Customer Reviews

Endymion

5 star:		(59)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(25)
2 star:		(17)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I'm somewhat surprised by some of the reviews for the Hyperion series, especially the latter two, Endymion and Rise of Endymion. I agree that Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion are the /slightly/ stronger of the four, but again they are the foundational works which support the rest of the series, which branches off into a more ornate, but steadfast, structure. Looking at the structure of the Hyperion saga as a whole, both as science fiction and as literary fiction, few stories come close to matching the width and depth of Simmon's conceptualization of the future.

Sci-fi ornamentation aside, much of the saga's strength lies in it's most literary qualities. The plot is epic and the characters are depthful and realistic, but Simmons raises the bar a notch above the average space opera's best, weaving a rich tapestry of allusion and parallelism that would challenge literary fiction's finest offerings.

Hyperion itself, as many have surmised, takes on the patterns of Canterbury Tales as its own, with its tales spanning the genres from mystery and suspense to classic military sf. This multi-genre approach is an unusual vehicle for introducing an entire science-fiction universe, and duly appreciated by those sick of tired and stilted exposition.

The Fall of Hyperion rightly gathers source from Keats' unfinished epic and the greatest tragedies of our time. By the close of this installment, Simmons' Mythos of the Hegemony, the Shrike, and the Hyperion pilgrims stands on its own in the form of Martin Silenus' Cantos, an accomplishment that, some say, Simmons should have stopped at. Yet mysteries and holes have been purposefully left unanswered and unfilled. Good marketing, certainly, but one must appreciate the difficulty of keeping this sort of complexity tight and controlled.

Endymion is the perfect example of this. Simmons balances the story's elements to near perfection by developing and adding onto the Hyperion Mythos while answering some mysteries and making others more mysterious. Plot-wise, Endymion's fast-paced chase is a timeless theme (all Scharzenegger jokes aside), and Simmons does not waste it by relying wholly on the cliches that have led highbrows to dismiss action-based stories as inferior. Rather, the chase becomes a framework for Simmons to explore the mysteries and difficulties of faith and reason that he first introduced in Hyperion with the priest's tale.

The Rise of Endymion is an exceptional way to cap off this saga (and unsurprisingly, there is always room for a sequel). This final installment shares many thematic elements with Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land (and who can't resist imagining Martin Silenus as a caustic Jubal Harshaw?) The questions of religion, faith, and messiah-hood are presented fairly and with an objectivity that is refreshing in an industry and a culture where it is popular to portray such topics with a negative, mocking slant. (Honestly, name an Arthur C. Clarke novel where faith and religion are /not/ quickly dismissed as irrelevant to an imagined future culture.)

Stylistically, Simmons writes with detailed clarity and a dry sense of humor that underpins every book in this series. While the story may bog at times during the particular verbose descriptions of the latter stories, the pacing is never derailed. Necessarily with any work of fiction, there are miniscule lapses of continuity and logicality. (What /did/ happen to Leigh Hunt?) But I would argue that these nits are so glaring only because the whole of the series is so well-implemented. To remain quotable, the saga is a spectacular tour-de-force, breathtaking in scope with heart-touching characters. Please read these books.

"Hyperion" cycle is a quartet divided in two halves that shares the same universe. "Endymion" starts the second part. Three hundred years had elapsed since the end of "The Fall of Hyperion" and new forces are playing the game. Some characters of the first half, as A. Bettik, Martin Silenus and The Shrike reappear here. The Catholic Church with her new resurrection "sacrament" is expanding everywhere. The "farcasters" are not working and space travel takes a toll in the form of time debt.

Simmons gives a new turn of the screw to his story: the new main character is an anti-hero. He is not very brave or smart; he is loyal and devoted to Aenea. Usually M. Endymion just goes ahead pressed by the events that pop up and strives to stay alive and protect Aenea. He is just an ordinary man subjected to extraordinary events. The Pax forces leaded by Father Captain de Soya launch an all-out persecution thru the universe and this is its chronicle.

Simmons uses a subtle humor and winks the reader to enter the game. At the same time, in another level of the story, more complex issues are touched as predestination versus free will; religion and faith; ethical and unethical choices.

Before reading this book is advisable to read "Hyperion" and "The Fall of Hyperion", to fully understand what's going on. But you will not regret doing so, you'll get in touch with one of the best sci-fi sagas written in the `90s.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Wow! This is one of the most engaging novels I've ever read. Simmons is a master storyteller. Endymion is one of those rare books, which manage to create a truly believable futuristic world, regardless of how "alien" the technology and setting might appear. It's a world you have to tear yourself away from. If you enjoyed the Hyperion books, then I really think you will like this. Simmons weaves another complex and highly original plot involving the three travelers, the Pax Church, the TechnoCore and the mysterious entities inhabiting the outer reaches of the megasphere. He reveals information slowly throughout the book and by the end you really have more questions than answers, so if you're anything like me you'll definitely want to read the final part (Rise of Endymion) of this wonderful saga as soon as possible to find out what's going on. By the way, some people find this book less action-filled than the two first, which is partly true. The novel is slightly slower than its predecessors, but in my opinion there is more than enough going on, and, as stated above, the story is a real page-turner.

Yes, I know people will disagree with me. They will unfailingly say that the first book (HYPERION) was the best. However, I enjoyed reading this, the third installment in the series, more than the first two books. I think a lot of it had to do with the fact that it got away from a lot of the poetry that was so heavily emphasized in the earlier installments. Second, there's a lot more action in this book than in the first two. Don't get me wrong...I'm not in it purely for the action. I enjoy strong, vivid characters and interesting worlds as much as the next person. However, the action just adds to the overall enjoyment of the book.

The elements that drive the plot in this book were totally unexpected. I wasn't expecting the jump in time and I never would have predicted what has happened to the human race in that span of time. However, it makes for VERY interesting reading. All the intrigue and mystery left me unable to put the book down. I just had to keep reading to find out what was going to happen next.

As with the first two books, Simmons again has created beautifully intriguing characters. Some new and some old, but all of them are interesting to get to know. I think this is the strongest part of Simmons' writing. All of his characters are three dimensional; they have strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears. They are HUMAN.

I have enjoyed this series immensely. It's characters, the world building, the tech, and the story all came together to provide me with hours of involved reading. I can't wait to finish the final installment, RISE OF ENDYMION.

Dan Simmons' third installment in the Hyperion series, "Endymion," is hardly comparable to the previous two. No longer do we have the broad, sweeping storytelling from the Hyperion Cantos, but instead, we are presented with a relatively narrow plot following the adventures of a couple characters. Rather than a sci-fi version of the "Canterbury Tales," "Endymion" is simply an adventure novel. If that was all you really liked in the first two books of the series, you will probably agree with several other reviewers who have criticized this book for its smaller scope and different style.

However, Simmons' writing still retains its fluidity and rich style. The characters are still well-crafted and engaging, the plot remains just as intriguing, and Simmons again shows his remarkable knack for creating rich and believable worlds.

Like the first two novels in the series, "Endymion" and its sequel "Rise of Endymion," are really almost two halves of a single book. While "Endymion" does not have the abruptly unsatisfying end of "Hyperion," its story is certainly incomplete. The real value of this novel is that it lays the groundwork for its sequel, the capstone of the four-book series, and the true jewel that makes the Hyperion saga stand out as one of the greatest science fiction works written.

Once again, like Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, I am writing a joint review for Endymion and The Rise of Endymion as the two books comprise the totality of one story (I have seen some complain about this, but put the two books together and decide if you want to hold that while reading it!).

With Endymion and The Rise of Endymion, Dan Simmons has written a brilliant adventure tale that brings to conclusion the story begun in Hyperion. These two books are more than just another chapter in the universe; they are the next evolution in the story of humans, TechnoCore (AIs) and Lions and Tigers and Bears. Where Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion is a methodical, multi-viewpoint story of how humanity and the Hegemony had arrived at the point of being slaves to the TechnoCore, Endymion and The Rise of Endymion is an adventurous story about the savior of humanity from outside forces and itself.

Nearly 300 years after The Fall, the Catholic Church has risen from obscurity to control the Pax, the new empire of humanity that has slowly widened its grip on the former worlds of the Hegemony as well as waged war against the Ousters. Like the Hegemony, the Pax and church have made a deal with the devil (the TechnoCore), but secretly as most people think the TechnoCore destroyed or in hiding after The Fall. The cruciform has become the sacrament of immortality as administered by the church and is now the defining difference between the believes and followers of the church and Pax and the rest of humanity. This church, like its last incarnation in the previous Dark Ages (for the time after The Fall was a new Dark Age), this church has the same instruments of control such as the Holy Inquisition and the reward of your immortal soul.

Enter Raul Endymion, a non-christian hunting guide on Hyperion. After killing an off-world hunter, who is a dignitary of the Pax, for killing his dog and nearly killing him, Endymion is sentenced to death by firing squad. But, Raul has a guardian angel that secretly saves him from his fate: Martin Silenus. In exchange for his life, Silenus enlists Endymion to rescue and then protect Aenea, the daughter of Brawne Lamia, who will be exiting the Time Tombs in a few days as a 12 year old.

But, this task will not be easy, as the Church and Pax - whose Pope is Lenar Hoyt - know she is coming and they consider her an enemy of the state. Enter Father Captain De Soya, who is charged with the capture of Aenea at the Time Tombs.

With the help of a Magic Carpet, thus begins the adventures of Raul Endymion, his charge Aenea - the One Who Teaches - and their traveling companion, the Android Bettik as they travel from world to world via the thought dead farcasters of the River Tethys in search of Earth, the answers to humanity's future, and the destruction of the Pax and TechnoCore; All while being pursued by Father Captain De Soya and an even larger threat directly from the TechnoCore itself. Along the way, they will discover new friends, new worlds, and new love (no, Raul is not a pedophile!), and what the church and TechnoCore are planning for humanity.

Come along on this amazing adventure of discovery and redemption, and watch as a Mesiah-to-be grow up and as a new hero is born.

>>>>>>><<<<<<<

A Guide to my Book Rating System:

1 star = The wood pulp would have been better utilized as toilet paper.
2 stars = Don't bother, clean your bathroom instead.
3 stars = Wasn't a waste of time, but it was time wasted.
4 stars = Good book, but not life altering.
5 stars = This book changed my world in at least some small way.

Many fans of Dan Simmons' Hyperion series were not enamored of this more separate entity within the saga. It does not detract, however, from what a fun thrill ride this book truly is. You need not have read the first two books to enjoy this one, and in fact, it might be better if you haven't. Simmons incorporated the more fun elements of the previous books, weaving them into this grand and tremendously entertaining adventure of science fiction. The Worldweb and the mysterious Shrike creature add excitement to an already great story.

Almost 300 years have passed since The Fall, and Earth apparently, but not conclusively, no longer exists. The Worldweb and the Shrike creature are around, yet the only thing standing between complete control of everything by the military arm of the Catholic Church called Pax, is an 11 year old girl named Aenea and Raul Endymion. She is the future leader of all, and he has been chosen to protect her from harm. Using Farcaster portals to other worlds to elude a somewhat reluctant Father DeSoya, they find an ally in A. Bettik, a blue android.

The chase is exciting, moving at breakneck speed. The mysterious and deadly Shrike creature adds an unknown element for the three. The questions pondered and ruminated on are thought provoking, engaging the mind of the reader as their heart enjoys the adventure, the outcome always in doubt. As the connection between Raul and Aenea grows stronger, so does the need to know that outcome. Doom for all mankind looms like a dark storm over their trek in this grand adventure tale. It is a book easy to get lost in, a breathtaking tale of the future that can only be found in books.

You read something like this slowly, savoring it, because you know it is part of a series and, therefor, probably without a conclusive ending. Whether a science fiction reader or not, if you enjoy getting lost in another world, this is a good book for you. Sort of a stand-alone book within the series, it is just flat fun to read, and highly recommended.

What a mess. The first two books told a great, and complete, story. To begin this one, however, is to open a new can of worms, and invest yourself in a new set of characters -- with only a few attachments to the ones you already grew to know.

That's fine -- lord knows the Dune series batted me around for a few thousand years before letting it end. But this book is little more than a chase. Two ships, chasing each other. Two VERY SLOW SHIPS chasing each other. It's like watching glaciers play tag. And, in the end, all its done is set you up for book number four.

This all comes with a caveat.... the fourth book is fabulous. So -- if you want to read the fourth book, which I encourage, you'll want to swallow this one beforehand, just for the plot details, or you'll be well lost. It's quite a penalty, really... but, I swear, the last book will make it worthwhile. Really.

Dan Simmons' third installment in his Hyperion Cantos takes off in a different direction from the original two novels, Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. Instead of following the adventures of seven pilgrims on their way to save the galaxy, we are treated to new characters (as well as a couple of old faces to ease the way in) whose mission is not altogether clear, at least not at first, although you can guess it has something to do with saving the galaxy. It is 274 years after the Fall of the Farcasters, the Fatline, and the Hegemony, all that was keeping the World Web of planets together back in the year 2852 AD. In The Year of Our Lord 3126, it is the Catholic Church, known now as the Pax, that holds the universe together as tenaciously as a steel trap on a fox's leg. The Church's power is paramount, remarkably stemming from the "taming" of the cruciform parasite that is capable of resurrecting dead individuals. However, as we learned in the Hyperion novels, the cruciform, a pet of the TechnoCore artificial intelligences, though capable of resurrection, did so in ways that were dehumanizing, leaving cruciform hosts imbicilic and sexless. Somehow the Church bargained with the Core to temper the cruciform so that it kept its host intact, resurrection after resurrection. What a Faustian bargain has been reached though! Now trillions of humans are infected with the cruciform and are capable of living multiple lives, including the current Pope, who was once Father Lenar Hoyt, a major character in the first novel Hyperion. But all is not right with this new way of living. The new characters, Aenea, daughter of Brawne Lamia and the cybrid John Keats, and Raul Endymion, hint that the Core has turned the Church into something more in line with the Old Church of the Inquisition during the 1500s. Aenea, the One Who Teaches, is a threat to the Pax, or will be when she reaches of age. The Church wants nothing more than to stop her before she matures. It sends Father Captain Federico de Soya, a priest/warrior to capture the girl, only 11 years old. Raul Endymion, a shepherd (what else) cum bargemaster cum guardsman is summoned by none other than Martin Silenus, the old poet whose "Cantos" Raul memorized as a child. Of course, Raul thinks the "Cantos" are mere legend, but he soon discovers that most of what Silenus wrote in the them was true. Endymion is to be the hero, the one who rescues and protects Aenea from the Church that is intent on capturing and silencing her forever. And Raul lives up to the challenge in his first adventure by rescuing Aenea from a Pax ambush, with a little help from the Shrike who shows up to, of all things, protect Aenea . Hmm, a kinder, gentler Shrike? Well, at least to Aenea he appears to be, but merciless to the thousands of Pax soldiers he slaughters. As the book progresses, we see Aenea and Raul, along with the android A. Bettik (a peripheral Hyperion character), travel through space in the Consul's old ship, through old farcasters that only work for Aenea, and down the River Tethys to traverse several planets once in the old World Web. Encounters both fearsome and baffling await them. Aenea seems to know what the future will bring, or at least parts of it, but Raul is left in the dark; all he knows is that he needs to protect his charge. With most of the universe out to get Aenea, he has his work cut out for him. Can he succeed? The fate of the human race is at stake. But in the meantime, Raul Endymion must earn his "sleep full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing."

I can see how some might be disappointed by this book and it's sequel when relating them to the first two books.

Endymion takes place several hundred years after events in "The Fall of Hyperion." As such it does little to resolve the fates of the characters in those books. Instead Endymion focuses on the journey of Raul Endymion a native of Hyperion and the child Aenea who is the daughter of the John Keats cybrid and Brawne Lamia.

Hyperion and it's sequel wrapped many layers of mystery around the Shrike, The Time Tombs and especially the Core. Endymion starts the process of unraveling those mysteries.

Aenea and Raul's journey takes them across the galaxy as they are pursued by forces of the Pax and the Core. Along the way their relationship develops a meaningful quality to it that gives the book its character.

While this is a wholly different book from the first two in this series I enjoyed it just as much. This book is more focused than the first two and also more reflective as it divides its time between fewer characters. Raul and Aenea are more fully developed than most of the characters in the first two books and therefore able to carry the book on their own for the most part.

While I can see how some might be disappointed by this book and it's sequel because of the different tone I can't really agree with them. I found this book to be a different, but very worthwhile followup to the first two books.

The fourth book "The Rise of Endymion" is required reading after this one.