, the story of Moravec and Orpheus tired me, although that doesn't mean it didn't have points that caught my interest.

All in all, it deserves congratulations, but I don't think I will read "Olympus", although I am a bit curious about what will happen with the battle between humans and Gods.