Endymion

by Dan Simmons

563 pages

English language

Published Nov. 14, 1996

ISBN:: 978-0-553-57294-0
Goodreads:: 3977

(5 reviews)

The multiple-award-winning SF master returns to the universe that is his greatest success--the world of Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion--to tell a story of love and memory, triumph and terror in a novel even more magnificent than its predecessors.

Two hundred and seventy-four years after the fall of the WorldWeb in Fall of Hyperion, Raoul Endymion is sent on a quest. Retrieving Aenea from the Sphinx before the Church troops reach her is only the beginning. With help from a blue-skinned android named A. Bettik, Raoul and Aenea travel the river Tethys, pursued by Father Captain Frederico DeSoya, an influential warrior-priest and his troops. The shrike continues to make enigmatic appearances, and while many questions were raised in Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion, still more are raised here. Raoul's quest will continue.

7 editions

Nick Barlow reviewed Endymion by Dan Simmons

Fascinating universe, dull plot

2 stars

Content warning Some plot stuff, sexualisation of a minor

This starts with cresting an interesting universe, where the future the characters of the first part of the series has been twisted into a new malevolence. Like the Hegemony, we're shown gradually how monstrous (and corrupt at its heart) the Pax is, but the problem is the main plot is dull. Even with two strands going on, each becomes repetitive as everyone looks for someone to explain the bigger plot to them, until eventually something gets dropped in to set up a conclusion. And a final star knocked off for the really rather skeevy way Aenea's depicted, especially the whole "eleven year old girl telling a twenty seven year old man they're going to be lovers in the future" thing.

bookafnd reviewed Endymion by Dan Simmons

catholics in space

5 stars

I read Hyperion and the Fall of Hyperion a few years ago, and was a bit worried that I'd need to have them fresh in my mind going into this one. The events of the previous books are referenced quite a bit, but this book also takes place around 200 years later, so it sort of makes sense for me to only remember the original story in broad strokes.

It has the quality of, appropriately, epic poetry, due to its complicated setting, and very deliberate story beats (which also make it feel a bit like a fairy tale). If I have a criticism of the writing technically it's that sometimes the description felt overly detailed (I do prefer this to books which don't explain what's happening enough).

There's some stuff which felt Questionable. I think I want to read the next (and final) book before making up my mind …

There's some stuff which felt Questionable. I think I want to read the next (and final) book before making up my mind on how I feel about that, though. Overall I had a good time reading it.

Löhwe 📚

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Jan. 2, 2023