Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion are two books fans of science fiction literature should not miss. They are exciting, mind blowing, beautiful, lyrical and thought provoking. The first volume Hyperion is often ranked as one of the top ten greatest sci-fi books ever. That said, I read The Fall of Hyperion in November 2012 and only got around to reading Endymion almost two years later. I am too easily influenced by reviews or readers’ comments, and while Endymion tend to be more positively reviewed than negative it is clearly much less popular than the first two books of the Hyperion Cantos. I remember someone said that Endymion is like a bad fanfic of Hyperion (it is not) and that was very off-putting. Still, I never did remove it from my TBR and eventually I am in the mood for it and here we are. (I know, “who cares?” right? But I have to start the review somehow, and rambling is usually my launch pad of choice).

Endymion is set more than 200 years after the event of The Fall of Hyperion. By then the Cantos, written by the foulmouthed poet Martin Silenus, has already become the stuff of legend, and an infamous banned book. The book begins with a frame story of the semi-eponymous Raul Endymion writing from some kind of high tech solitary satellite prison. While he is awaiting his imminent demise by cyanide poisoning he is spending his last days regaling us lucky readers with the story of his adventures with a girl called Aenea who will one day become a messiah of some kind. Aenea is the daughter of the wonderful Brawne Lamia, the female detective from the first two volumes of the series and the John Keats “cybrid” (artificial human). The book basically concerns Aenea’s journey with Endymion and an android named A.Bettik via a series of farcasters (teleportation portals). There is also a parallel plot strand of a group of military agents hunting them down. Much adventure ensues.

Unlike the first two volumes of the Cantos, this book is fairly straightforward in structure and narrative style. It is basically a chase from beginning to end. I can understand why some people find it disappointing after having read the previous two books (the classic Hyperion especially). The tone is very different, less poetic and lyrical, the profundity is not there. One of the most remarkable things about the first Hyperion book is that Dan Simmons did a kind of virtuoso performance by writing in several different styles of sci-fi subgenres and other genres, including space opera, hard sf, soft sf, military sf, cyberpunk, hard-boiled crime fiction, and even literary fiction. The different narrative styles also combine beautifully into an excellent and cohesive story. Endymion is not so ambitious, the prose style in this book is much more utilitarian, apart from the odd snippets of poetry here and there; it is of course very well written, one thing you can count on from Simmons. Personally, I am fine with Endymion’s less literary style, as it means the author is not repeating himself.

The world building and sci-fi tech of Endymion is as great as the previous books. My personal favorite is the “archangel ships” which have faster than light capability but at a slight drawback of violently killing all the occupants of the ship who are later automatically resurrected in crèches with the aid of the Cruciform parasite (from the first Hyperion novel) in tandem with some mysterious technology. Unfortunately, for the humans farcasters are all disabled by the TechnoCore (a sort of AI overlords) so if you want FTL travel you would have to accept being flattened and squished into a paste then resurrected later (and also have a horrid parasite permanently attached to your chest).

Characterization is quite strong, again an expectation I have of Simmons’ books; though the characters here are not as colorful as those the from the previous Hyperion volumes. All the central characters here are believable and sympathetic and the dialogue rings true, with the occasional bits of humour. My favorite character being “A. Bettik”, an android who is humble, loyal, brave, and unfailingly polite of course. Even though an android is not a robot A. Bettik reminds me of Asimov's R. Daneel Olivaw from The Naked Sun and several other of his classic robot novels.

The plot and pacing are very good on the whole, though the chapters from the military agent Captain de Soya’s point of view tend to drag a little. The thrilling climax toward the end of the book is monumentally kickass, though; edge of the seat stuff featuring The Shrike who is as “sharp” as ever and an adversary who is worthy of going toe to toe with him.

The final volume of the Cantos The Rise of Endymion is generally very highly rated. Can’t wait.

4.5 stars (half a star knocked off for a few dull chapters).

ENDYMION is the third book of the Dan Simmons' Hyperion saga and the first book of a two-part story, which concludes in THE RISE OF ENDYMION. Although it provides more of the interesting universe first developed in HYPERION, it is nonetheless a novel riddled with flaws.

The most annoying thing is the incredibly formulaic plot. Simmons' tale of chosen people on the run from an evil organization is done here with the same unrealistic and stereotypical feel of an 80s TV action show. The characters are two-dimensional, Raul is your standard reluctant, but able, hero. The Catholic Church is portrayed as a bunch of diabolically laughing Crusaders.

Another one of the major flaws is the fact that very little occurs in this book. Aenea and Raul spend 500 pages on the run from the Pax and from Nemes, but not much else happens. It's as if the sole purpose of this book is to provide back story for THE RISE OF ENDYMION.

Oh, and Simmons' writing style is not much more mature that his child-like zeal in the first two Hyperion books. This brings the book dangerously close to formulaic trash.

Yes, I read the book because I just wanted to get through the Hyperion saga, and the book deserves two stars because it is one step closer to the end, but ENDYMION was disappointing.

I like it...I think?

Depending on how you see it, Dan Simmons is either an extremely versatile or a wildly inconsistent writer. After the Canterbury Tales inspired Hyperion came the outright space opera Fall Of Hyperion. Endymion, book three, scales everything back and becomes an interplanetary action-adventure story across alien wildernesses. Still a lot of fun.

One more now.

n  "So it was that in the early autumn of my twenty-eighth year, content in my ignorance stolid in my conviction that nothing of importance would ever change, I committed the act that would earn me a death sentence and begin my real life."n

4.75⭐

n  Initial Thoughts n

Look, I'm not a sci-fi nerd. I tried Frank Herbert'sDune and gave up after fifty pages. I've never read Issac Asimov or H.G. Wells. But boy do I love Dan Simmons' Hyperion series!

Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion were the first two books in Dan Simmons's Hyperion Cantos. They are a self-contained duology and for me were absolutely mind-blowing, particularly the first book. Winning Dan "the Man" numerous awards (Nebula and Locus among others) and showcased just how good hard science fiction could be. Could anything top them?

From what I understood Endymion would follow on from those first two books and I've already waited far too long to read them. Main reason for that is that they are big, dense books and I like to hit my Goodreads goal before I commit to these behemoths. Is anyone else sad like that? No just me. But it's been a while since I've been in the Hyperion universe, so things may be a bit vague for me. But that's what those wiki summaries are there for.

I'm going to assume that you've read the first two books and if you haven't do it right away! Otherwise I'll be sending the Shrike over to see you, and if you know who he is you would certainly not be arguing!

n  "Death and resurrection are not to be taken lightly."n

n  The Story n

So this one starts two hundred and seventy-four years after the conclusion of the Fall of Hyperion. The universe that Simmons created has seen a definite change with the fall of the old order and the rise of the Roman Catholic church in the form of the 'Pax' government.

We begin with the main protagonist Raul Endymion, who works as a hunter on the planet Hyperion taking groups round the outback. At least he used to, as he's now been sentenced for a capital crime and awaiting execution in a small box-room orbiting the planet. He's not got much else to do so he's narrating the story of how he arrived in this jam.

We also get an alternative perspective as we soon discover that the former regime of the Hegemony has completely fallen and been replaced by 'the Pax.' The main antagonist is Father Captain de Soya who is on a mission to the time tombs on Hyperion, which were a feature in the original story, to capture a young girl (Aenea) who is scheduled to emerge from within.

The two perspectives intertwine when a character from the original story rescues Endymion and sends him on a mission to rescue Aenea with the help of ancient android A. Bettik. This is the basic set up, and once this takes place the story moves into top gear as the story begins to shift between the hunter and the hunted. Along the way we get to see exactly how the universe has changed, but I'm keeping my lips sealed as that's all for you to find out.

n  "Here I was charged with protecting this girl, and when what might be the deadliest killing machine in the galaxy appears what do I do but rush her toward the danger. I was being a bit of an asshole this long day."n

n  The Writing n

Yes Simmons is a brilliant writer and this series really allows him to showcase his talent as he paints a fantastically vivid and visually stunning universe. His style really is flawless and sets him apart from almost every other author in the sci-fi genre. The majority are really bland with their prose and this author is anything but with some stunning imagery and description.

But in Endymion we get to see just how talented a guy Simmons is as the most amazing aspect is his ability to imagine and create a whole universe. He did this brilliant in Hyperion and continues to show that there's plenty more where that came from. I consistently have to pick my jaw up from the floor in sheer astonishment at just how mind-blowing this all is.

Before I finish, I have to draw attention to the mode of space travel that the author creates in this one. I won't say what it is exactly, but it ties in humanities new found ability to resurrect the dead, and it is so original and visceral that it really caught my attention. It's certainly not a pleasant experience and there's some brilliant symbolism. I can't wait for you to check it out.

n  "nothing is inevitable. The outcome is always in doubt. Decisions for light or dark are always ours to make--ours and every conscious entity's."n

n  The Characters n

My main concern was, due to this one being set so far in the future, what would happen without the brilliant set of characters from the original Hyperion. Although, those in Endymion weren't quite on that level, I did end up really enjoying and becoming invested in each.

Although the main character of Raul Endymion is your fairly standard hero, he is certainly likeable and his interactions with the other characters, particularly A. Bettik provide a good bit of humour. His relationship with Aenea is well done and even though it looks like they are destined to get together when she matures, hopefully a fair bit, Simmons prevents things from heading into creep city. Something Stephen King probably couldn't do.

My favourite character though had to be Father De Soya. Certainly not your typical antagonist, and definitely not a complete villain, he exercises enough independent thought to begin to see the cracks in the Pax government's narrative and slowly realises that the forces he serves aren't quite telling the truth. Thank god our governments aren't like that! Through him we get to witness the chilling nature and motives of this regime. The guy really has a conscience and it was great to see his development throughout the novel as he wrestles with that inner voice and devotion to the church.



And fear not we do get to meet some old characters from the original novel and there's plenty of links to the original story. Including the number one killing machine...the Shrike. It really wouldn't be the same without him. But maybe, just maybe, he might be on the other team in this one. Who knows? He really does like to keep his feelings to himself.


Beauty and the Shrike

n  Final Thoughtsn

Again, in a similar vein to the first duology, this story finishes on a real cliff hanger. It turns out that this is just the first half of one complete story and I can't wait to get to the final installment...The Rise of Endymion.

Look, I don't think it would be possible to top the original Hyperion novel, but I found Endymion just as engaging although not quite as mind-blowing. It's a damn fine read and still some of the most exciting and entertaining science fiction I've encountered.

I would one hundred percent recommend it if you enjoyed the first two books and although reading them isn't essential I would strongly recommend it as it ties together so nicely. It's a staggering achievement that really does need to be experienced in its entirety. And I haven't even finished it. So it's on to the Rise of Endymion for me. Less time writing reviews and more time doing what we all love best...I mean reading! Get your mind out of the gutter...

...and thanks for reading. Cheers!

At the beginning, the author warns you that you're reading this book for the wrong reasons. He's right. If you're reading this because you liked Hyperion, then you're reading it for the wrong reason.

Endymion is like Hyperion like Pluto is like Jupiter.

I had read many accounts as to how inferior the last two books are but I never imagined the situation to be this bad. Endymion isn't a book. It's a dragged out prologue to Rise of Endymion. That is all.

Set some two fifty years after the Fall, the Vatican, through the power offered by resurrection, has taken over the old Hegemony space. For nostalgia's sake the story starts at Hyperion and we follow Raul Endymion in his journey (He calls it adventure, I call it the most boring thing one could read) Thrown in are the Shrike, time tombs, a mysterious (not in the slightest) prophet and a poor schmuck called De Soya and we have Endymion. There is no sum of it's parts. It's just parts. So don't worry too much about it.

Raul the shepherd (He's more a sheep than a shepherd, the way he's lead about) A twelve year old know it all who everyone obeys for no real reason and a completely irrelevant android are the central characters of this tragedy. Honestly De Soya's story line is far better than whatever these people are upto.

The entire book is filled with irrelevant and nonsensical discussions. I miss the days when each sentence had meaning and profound impact on the reader. The narration is also for the most part in first person, which would mean, the most passive character gets to tell us what other passive characters are doing or not doing or whatever it is that's happening or not happening.

Endymion is an uninspiring, uninteresting and unworthy sequel to one of the greatest books I've read!

Endymion continues the story begun in Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion...however, it isn't a direct sequel. The "Fall" has occurred some two centuries ago and the Hegemony (a far-future conglomerate of multiple planets) is now run by the Pax, enforced by the "miraculous" resurrection symbiotes discovered by Father Lenar Hoyt in Hyperion. Farcasting (traveling instantaneously through portals) is now impossible. Raul Endymion lives on the planet of Hyperion and is hand selected by Martin Silenus to go on a quest. He is to protect and escort the child, Aenea (the future "messiah") to her final destination somewhere in a far-flung solar system. Joining them is the enigmatic and loyal android, A. Bettik. They are pursued by Pax forces, led by the anti-hero, Father Captain De Soya.

I never thought that science fiction could be beautiful. It sounds cheesy, but it's true. DS so deftly and luminously portrays far-future life, that it actually becomes believable. The desert planets of Hebron and Qom-Riyadh, the dessicated elegance of God's Grove, the icy tundra of Sol Draconi Septem...all so alien, yet so oddly familiar at the same time.

The relationship between Raul, Aenea and A. Bettik was what really cemented this book for me. The three of them formed a tangible connection, one that could not be broken despite fear, devastation, loss, agony. I know that the next book in the series, The Rise of Endymion discusses moral and ethical issues related to the future of humanity but in this book, there is the one overarching theme of love. Love at its nascent stages, love blooming, love between adult and child, love between friends. Such a simple concept, but love really does conquer all.

Taking a decent break following the two Hyperion novels before starting Endymion was actually a good decision. I knew full well that this series of four books offers diminishing returns after Hyperion and the first book for me was nothing short of a masterpiece and easily in my all time top five reads.

Having the time to breath and armed with the knowledge that this probably wouldn't hit the heights previously seen allowed me to go in and enjoy it for what it is and it was a welcome return to some familiar locations and faces.

I would offer the same advice with this series as I would for Frank Herbert's Dune - every lover of the sci fi genre should at least read the first book but continue only if you loved it and really want to squeeze out every last piece of lore possible.

Want a free cruciform? Won´t hurt that long. Bodily.

It´s so realistic that humans would use a groundbreaking, new biotechnological option to establish a new reign of faith fueled torture and terror state that makes the empire look weak in contrast, because they at least didn´t want your immortal soul and forced you to get indoctrination body horror parasites I am absolutely sure that this is going to happen, that people will be manipulated without their knowledge by  secretly infecting them with an indoctrination virus or placing a flesh eating, extremely disgusting monster parasite on their body in a holy mass while they are chanting  That´s how we roll, besides, next, or maybe even before use in medicine, immortality for instance, or bio nanotech hybrids, the most stupid and dangerous use will be prioritized.

One may have guessed it already, Simmons owns any faith, religions, sect, or whatever may still come and shows how it happened, happens, and will happen in the future if belief and naivety of humans are used to gain power with false promises of immortality. It´s the only time he is masterfully dissing the once most destructive sick mental construct, before economy entered the stage and Chuck Norrised priests into oblivion while saying "Hold my holy consumerism texts, PR, advertising, and marketing, while I am proselyting the last one of your proponents behind that altar."

There are some antagonists that make Terminator look like a little kid, they could eat dozens of these primitive, stone age time travel killing machines for breakfast, just as the mentioned economy eats galactic politics and faith. One should definitively consider taking notes and, or, marking highlights, and especially continuing the thoughts, offered by this amazing series, to expand and fuse them with the knowledge collected by reading other sci-fi to get the full, immersive pleasure.

Some don´t like this novel that much and I don´t get why, it has everything, and criticizing Simmons for being too wordy would be the same as doing it with King, just very weird.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...

https://poseidons99.wordpress.com/202...

Дан Симънс продължава да надгражда идеите си от Хиперион и да развива действието, започнало от там, около 3 столетия след едноименното поклонение и битката.
Показва ни Шрайка в различна светлина и разбулва истинското лице на злото. Църквата от своя страна влиза в съюз със злите сили, за да може да продължава да властва над човечеството. Добрала се е до кръстоидите и ги използва най- безцеремонно, сеейки смърт сред прокудените. Единственото същество, което може да разклати основите на Църквата е едно момиченце( Енея), което беше в утробата на детективката Брон от предходните 2 книги. При все че са минали близо 3 столетия, Енея е на 12 години, защото е прекарала цялото това време на сигурно място в Гробниците на времето и скоро ще излезе от тях. И тогава, ще се изправи срещу бича на псевдо-религията и кръстоидите. А Църквата ще я преследва яростно през цялото време. Момиченцето не е само в своята мисия. Над нея бди не кой да е, а Шрайка( в Ендимион започнах да харесвам този Шрайк

It is a good and more focused story compared to the previous two. However it definitely drags throughout the middle with little to no advancement. Until the last 100 pages where Simmons decides to plough through the explanations and setup the final book in the series.