xonicle 's review for:

Hyperion by Dan Simmons

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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I was pleasantly surprised by Hyperion. I went into it completely blind with zero expectations and had a great time reading it. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time waiting for the next unexpected twist. Each character was unique and a joy to read about. Every section convinced me that the book could not get better and this would be my favorite character, only for the next section to one-up its predecessor. The changing writing styles between characters serves as a unique way for the reader to gain more insight into the character currently in focus. From a series of diary entries straight out of a horror novel to a film noir style mystery, each new character quickly captured my heart and attention. 
It seems that Dan Simmons has gone through a crisis of faith at some point in his life and some of thay bleeds into his writing in Hylerion. As someone who finds themselves asking similar questions, I appreciated the religious themes and discussions throughout this book. Hyperion isn’t the most original or mind-blowing piece of media I’ve ever seen. I’m sure many would find the writing too pretentious and lacking true substance. However, it found me at the exact right time and I found myself truly enjoying it.