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joemowens 's review for:
The Rise of Endymion
by Dan Simmons
I really like this quartet [dual duology?] as a whole. I think the first 2 books are better than the second 2, but both duologies do absolutely complement each other [which, as you'll see by the end] is both intentional and necessary.
I recently told writer friend, Eddy Rathke, that I think Hyperion is playing mostly in a similar sci-fi space as DUNE more than anything else — just from a different angle. Especially. in scale and scope, etc. Consider the Technocore / The Big Mistake of 08™, etc. versus the Butlerian Jihad and whatever happened to the original Earth in DUNE (I've actually... forgotten[?] now lol!), but there are certainly a lot of different parallels and quasi- (or rather pseudo-)parallels between the two series, which are just kind of fun to think about!
[I'll spare everyone the Harold Bloom / Anxiety of Influence / clinamen/misprision discussion/nascent ramblings that has/have been rattling around my brain since book 3 or so...]
There are a few spoiler-y issues I have, especially with the fourth book, which I'll hide with spoiler tags, but some things really bugged me!
Here goes:
* I hate how he regularly calls her “My friend” and “Kiddo.” That’s a no go once things become intimate.
* I’ve really never been bothered by sex scenes in media of any kind. Except, that is to say, for these. I cringed at, like, all of them.
Anyway--
* If Aenea carries the “virus” that gives humans access to the Void that Binds™, which folks get after drinking wine with a drop of her blood—like Jesus—wouldn’t the virus also be transmittable via sex? Why does Raul need the blood wine too? They be fuckin ALL the time! Is there something in the ceremony or chemical composition of the wine when mixed with her blood?
* Raul is such an obsessed little fuckboy sometimes. Literally. E.g. He is obsessed with Aenea’s prior sex life. He even desperately wants to/nearly does tell A. Bettic: “it’s of life and death importance to me,” at one point. Even though Rachel told him that he’s (Raul’s) the only man Aenea’s ever loved. His raging insecurity just... Sucks... Bro really needs to just trust the dang process!
* I began to actively dislike Raul toward the midway point of Rise of Endymion.
* I mean... He’s in his 30s; he should be better!
But yeah, really good and fun series with just a few issues that struck the wrong note with me personally! Definitely recommend!
I recently told writer friend, Eddy Rathke, that I think Hyperion is playing mostly in a similar sci-fi space as DUNE more than anything else — just from a different angle. Especially. in scale and scope, etc. Consider the Technocore / The Big Mistake of 08™, etc. versus the Butlerian Jihad and whatever happened to the original Earth in DUNE (I've actually... forgotten[?] now lol!), but there are certainly a lot of different parallels and quasi- (or rather pseudo-)parallels between the two series, which are just kind of fun to think about!
[I'll spare everyone the Harold Bloom / Anxiety of Influence / clinamen/misprision discussion/nascent ramblings that has/have been rattling around my brain since book 3 or so...]
There are a few spoiler-y issues I have, especially with the fourth book, which I'll hide with spoiler tags, but some things really bugged me!
Here goes:
Spoiler
* Raul Endymion‘s and Aenea’s relationship makes me uncomfortable especially once it becomes sexual...* I hate how he regularly calls her “My friend” and “Kiddo.” That’s a no go once things become intimate.
* I’ve really never been bothered by sex scenes in media of any kind. Except, that is to say, for these. I cringed at, like, all of them.
Anyway--
* If Aenea carries the “virus” that gives humans access to the Void that Binds™, which folks get after drinking wine with a drop of her blood—like Jesus—wouldn’t the virus also be transmittable via sex? Why does Raul need the blood wine too? They be fuckin ALL the time! Is there something in the ceremony or chemical composition of the wine when mixed with her blood?
* Raul is such an obsessed little fuckboy sometimes. Literally. E.g. He is obsessed with Aenea’s prior sex life. He even desperately wants to/nearly does tell A. Bettic: “it’s of life and death importance to me,” at one point. Even though Rachel told him that he’s (Raul’s) the only man Aenea’s ever loved. His raging insecurity just... Sucks... Bro really needs to just trust the dang process!
* I began to actively dislike Raul toward the midway point of Rise of Endymion.
* I mean... He’s in his 30s; he should be better!
But yeah, really good and fun series with just a few issues that struck the wrong note with me personally! Definitely recommend!