Hyperion

Thoroughly enjoyable, and vastly better than I remembered from when I last read it 25 years ago. There were so many details I didn't recall. I somehow callowly missed all the obvious link the Canterbury Tales amidst the other literary allusions.

The world-building was exceptional, even if things like the world web now seem like a product of the era when it was written. To wit: the the writer and academic describe work conditions in several hundred years from now that seem firmly rooted in the past, let alone the present.

From memory the rest of the series declines in quality, but wow, this was good.

TL;DR removing one star because it falls into some classic uncritical usage of colonialist + imperialist narrative, misogynist plot devices + characters, and ableist language + lenses. without downplaying these core issues, i still have to say this book (and its sequel) are some of the most impressive, ambitious, & compelling hard sci-fi i've ever read. more specifics:


in particular "the soldier's tale" and "the consul's tale" were both totally uncritical of their feminine muse characters-as-plot-devices, and the sex scenes felt shoehorned and pointless because of it. "the detective's tale" starts by centering a dope & hyper-competent woman character but she too is eventually shrunk into a confused & lovesick wench. the book in general also has a poorly-hidden enjoyment of militarism & military aesthetics without much of a critical eye, although I think the sequel does more in this regard. "the priest's tale" could have done without its offensive takes on neurodivergence and the frontiersman/missionary narrative too.

thankfully Simmons does engage much more critically with imperialism, sex/gender, and disability as the book+series progresses. "the scholar's tale" in particular was beautiful and devastating, and I enjoyed "the poet's tale" for its view on socioeconomics + disability and life in an over-networked world. speaking of, the world of the book is massive and intricate with a rich history that is revealed in media res as you read (my favorite type of worldbuilding though i know some find it tedious). if huge-scale speculative political & philosophical intrigue interwoven with intimate hyper-personal character-driven narrative is your cup of tea, give it a shot and hit me up to discuss!

For years people have been telling me “Oh, you love Space Opera, you’ll love Hyperion”. I finally read it.

The story is pretty okay, a little unexciting, but generally sort okay. I have 3 main problems, which stopped it being really edifying for me.

Firstly, it’s essentially a bunch of people sitting round telling stories. Like seriously, couldn’t you think of a better bridge between story arcs.

I also don’t feel the universe was described match the social effects of technology with the technology in it. For example there are fully sentient AIs, but however it’s never explored as to what it’s like to be a sentient AI or the differences in experience for them of us. There’s instantaneous travel, which apparently is expensive, but is also ubiquitous (not sure that makes sense). It all feels a little untidy.

Finally this story could practically be set now, with on major changes in the plot. I feel that Space Opera should express some change in society over time, be it regressive or progressive. This is staunchly set in 1990, just 1990 with a roughly painted background of the future.

3/5.

I couldn't connect to any of the characters, the plot or the universe. Finished it only because a friend insisted so much in me reading it. Of course I will not continue reading the rest of the saga.