Hyperion (1989)

That was a trip. I think I need to read [b:The Fall of Hyperion|77565|The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #2)|Dan Simmons|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1541174620l/77565._SY75_.jpg|1882596] before I can really dig into it. I loved it, but I haven't gathered all of my thoughts in one place. I really should keep notes. ( )

I know, I only gave it four stars where everyone else gives it five. Its actually 4-1/2 stars, but I just couldn't give it five. Why you ask? After an almost perfect novel (really a series of individually excellent loosely interconnected stories tied together by an equally good framing story), Dan pulls a huge Stephen King boner by adding a ludicrous and unnecessary, downright silly, detail in the very last page. Good 'ol Dan just couldn't resist being SO clever. Instead of making the end perfectly profound, it just makes it sorta profound. It distracts instead of focuses.

This is a symptom of a minor flaw in the entire novel which is too much reliance on 19th and 20th century symbols, metaphors, and idioms. People 800 years from now are just not going to use antique metaphors that relate to things they don't actually experience any longer. Do we rely for most of our metaphors on the 13th century? No big deal though, until that ending.

Fortunately this is all but forgotten at the beginning of the Fall of Hyperion (oops he uses the WoOz reference again in late in Fall). Maybe Dan can make me forgive that last page.

Don't get me wrong about this, this book is a must read for ANY science fiction fan and possibly for just about anyone else who admires great writing. There are just so many other good things about it. ( )

Priest's tale 10/10 the best one
Soldier's tale 8/10
The Poet's 5/10 a bit too confusing, maybe better after reread
The Scholar's tale 9/10 amazing after when everything clicks in
Detective's tale 6,5/10 classic "run from police/system" scifi
Consul's tale 6/10 the last act of it 9/10
+overall world
+shrike
+humor
reading deadhouse gates beforehand helped the comprehension ( )

This is a five star book that ends about twenty pages too early. The story is driven forward by these fascinating mysteries, and _right_ on the verge of answering them the book ends. Are they answered in the sequel? I don't know. But I shouldn't have to read the sequel to find out the answers to the main driving questions of this book.

It feels like Dan Simmons didn't know the answers to those questions, so ended things early. ( )

A classic of the genre for good reason - immersive, funny, emotional. Really great writing. Overall outstanding. ( )