A very proper and entertaining novel, but it's not at all what I expected. I thought it would be a science-fiction or horror novel, the genres I associate with the author. And it's not that.

The novel follows the life of one of the astronauts who set foot on the moon, not the first ones, many years later, as he tries to carry on with his life. It explores how such an experience can change you. And it's an interesting journey. Simmons remains a great storyteller.

So I recommend it, even though it's not what I expected. It offers a different perspective and a well-written account of a character's life after a momentous event. It shows that sometimes, even when a book doesn't meet our initial expectations, it can still have value and provide an engaging read.

Apollo program astronaut, who has burned out, experiences a mid-life spiritual crisis. This makes for a satisfying read. The book is well-written and serves as a good escape. However, the plot leaves something to be desired. The themes are not fully explored, and some of the plot devices seem outdated. Despite this, I still enjoyed the book. But I'm not entirely sure if I can recommend it.

Perhaps if you're looking for a light read that offers a bit of a departure from reality, this book might be worth a try. But if you're a stickler for a tightly woven plot and in-depth exploration of themes, you might be disappointed.

Overall, it's a bit of a mixed bag. While I found some aspects of the book enjoyable, I can't wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone. It really depends on your personal reading preferences.

Phases of Gravity turned out to be quite different from what I had anticipated, especially after having read several of Dan Simmons' other works. It is essentially a character study centered around Richard Baedeker, a former astronaut and moonwalker. Simmons employs a rather unique approach by making sudden and often unannounced shifts in the protagonist's timeline. As a result, there is not much of a traditional plot. Instead, it feels more like a fragmented look into different aspects of Richard's life. There were certain moments when I found myself growing bored with the lack of a clear narrative arc. At other times, I was left confused about the specific time period being described. Was it when Richard was taking those historic steps on the moon or perhaps when he was learning to swim as a child? Despite these drawbacks, the writing itself is undeniably elegant, just as one would expect from Simmons. His use of language and ability to paint vivid pictures in the reader's mind are still very much on display.

It might just be good to come to terms with the fact that master Dan Simmons is not one-dimensional. He is neither the Alpha nor the Omega, as I had come to believe after reading Hyperion and the entire series.

Indeed, I have to admit that I started Phases of Gravity under completely wrong assumptions. I thought I was going to read one of the author's science fiction stories, but Simmons has taken more detours on his journey than most others. Behind him lie science fiction, horror, fantasy, and historical stories. And then there is this one, which is perhaps hard to fit under one hat and would be best described as a dramatic late-life story.

Well, it doesn't really matter to me. It wasn't entertaining and to be honest, I gave up on reading it. Now my main goal in life is to manage to travel back in time and prevent myself from starting to read it at some point.