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anshm's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, War, Vomit, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Colonisation, Blood, Chronic illness, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Genocide
machewson's review
dark
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.5
This book was a horrendously bad follow up. The plot of the first 400 or so pages follows the why say with 10 words what you could say with 10,000 mantra. The book mostly feels like an excercise in smugness by the author. Filled with quotes from classic literature and references to other great works of art more as way to seem smart than as a building of plot or character. Every character is an intolerable asshole until they randomly aren't. Characters are freed for having a pesky arc by just becoming better at the end. The plot is saved from ramping up by just ending. If you enjoyed Hyperion just leave it at that is my recommendation. Hyperion was not free of sexism but this takes it further and adds in new ways to hate like some Islamophobia tacked onto the end just for fun. This review I know is rambling but I cannot describe to you how bad this book is. Please do yourself a favor and don't read it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Medical trauma, Slavery, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Cultural appropriation, Death, Drug abuse, Genocide, Gun violence, Sexism, Suicide attempt, Torture, Child death, Terminal illness, Violence, War, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Islamophobia, Mental illness, Rape, and Sexual violence
mynameisvesper's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
?!?!
How does one even try to explain this book. First: Hyperion series is not a sci-fi though it plays with sci-fi themes. It’s fantasy. First book was the intro to this one. The complexity goes a bunch of levels higher here and while, I loved it, I’m stranded with questions…
But without spoilers: medley on philosophy, religion, fears of AI, evolution, war strategy, colonisation and poetry. Takes some time to digest and take it in, and still you end up with questions. This doesn’t diminish the thrill of reading it though, cause it gives plenty of plot twists and plays on your emotional attachment to the characters. Glad to have this series on my shelf! I can see myself going back to this, and I’m definitely continuing with Endymion.
How does one even try to explain this book. First: Hyperion series is not a sci-fi though it plays with sci-fi themes. It’s fantasy. First book was the intro to this one. The complexity goes a bunch of levels higher here and while, I loved it, I’m stranded with questions…
But without spoilers: medley on philosophy, religion, fears of AI, evolution, war strategy, colonisation and poetry. Takes some time to digest and take it in, and still you end up with questions. This doesn’t diminish the thrill of reading it though, cause it gives plenty of plot twists and plays on your emotional attachment to the characters. Glad to have this series on my shelf! I can see myself going back to this, and I’m definitely continuing with Endymion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Genocide, Violence, War, Blood, and Colonisation
nquinlan's review
adventurous
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A good read, it’s a shame you have to read the first book to get here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape and War
Moderate: Pregnancy
Minor: Colonisation
bmccollum4's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
This is definitely one of my favorite books of all time, but I genuinely do not know what to write about it. Maybe the information will settle in my brain a few days after reading it, but it’s just. so. much. I just finished the book and I don’t even know how to begin to explain the plot, but the thought of reliving it excites. Before I make any critiques, I want to make clear my genuine love for this book, and that my complaints probably aren’t even for the better of the book, it was just things I struggled with. And like I said, my only complaint is how much this book is. Another user worded it best, saying the plot is kept so obscure. And there’s so many plot points. That all kind of wind together to make this intricate story- personally, I just don’t understand how Dan Simmons was able to conjure this up in his mind. It’s just crazy. I loved all of the characters, loved what happened, loved the book- but was just lost at times. Lost might not even be the word- it’s just I’m obsessed with knowing every detail of the story, and this book tells the story of not only SEVERAL different characters, but also several different factions- the pilgrims, the hegemony, the Core, the ousters, the shrike cult, the shrike itself, and the Tree people. Each group has its own motives, with various importance, and it was just a lot to keep up with. But I loved every second of the confusion.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and War
Moderate: Body horror
snugwugs's review
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Genocide, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, Blood, Torture, Violence, and War
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