Book club - Hyperion - December 2015 *Spoilers*

[delanvital]

Following uni's template, I've started a thread for the next book, Hyperion, by Dan Simmons.

[delanvital]

Here are my 2 cents:

Pros:
- Interesting approach with a chapter to each character, makes the dialogue between the characters a lot more interesting, along the way.
- I like the world it takes place in and, considering it was written in 1995-1996, the ideas are as interesting today. I particularly like the idea of the portals, and how one can have an apartment fragmented across several worlds.
- The knots tying to Keats are also interesting, but never really properly done. I, at least, was a bit confused how Keats mattered in all this.
- An ending that makes you want to pick up the next in the series.
- You also get a good understanding of the different, but interesting factions (ousters, technocore, humans - and the inbetweens such as cybrids).
- The stories all ties together in ways you couldn't guess - lots of thought has gone into this, I think.

Cons:
- The characters are not equally interesting. For me, especially the last story was weak.
- It has a very heavy start - the first 20 pages or so. It feels like he wants you to grasp the setting in way too few pages
- It would be great if the first book did more than merely introduce the characters - in my case about 600 pages to get started on the actual plot, is overdoing it.

So:
I was expecting the story to be more "scifi saga" but liked what it turned out to be. As said above, too long a start to build a world, which means the ending is interesting, and wets your appetite, but doesnt explain much. I am unsure yet, whether I should give the sequel a go (that is, I couldn't help but read 20-30 pages of the next book, which very much better flowing than the first book, but have stopped there, for now). A "little 4" out of 5 from me.

[Emmeke]

I have way more cents to add! Like, 3.

Like:
the different characters and their stories - getting a look at this same universe from pretty different viewpoints. The characters were all relatable in some way, they were all very human in their feelings. It was nice to see some juxtapositions between the characters and the stories they ended up telling (the soldier’s story, for example).
the universe - even though it's pretty grim at times, with the addiction to the internet and whatnot, I like the idea of this universe and being able to travel between the planets (I also like Star Trek okay), and I thought it was well thought out to portray several planets from different points - both historical and current, with all the struggles that come with change. Made me think about the world we live in and how we have this rather unbridled drift to expand, expand expand and colonise at all costs. Perhaps this social commentary was not very subtle, but I liked how it was done in the book.
I did not mind the start. Sure it was a bit intense but I think it was a good sort of kick-start. This is not a simple novel yo.
I liked that I think back on all the characters with fondness. Not every character resonated equally well with me (the father+daughter story, the consul and the priest were my favourites, I think) but all of them had bits that I liked, and bits I liked less.
Unlike Vidar I don't mind that this book basically just introduced characters and a setting. In between all the travelling of the group I looked forward to finding out who was up next to tell their story. The combination worked well for me.

dislike
the ending. It was too cheesy for my liking. Too obvious heading into the sequel. It actually made me want to not read the second book, even though I really want to learn more about the story, I don't want it to be this cheesy.
The whole Keats thing. I am not familiar with the man and his work, so all the links to him were pretty much lost on me (and it seemed a bit pretentious). Maybe this is just a lack in my education

All in all, I will probably read the sequel in a while once I’ve stopped raging about the ending of this book. I really enjoyed the stories, I like the universe, I’d really like to know what happens with the Shrike and if any of the pilgrims find what they’re looking for. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes a big scifi book and cannot lie.

[BrotherTobious]

Oh god no please no no more! If you want a book which has every style of story from adventure, love, loss, war and religion. But told in a way where you don't care about any of the charterers then this is for you.

I had to really push through this book to finish it and the ending well I am so really pleased I persevere for that. No really it is not worth it.

It mean to be one of the greatest sci-fi but I don't think I have bitched about a book so much since reading Harry Potter and order of the pheonix.

Anyway this book gets a single star from me.

Sent from my Nexus 5

[Emmeke]

Hahah I saw your single star. I hope you'll like the next book better

[Jamoe]

Drivel, can't even finish it...