ENDYMION by DAN SIMMONS (Hyperion Cantos #3) | Sci-Fi Book Review

Endymion is the third book in the Hyperion Cantos and the first in the Endymion/Rise of Endymion duology. In this review I let you know what I thought of the new characters, worlds and storylines in the series, and whether you might enjoy them based on your reaction to Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion.

[@zorloc111]

I feel like Endymion and Rise of Endymion are underrated. I would love to see more content based in this universe, at least more than four books.

[@WordsinTime]

I agree, I think they’re a little underrated as well! Definitely one of my favourite universes!

[@BookishChas]

Thanks for this review! The Hyperion duology is my second favorite sci-fi of all time, and I’m very excited to start Endymion.

[@WordsinTime]

You’re welcome! I enjoyed the second duology, although it helps to view it as a mostly separate story in the same universe. What is your number one sci-fi?

[@BookishChas]

@@WordsinTime thanks. Good to know. Dune is my number one.

[@WordsinTime]

@@BookishChas Nice! I read Dune and enjoyed it but haven’t read further in the Dune series.

[@ajaxslamgoody9736]

@@WordsinTime Not being disrespectful, (plus I have ADHD) but Dune was like watching paint dry or like we said in the Army " moves along like Pond Water". But I like the movie and the worms.

[@nickpreece7516]

Planning on reading this in a couple of books time. Loved the first two, they were just mind blowing!

[@WordsinTime]

Awesome! I loved the Hyperion duology as well. Endymion is a bit of a change in style but I loved it as well for different reasons. Hope you do too!

[@ikonhero]

I haven't read this. I loved the first two books. The Climax of the Fall of Hyperion was mind blowing. I will definitely pick this one up at some point.

[@WordsinTime]

That’s awesome! The Fall of Hyperion is one of my favourite books! The Endymion duology is a somewhat connected but also somewhat separate story. Endymion is a fun adventure and The Rise of Endymion is a bit more slow and philosophical. I hope you enjoy it!

[@godofchaoskhorne5043]

How. What was so mind blowing? It was literally the worst ending ever. 1. Shrike, never properly explained 2. Why does Rachel Weintraub become the keeper and companion of the shrike? What does that mean? What's the point? What did the shrike show her that convinced her to help him. What's the point of helping him since you want to destroy him. Why would the shrike allow you to tag along when your goal is to defeat him. 3. The voids that binds is love.. yes .. it's...uhh love. 4. The net /void is full of ... ai bears and lions....and the AI that created a God is scared of them. 5. The ousters are furries and insect humans. 6. Sol Weintraub "ahh I get it now, it's not God that tested Abraham, it's abraham that tested God!" Legit the dumbest thing I've ever heard 7. Why John Keats. Lile who the f cares about Keats. Dan simmons is so pretentious. He isn't a poet, his poetry sucks, but even worse is his constant religious talk which is less coherent than the made up techno babble he uses. He is theologically illiterate. 8. Some of the worst prose I've read in my life. Obvious thesaurus user, will use an obsecure word, the use it 5 more times in the next 3 pages, and.then never again. 9. Every daytime sky is lapis Lazuli eventhough that's a dark blue. And hyperion is Lapis tinged with Green which just is disgusting..that combined with stuff being more saturated far away and faded / pastel close-up, really really made.me hate the planet hyperion. 10. Why doesn't brawne recognize Rachel.as Moneta since. She meets het ad Moneta multiple times. Then with Weintraub she immediately and instinctively knows its Rachel. But it takes her a while to.realise Rachel is Moneta... eventhough she's already seen her before The books had some good twists..not.a single on at the end Ho.and in both.hyperion books the guy ends the story with a song... in the first one they walk into the sunset all holding hands singing along. The second one they sing 'somewhere over the rainbow". I.swear I almost threw my.ereader against the wall. If Keats is in a biological body which cybrids are. Then why would Brawnes baby be half cybrid/ai. Why can cybrids reproduce with humans in the first place? Ho man I can go.on forever. The big reveal.at the end is LOVE. Just no.

[@ikonhero]

@@godofchaoskhorne5043 i was actually referring to the part where the world pretty much fell apart after the destruction of the farcaster network. But i agree that a lot was left unexplained. I think Simmons had already 2 more books in mind to explain it all. Im now beginning in part 4. I thought book 3 wasnt that great.

[@teqfreak]

I'm so happy found your reviews of the Hyperion Cantos' Books. Last december (2021) I started with Children of Time (which I had on the shelf for a while already). It has reignited my passion for reading after not reading any books for more than a decade. Since then I have expanded out in many different universes by reading the first book (or more) of dune, foundation, hyperion, revelation space, shards of earth, three body problem, rendez vous with rama, xenogenesis: liliths brood and some fantasy to change things up (mistborn, stormlight archive). I think that from all the books I read last year Hyperion has been my absolute favourite . While I was trying to figure out which of all these awesome series I wanted to finish (first) I always skipped the idea of finishing Hyperion first, even though I liked it the most, because I heard so much negativity about the following books. Watching your videos about Hyperion (and Endymion), and the great reviews in the comments here certainly has changed my mind! Thank you for the awesome reviews!

[@WordsinTime]

That is awesome to hear you have found your love for reading and sci-fi! Those are some awesome series. I love Alastair Reynolds but haven’t actually read Revelation Space yet, so I’m looking forward to that. Hyperion fans are bit mixed on the sequels, but I loved them, especially books 2 and 3. Book 4 is good too, it’s just a bit slow. I hope you enjoy them too!

[@ajaxslamgoody9736]

@@WordsinTime Check out Hull Zero Three...from Great Greg Bear...He just passed away about a week ago.

[@WordsinTime]

@@ajaxslamgoody9736 I was sad to hear about his passing. Thanks for the recommendation, I will check that one out!

[@billkeon880]

Really liked first two, so looking forward to this one

[@WordsinTime]

It’s a bit different in style but if you liked The Fall of Hyperion you might like this one too. Hope you do!

[@omerkeshet351]

I enjoyed the book, currently halfway through Rise of Endymion and it's looking good too (: Can't for the life of me get what the thing you said might be from real life is! Could you give me a hint?

[@WordsinTime]

Haha I actually made a mistake, the thing I was thinking of was in Rise of Endymion!

[@omerkeshet351]

@@WordsinTime oh ok XD I guess I'll soon find out then!

[@tappajavittu]

It's been a long time since I've read the Endymion books but I remember them being much more pulpy and lacking the depth of the first two books. Shrike feels more like a way for Simmons to write himself out of a corner. I don't remember the weird plot you mentioned, wanna remind me what it was? I don't have my Hyperion cantos books where I live currently so cant pick them up again.

[@WordsinTime]

Yes, I’m not sure the character development and thematic depth was as strong as the Hyperion duology but I still thought the world building and adventure story was excellent. The weird plot point I mentioned was the kidney stone but I made a mistake as that was actually in The Rise of Endymion.

[@tappajavittu]

@@WordsinTime Oooh yeah the kidney stone part! I remember that, haha, yeah that was pretty weird.

[@0xGEEK]

Nice review. I LOVE the Hyperion Cantos! Plotwise it's a mess, but what a beautifull mess it is! The end (the end of a quadroligy!) is just awesome, so, so wholesome! (SPOILER, kind of: D. Simmons is kind of a master of recon. But that's not a bad thing, i.m.o., IF the story and the characters thus recieve a satisfying conclusion. So, the way D.S. does it, is alright with me. Please give it a try!)

[@WordsinTime]

Thanks! I’m glad you loved it too!

[@mwont]

Endymion has more linear structure. But some world jumping got repetitive.

[@WordsinTime]

I liked it but that’s a fair criticism.

[@kurrankeating7004]

It's 1:30am, I just finished the Endymion audiobook. It's ending gave me an ego death and now I can't sleep.

[@WordsinTime]

Haha oh no. Hopefully The Rise of Endymion helps!

[@coldhardwick]

The one thing I really didn't like about Endymion was the Rhadamanth Nemes. It felt just so dumb to introduce that character in such a way. And then in Rise of Endymion (currently reading now, about 3/4 the way through), Simmons introduced the siblings. I still think it's dumb. Every time they're mentioned it just gets more and more annoying. I hope the end pays off, though.

[@WordsinTime]

* Endymion Spoiler * Fair enough. I liked the fight between the Shrike and Nemes though.

[@Cesar82nd]

Carrion comfort is Simmons best book. ❤

[@WordsinTime]

Interesting! I’ll have to check that out in the future!

[@martinbruno764]

Gonna be honest, to me this book was a complete step down from the previous two books, im completly fine with new characters but besides father desoya the main cast isnt that memorable or complex, the story is for the most part a repetitive linear chase and the worst aspect of this duology (which is infinitely worse in the next book) was the romance "sub"plot between aenea and endymion, its not very present in this book but it gets started at the end. Yeah the worlbuilding was gooda and the action portions are exciting but I was expecting far more from this saga.

[@WordsinTime]

That’s fair Martin, I think the strengths of Hyperion and Endymion are different.

[@Carlos-yg4dn]

I COMPLETELY, I was struggling to get through this book not even going to lie.