Dan Simmons has done something very rare in writing today. He makes you think. He has written a book about taking stock of ones life. His protangonist has been to the moon, which would make him the envy of many people. Yet, his life is not working. So the story weaves its magic on the reader. As the story proceeds, some of lifes questions are answered for the hero, but not all of them. There is a sense of disquiet that pervades the story. Better yet, melancholy best describes this work. If you going through your own personal search for the meaning of life or want a sense of what it could be like, then I highly recommend this novel. There are no aliens or monsters with this read, but it stands along with the best of what he has written. It is truly an amazing piece.

Efectivamente, no lo puedo describir. Sólo puedo decir que cuanto leía me envolvía y me parecía estar viviéndolo. Especialmente la forma en que se sentían los personajes, sus más íntimos estados de ánimo. No estaban escritos, pero yo los sentía. Y el calor de la India, y la oscuridad de la noche, y la inefable cualidad de ella...

Lo compré sin saber nada de él, porque me gustó Hyperion. Son de géneros completamente distintos, y me gustó igualmente.

I had never heard of this Dan Simmons book until the moment when I first saw it in some comic book store . . . and that immediately intruiged me. Generally with a successful author you hear about all of their books, whether it's the glorious peaks of their best work or the terrible quality that is the worst they have to offer. Curious I picked it up and put it on a shelf to read until just the other day, and now I finally finished. And I'm definitely impressed. This has to be one of the Simmons' least known and most underrated works, all of his fans who read his Hyperion series or even the fans who like his horror work should come and get this, because it falls nicely in the middle. Neither a science fiction nor a horror novel, this time he chooses to write about the simplest and most complex of topics: people. The novel concerns the spiritual (in a sense) quest of a former astronaut who once walked on the moon and his attempts to come to terms with his life and all that has transpired. It raises the interesting question, once you've sacrificed nearly everything so you can do what only a handful of men have done, isn't everything downhill after that. And if you leave your life in ruins because of those sacrifices, well you can't stay in space forever and you've eventually got to come down and face the music. The more is vastly more complicated than that and even though it doesn't have snarling vampires or weird spiky creatures (not that I don't like those) guarenteed you won't miss them one bit. Simmons crafts his main character with all the depth of a real person and eventually he becomes someone you want to know and someone you do get to know. His style is still marvelously apparent, his gift for description and detail never in better evidence here, especially when describing dreams or nature sequences, or even the cold beauty of space. Most of all this book has heart, Simmons has a real affection for the material and the characters and that shows through on every page. This is one of those books you can't go wrong with. Sadly out of print, try your best to snag a used copy and get ready to discover another facet of the man that you might not have realized. If anything this proves that Simmons can do any type of novel he wants and still create something of quality.

I have been amazed by Simmons since first being recommended Hyperion. A long-time SF enthusiast, I loved the whole series. In fact, he had kind of slipped by me somehow so it was an absolute delight to discover such a wonderfully good FOUR book series LOL.

Being a heavy reader, I checked out his other books and discovered a very rare writer indeed: able to span genres quite ably, thank you very much. An amazing writer -- someone who can span the world-scale horror dimensions of Carrion Comfort to the Hyperion series to the comic-Darwin-Award-relief of Darwin's Blade. I was and am amazed. Even the books that I had great difficulty with in starting, like The Crook Factory -- a historically accurate fictional tale about Hemingway -- I have come to have a deep and abiding love for (I will never forget Hemingway character's explanation of effective writing).

So this book is about his writer's insights and process. If you aspire to write full-time but haven't achieved that, are delighted by the ability of Dan Simmons' works to take you on journeys and are curious as to how he goes about it... and, lastly, won't get bankrupted by the price, buy this book. If the price makes you gasp, buy more blank paper, study his published works and keep writing.

The book is *very* short and expensively priced but, trust me, you'll reread it. The foreward alone is captivating -- I had to reread it several times at the get-go. This is an intimite view into the writer's mind.

This book is a small peek into the process Simmons uses to create his magic. We see his wonderful hand rendered sketches, discover outlines for past novels, and observations that became grist for his local-color mill in the settings of some of his work. A fun book to read and own. Most interesting, probably, to great Simmons fans and writers.

Peter Orullian

Where to start? First of all, this is a wonderful book and Dan Simmons is a very good writer, if this work is any indication of his talent. I haven't read anything else by Simmons but I have ordered another title and will add it to the front of my queue.<

While I obviously enjoyed the book thoroughly (more on that in a moment), I must comment o on some areas I didn't particularly enjoy: (1) The Consul's story is not at all believable, nor does it lay the groundwork necessary for the plot turn. (2) The final scene, with the characters linking arms and singing tunes from "The Wizard of Oz" is unpleasant and unworthy of the rest of the book. (3) Simmons' frequent references to twentieth-century events and persons taxes the reader as well; for the obvious care and planning that went into this work it is disappointing that Simmons couldn't do better. (4) Finally, Simmons makes an unforgivable error in his use of the word "penultimate" as a synonym for "the most." How this could have slipped past his editor is beyond my comprehension, but the fault lies with Simmons for making the mistake in the first place. Perhaps this is an inside joke or Simmons did it on purpose to win a bet?

All that said I'm still able to say that Hyperion is the best science fiction novel I've read in years. It compares favorably to the works of the masters - Heinlein, Bradbury, Ellison - in its scope, its artistry and its ability to deliver visceral impact to the reader. This work, like much of theirs, transcends its genre and belongs in the library of anyone who enjoys good fiction and great writing.

I had a friend, an educated and very well read woman, who once asked me for recommendations in the science fiction genre. I regret losing contact with her for many reasons, and now I have another: I wish I could have recommended this book to her.

I've always put off reading Hyperion for some unknown reason. This year, I was accepted to Clarion West, where Simmons is going to be teaching, so I decided to pick up his most famous book in order to be able to approach the man with semi-intelligent conversation.

I was amazed. The book is made up of six novella length stories told by character on a pilgrimage to the deadly Shrike. Like the Canterburry Tales, each character takes a turn telling his or her tale, and believe me, any one of these tales would be worth the price of the book all on its own. I won't go into any description of the tales because I don't want to spoil your enjoyment, but I can say that they are written in a variety of modes and styles that portray Dan Simmons's superb talents.

Even more amazing, every tale is interconnected to the larger frame story: the pilgrimage. Each tale holds a vital clue to the pilgrims' future meeting with the Shrike.

For careful readers, Hyperion holds references to major literary works of our world, including Pounds Cantos and Shakespeare (and I already mentioned Chaucer). This is a book that was not only worthy of the Hugo, but should have been considered for "literary" awards as well.

One note of caution to those expecting a pat ending: the pilgrimage does not end in this book. You'll have to continue to Fall of Hyperion, as I'm going to do immediately. Simmons's work is so awe inspiring, so exquisite, that I'm both excited and intimidated to have him reading my own work this summer.

I've loved Hyperion for years. As a librarian, I recommend it highly to any (adult, not teen) reader who wants an introduction to the SF genre. This book, written as a string of long narratives by six different characters, represents some of SF's best themes: life after death, messianic figures, interstellar warfare, time travel, interplanetary colonization, strange alien encounters, cyberpunk. It even crosses genres with the detective's story. The characters are all well-fleshed out and thoroughly engaging, even if they're not all entirely likeable. I thought Fall Of Hyperion was just as good and a definite must-read for anyone who liked Hyperion. The two Endymion books fell a little flat and I don't usually recommend those unless I have a hard-core Simmons reader in front of me.

If you are a King fan you will absolutely love this book. It is a very interesting story line of a government experiment that went bad. It made me really think that there is probably stuff like this that takes place more often than we think. It is full of action and the descriptions make you feel like you are actually there watching this happen. As the reader you will really feel for Charlie and the decisions that she is faced with at such a young age. King really captures the essence of a eight/nine year old's torn mind of not wanting to hurt anybody yet not wanting her or her father to get hurt as well. The character of John Rainbird I also found to be interesting yet complex... I do not want to give too much away, so just read it! The way the book ended also left you with your imagination to play out with what you thought would happen next.

A somewhat slow start that speeds up to a whirlwind of a great novel only to drop to a whimper of an ending. I've read most of King's work and really enjoy the innovative ideas as well as the writing techniques he employs to keep his well from drying up. This novel skips around a bit in time but King handles this better than most. I had a problem with the ineptitude of the government agency known as the Shop. Their inability to track down and capture a man and his young daughter was stretching things in my mind. Read Ludlum to see how it can and should be done. The ending seemed to me like King couldn't decide on how he wanted it done. He seemed to be almost wrestling with the idea of whether or not to kill off the little girl. I am being tough on King here because he is such a talent and this novel, while very good reading, just doesn't quite make it up to his excellent standards.

Charlie McGee is a little girl much like any other little girl. The only problem is, She has the unnatural ability to cause a fire to start anytime, anywhere she wants. Now on the lamb with her dad, hiding from evil government agents what is going to happen.

If your used to King's horror stories this one isn't. It is a real thriller that belongs on the shelf with authors such as Robin Cook and Dean Koontz.

For all of you folks who immediately turn a book away when you see the name Stephen King thinking it's just another blood and guts horror novel. Think again, this one isn't.

I read this book in one evening. It will grip you from the very beginning and won't let go until that last word on that last page has been read.

Simmons is a truly versatile writer penning books is many genres - horror and suspense, science fiction and mystery. While his science fiction series, Hyperion, remains my favorite piece of work, his horror novels are excellent.

Summer of Night follows a group of friends through the horror that was the summer of 1960 in the small, rural community of Elm Haven, Illinois. Simmons paints a vivid, lifelike portrayal of young boys growing up in a small community and he exhibits his gift for excellent characterization.

I've always found it difficult to be truly surprised or scared by anything I read - sure, some things are unsettling or creepy but rarely am I actually startled. Summer of Night scared me to death in parts.

Sure, it could be said that this is a run of the mill horror novel, similar to King's many coming of age novels from the same genre. But Simmons is such an excellent writer, he makes the entire thing an experience not to be missed.

"Summer Of Night" is the first book I have read by Dan Simmons and now I plan to read the rest of his work. This book is beautifully written and very scary. Some of the scenes are so tense and frightening that I nearly stopped reading on several occasions but somehow refrained from doing so. The one scene in particular which got me was when one of the young boys was in his dark and flooded basement and feels the hand of a dead schoolmate brush against his thigh. The way simmons orchestrates that scene, building the suspense slowly and using clever wordplay is nothing short of masterful and it is easily the most frightening chapter I've ever read in any book. It is true that the dramatic climax of the book is a bit weak but as another reviewer stated the ending of the book is extremely poignant and very fitting. The only other book that I have read that falls into the same category as this one is Richard Laymon's "The travelling vampire show". In a review of that book ... someone stated that it was insulting to dan simmons to compare that book with this one. I couldn't agree more. This is a far superior work and several leagues above the vast majority of rubbish that passes for horror fiction these days. Comparisons to Stephen King's "It" I cannot comment on because I have not read that book yet, although I have seen the film adaptation of "It" and yes I do realise that sometimes these things aren't always wholly accurate conversions to the screen, however I would still say that Dan Simmons' "Summer Of Night" compares favourably to "It", possibly even topping it. On the front of this book there is a quote from King himself saying " I am in awe of Dan Simmons ". Read this book and you will understand why. Easily one of the best horror novels ever written.

I noticed that several other reviewers here make comparisons to IT and BOY'S LIFE. Having read all three I can safely say that SUMMER OF NIGHT is incomparable. Dan Simmons is the only one of these three authors (and I'm a huge McCammon fan) who actually makes these kids REAL. King's kids are always stereotypes, McCammon's weren't drawn deeply enough, but Simmons actually makes them live and breathe. They act their age, for one thing, and you care about them....a lot! And, unlike the other two authors, Simmons draws a female heroine who is so likeable, so unique and so interesting, that she merited her very own sequel!

In addition to loving the characters, the story is a slam-bang horror yarn that keeps you intrigued from start to finish, and has some of the most suspenseful scenes in all of horror fiction (the coal bin in the cellar, just to name one...and, of course, THE RENDERING TRUCK...a character all on its own!)
I recommend this book to every horror fan I know, with a guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
And Dan Simmons, if you are reading this, PLEASE WRITE ANOTHER HORROR NOVEL!!!

Joe Kurtz, ex-PI, has been out of Attica only four months, after serving a twelve year sentence for manslaughter, when he finds himself bombarded by hit men hired by the Farinos, an upstate New York crime family interested in making him dead. And then there's a dying violinist who thinks Kurtz might still be a PI and asks him to look into the case of a dead child killer who just might not be dead. The two plots soon converge, in a clash of bumbling Farino family bodyguards, the lovely and dangerous Farino daughter Angelina Farino Ferrara, two crooked cops who would just love to catch on-parole Kurtz carrying a gun, a freezing cold Buffalo winter, and the most dangerous element of all -- a serial killer hiding behind a big name right out in the open.

HARD FREEZE, Dan Simmons's second book about this tough, relentless anti-hero Joe Kurtz, is hardboiled, gritty, and full of dead bodies. How many were there? I never managed to keep count but the total kept rising, Kurtz carrying out a few too many of his own executions for me to be comfortable, and the bad guy spurred onward by the cheesiest motivation imaginable to justify his horrible treatment of teenage girls. The dialogue also left a lot to be desired; no Elmore Leonard here. Still, the story is fast paced with just a hint of heartless romance, characters who thankfully remain true to their type, and a justice for the bad guy terrible enough to satisfy even Joe Kurtz.

If you like tough and bloody hardboiled tales about cruelty and violence, ex-cons and crooked cops, and outside-the-law heros who never give up fighting for their own, HARD FREEZE is sure to satisfy.

...HARD FREEZE finds our hero(?) Joe Kurtz, picking up where he left off in HARD CASE...In true sequel style, HARD FREEZE picks up with Kurtz risking all to find and destroy anyone associated with the murder of Sam.

HARD FREEZE opens in the middle of a brutal Buffalo winter with Kurtz evading three hit men of questionable grey matter (Kurtz knew them in Attica as "The Three Stooges"). As it turns out, Steve "Little Skag" Farino, a returning character from HARD CASE, has decided that Kurtz must go but is too cheap to hire a quality hitter. Thus, The Three Stooges. After learning, through dubious means, of the latest plot against his life, Kurtz finds himself in a relatively no-win situation: cops on one side just waiting to send him back to the joint and the mob on the other side with renewed interest in seeing him become fish food. At this point, Simmons introduces the reader to Angelina Farino Ferrara, Little Skag's older sister and the initial protagonist. Through "certain" interrogation techniques, Kurtz learns that another Buffalo crime family, the Gozangas, was responsible for Samantha's murder. This is all Kurtz needs to know to become the one-man wrecking crew that he is however, the storyline doesn't stop here.

Simmons decides to make Kurtz's life a little more [interesting] by throwing two more, somewhat exacerbating, circumstances at our hero. Kurtz's teenage daughter, a daughter who has no clue of Joe Kurtz's existence, has been left in the custodianship of the sterotypical sleazy stepfather. Without causing upheaval in his daughter's life, Kurtz decides to play her invisible angel by keeping tabs on the stepfather...quite close tabs.

The second situation and one that plays a major role in the plot of this book is a new client Kurtz is reluctant to take on. An older black man, John Wellington Frears, a concert violinist, was referred to Kurtz by his longtime heroin addict friend/informant, Pruno. It seems that Frears daughter was raped and murdered some twenty years ago. The official story was that, after murdering Frears' daughter, the murderer commited the classic familial murder/suicide, but Frears swears to Kurtz that he saw the man at the Buffalo airport very recently. Although Kurtz is ostensibly unilaterally-minded in his quest for revenge against the Gonzaga Family, Kurtz takes on Frears' case and begins the hunt for the ghost Frears seeks. As the story plays out, it becomes abundantly clear that Frears' nemesis is also Kurtz's nemesis and a monster of much greater proportions than Kurtz could ever imagine.

It is quite obvious that Simmons' plot is multidimensional. However, he is able to keep the plot in reasonably decent order and places emphasis on the multipile storylines in a well-sorted manner thus keeping the reader involved in each subplot. Additionally, Simmons pays the proper level of attention to each subplot thereby creating the perfectly-wound web providing the basis for bringing the the storylines together in the end.

Of minor concern and my only issue with HARD FREEZE, the ending seemed somewhat abrupt, almost as though Simmons "needed" to finish the book ASAP. While not materially denigrating to the story as a whole, it was somewhat obvious and a bit detracting from an otherwise wonderful hardnosed, hardboiled crime noir bonanza.

Well worth the purchase price and the read.

I was actually praying last year that Dan Simmons would write a follow-up novel to his excellent "private eye" thriller, HARDCASE. Think of the early "Burke" novels by Andrew Vachss, and you have an idea just how dark, violent, suspenseful and entertaining this debut series is. When I found out that a new "Joe Kurtz" novel was in the works, I jumped up and down, singing praises to the gods above, wondering if I could hang in there till the book was published. Well, I made it, and HARD FREEZE is finally out. That's not all, either. Not only is HARD FREEZE better than the first "Joe Kurtz" novel (if that's even possible), but Mr. Simmons is now working on a third book in this fabulous series about an ex-P.I./ex-con who's hard as nails, yet has a code of honor reminiscent of the Japanese samurai. This time around, Kurtz has to do battle on several fronts. First and foremost, there's a contract out on him. Stephen "Little Skag" Farino, who's still in Attica, wants Kurtz dead because the P.I. knows too much about the Farino family business, especially with regards to the deaths of his father and older sister. Little Skag has his younger sister, Angelina, hire the necessary killers to take Kurtz out, but they prove to be no match for our dark hero. When Angelina sees just how good Kurtz really is, she decides to use him to kill mobster Emilio Gonzaga, who's trying to take over the Farino business, and to neutralize her older brother, who's due for parole in a few months. As if this wasn't enough to deal with, Kurtz is also being followed by two cops who want a little helping of revenge for the death of Detective Hathaway six months before. While Kurtz is trying to stay alive, his homeless friend, Pruno, gets him to help a dying concert violinist, John Wellington Frears, hunt for a serial killer that murdered his daughter. But wait, that isn't all. Kurtz is also keeping an eye on Donald Rafferty, the legal guardian of Rachel Fielding (the daughter of Kurtz's dead partner, Samantha). He's afraid that something bad is going to happen to Rachel and is ready to kill Rafferty, if it does. On top of everything else, Kurtz's secretary, Arlene, is pushing him to help find some new office space and to come up with $35,000.00 to start a new Internet business. Last but not least, Buffalo, New York is having the worse snowstorm of its history, and when the snow finally melts, there's going to be a dozen dead bodies scattered around the city for the local police to deal with, compliments of Joe Kurtz. HARD FREEZE is an intensely dark and utterly violent novel with touches of humor mixed in and a hero that isn't always the most likeable person in the world. It starts out at a brisk pace with the Three Stooges (three ex-cons from Attica) trying to take Joe Kurtz out and doesn't let up till after the final battle at the end when Kurtz will have to tangle with one of the most deadly serial killers around and a skilled martial arts expert that makes Bruce Lee seem like a Boy Scout. Not only does author, Dan Simmons, manage to expertly juggle a large number of intricate plot points and to tie up each one by the end of the book without it seeming forced or contrived, but he also creates a somber atmosphere with Buffalo, New York as the backdrop that is perfect for this type of story. The reader is with Joe Kurtz throughout the entire journey, rooting for his survival and for him to take out the bad guys. Mr. Simmons not only fulfills the reader's expectations in every way imaginable, he leaves the reader wanting more, and that is a skill only an accomplished writer can achieve. I'm now eagerly awaiting the third book in the series, knowing that it will probably be at least a year or longer before I can once again enter the thoroughly entertaining world of Joe Kurtz. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Simmons' 'Worlds Enough and Time' is breath taking in scope and vision, and shows why he is continuely a master at reshaping SF and the reader's mind. Gary S. Potter Author/Poet

There isn't a single thing Simmons isn't capable of writing. His novels have touched nearly every single genre - horror, dark humour, sci-fi, fantasy, action, hard-boiled crime... Simmons is able to dip his pen in every type of story that fancies him, and always excels at it. His new collection, Worlds Enough and Time, contains five science-fiction stories. But Simmons isn't able to simply write the typical sci-fi yarn. What he does is go deeper than most authors do to get a meaningful, powerful and always affecting final product.

The collection's best story is also its opener. Looking For Kelly Dahl is a ghost story in which a man is confronted by one of his old students. After a suicide attempt, the narrator awakens in an empty world where the only two inhabitants are himself and Kelly Dahl, a disturbed young woman who wants something out of him. What that is, however, isn't clear until the last pages of the story. Affecting, touching and often terrifying, Looking For Kelly Dahl is an amazing story that fully displays Simmons at his very best.

I also really enjoyed the stories The Ninth Av and On K2 with Kanakaredes. In the first story, history repeats itslef with the earth's distant Jewish descendents are faced with yet a new period of assimilation and darkness. In the second story, three men who are set on climbing to the top of K2 are forced by the government to bring an alien ambassador along for the ride. Both stories are widly original and thought-provoking.

Fans of Simmon's amazingly popular Hyperion series will be happy with the story Orphans of the Helix, which takes place in the Hyperion universe. Although a little slow moving, the story pushes just the right buttons. And the final climax is just perfect.

The only story that truly disappointed me is the closing piece, called The End Of Gravity. Well, it's not really a story, but really a film scriptment. And that's exactly how it reads: like an outline. I'm not a big fan of present-tense narratives, like this story makes the use of. And I can't say that the story itself provoked the same feelings the other four stories in this collections unearthed in me.

All in all, Worlds Enough and Time displays Dan Simmons at his very best. These stories, although all falling in the sci-fi genre, should please fans of the genre but also the people who do not particularly like science fiction. Because these stories are very litteray. If you read between the lines, you'll always find more than is displayed on the page. And that is what makes an author stand above all others.

The tales in this book are all thought provoking and fast moving. The reader finds himself fully immersed in them; while reading this novel I felt myself in the mountains of Colorado then off to the Himalayas climbing K2 and then blasting off into space with a bunch of Russian cosmonauts. Thanks Dan for allowing us armchair astronauts to dream !

First, don't even think about reading this book if you haven't read the first part in the series, the Hugo winning Hyperion, since it will make little sense. This incredible sequel answers many of the questions left unanswered in the first novel, though a few riddles still remain. The novel is quite complex and can be hard to follow at times, the poetic references in particular went way over my head, and when the story shifts to the conflict between the various factions of Artificial Intelligences it all becomes quite complex. But this is still a great epic story about the fate of humanity and it's relation with the machines it creates, as well as God's relation with humans. There's time travel, space battles and plenty of adventure, but it never degenerates into the "space opera" type of sci fi. Dan Simmons tells a hell of a tale.

I loved "Hyperion" so much that I was almost afraid to pick the sequel up, fearing that it wouldn't measure up to the incredibly high standard that Dan Simmons had set (see my review of "Hyperion" for more details). I needn't have worried. "The Fall of Hyperion" further demonstrates Simmons' amazing ability to meld science fiction with poetry, two genres that I would have never thought could be combined. There were several points when I had to put the book down in order to digest what I had just read before i was able to continue, it moved me that muchThe characters you have grown to empathize with in the first novel are forced through more unnerving experiences on the world of Hyperion, with the mysterious Shrike. However, the focus of this book shifts somewhat from the first, elaborating on the big picture as well as the events that are happening on Hyperion. I found much of the book to be confusing, but I kept going anyways and it all eventually made sense in the end."The Fall of Hyperion" explores issues that normally do not surface in the science fiction genre: free will and slavery, religion and faith, and whether the ultimate loyalty should be to the institutions that humanity has created or to the human race itself. It is a work of literature that, in my opinion, should be ranked along with many of the other enduring classics that are taught in our schools. This is not an easy book to read - the Shrike is, after all, known as "The Lord of Pain" - but it is well worth it.

And this book knocks 'em over. I love reading stories in which "everything you know is wrong". Simmons takes the characters and events recounted in "Hyperion" and swallows them whole in a tale that had me scraping my brains off the back wall. The introduction of M. Severn and Meina Gladstone makes for two of the more fascinating and deep characters I think I've ever read. The former is a cipher, reflecting the events taking place hundreds of light-years away (those of "Hyperion") and interpreting them through a dead poet's thoughts. The other is a master politician, leader of a Hegemony that encompasses more billions of souls than almost is comprehensible. The sacrifices they both make to save themselves save humanity itself, but at a terrible price.

Some sections of the book are slow (I found the myriad battles with the Shrike tedious) the majority of the tale is fast moving, incredibly rich and believable, and astounding in its plot and details. This book and its predecessor are simply two of the finest works of literature in any genre, and are utterly entertaining.

I've handed copies of the "Hyperion" books over to probably 20 friends over the last 8-9 years, and had never had any of them returned to me. I don't care ... these books are *that* good.

There are certain writers who peak your interests and keep drawing you back for more. Dan Simmons has done this repeatedly for me and I'm all the better for it. In particular the Hyperion series, quite possibly is the greatest epic in science fiction.

The Rise of Endymion is a grand exclamation point to the series. Tying up all the loose themes lying around from the first three books, Simmons paints a startling picture of a time in the not too distant future with beautiful word pictures and flowing dialogue. I recommend this series to everyone and they brush it off as "sci-fi". This isn't sci-fi, this is fiction at its' finest.

Being an English Major in college I particularily love the way Simmons ties in other works in literature to this series: Keats' poetry, The Canterbury Tales, The Bible, the dime store detective novel, etc.

My friends all said they were left wanting more, but I disagree. Simmons ends where it should've ended with one of the most bittersweet endings ever. Recommend this book to everyone.

By the way, did anyone notice how this novel and Endymion tied in with Phases of Gravity, or am I crazy?

''Mixing classical themes of John Keats' poetry with action-packed storytelling, Dan Simmons singlehandedly breathed new life into the subgenré known as space opera. With only three novels (''Hyperion,'' ''The Fall of Hyperion'' and ''Endymion''), he managed to become an important force in science fiction. Boasting more action and adventure than all three ''Star Wars'' movies combined, ''The Rise of Endymion'' is Simmons' conclusion to his far-future saga. A resurrected Pope Julius XIV has declared a Holy War on all nonbelievers. He has tagged Aenea, the new Messiah, as an abomination who must be captured. Raul Endymion, A. Bettik and a host of others join forces to save Aenea and defeat the Pax. Along the way, Simmons finds time to let his creations ruminate upon religion, godhood and the true nature of love (as did Keats). This book is a page-turning delight that (like all his novels) begs another read so one can savor the many wonders. And like Isaac Asimov's Foundation books, Simmons' Hyperion/Endymion saga will loom large in the genre for years to come. (copyright) 1997, San Antonio Express-News.

After the slightly shaky start to the book, Simmons gets back into the flow of the disturbingly good Hyperion Cantos, with a subtle blend of fantasy, sci-fi and horror. Seasoned Simmons' readers will be glad that all the former elements are there: the Pax, the TechnoCore, the Shrike, the 'Nemes-thing' and slap-bang in the middle, two frail humans and an andriod who've got 'to do what a Messiah's got to do'. i.e. save the destiny of mankind, break the diabolical machine conspiracy and re-introduce a universal policy of love, peace and harmony. A word of warning however, you really need to have read the whole Hyperion Cantos before you can get the full benefit from this one and younger readers might find parts of the book a little disturbing. In conclusion, a brilliantly written and masterfully crafted book delivered with Simmons' usual empathy, subtlety and panache. A true classic in every sense of the word. Put it this way, I was so impressed I changed my web-name!

I consider Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion two of my all time favorite sci-fi books. Simmons fills these stories with wonderfully complex circumstances and brilliant characters carved from poetic bliss. Rarely in sci-fi does an author so skillfully explore the multiple avenues of politcal, social and religious arenas.

However, Endymion, while remaining a good read, is woefully unprepared to carry on the brilliant example illustrated in Simmon's previous explorations. Endymion is simple,almost lazy storytelling with characters that are perilously close to being boreing. Great story telling is propelled forward by great characters. Great characters are complex, flawed beings raging with adversity and duality. The only character who comes close to being interesting is Father Captain De Soya, everyone else in the book remains flat with the possible exception of the old, dying poet. The story itself seems to have problems as well, mainly that it's too long considering its simple subject matter. Simmons' meandering prose is tiresome at times and could have used a more disciplined hand in the editing process. Endymion could have been a much tighter story with the trimming away of at least seventy-five pages.

Dispite my criticism of Endymion it still remains entertaining. It's just that Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion went beyond mere entertainment. Of course I still remain a fan of Simmons' work and eagerly await his next Hyperion installment.

Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion have, unfortunately for Endymion, have set the bar at a high level. Endymion doesn't quite reach the level of the first two books. It is a good read. I enjoyed the story. Yet I, with the exception of Father-Captain de Soya, felt that the characters were rather one dimensional or underdeveloped. Aenea is too much the "If you know what I know" prophet. Raul Endymion is the stock "normal guy" dragged into a great adventure. A. Bettik had unrealized potential as a character. Only Father-Captain de Soya intrested me as a character. I cared about him in the same way as the Consul, Father Dure, and Brawne Lamia in the first two books. What saves Endymion is the scope of the universe Simmons creates. The descriptions of the worlds are facinating. A great work creates both characters that one cares for, and a world that feels alive. One out of two isn't bad.

Although part of Dan Simmons Hyperion series you need not have read the others to enjoy this or be a science fiction reader. All the exiting elements from the previous books in this saga are incorporated, of course, but Simmons wrote this one more as an adventure story. The worldweb and the mysterious Shrike creature add excitement to an already great story.

It is almost 300 years after the Fall, the Earth no longer exists (or does it?). The only thing that stands between the control of this universe in Chaos by the military arm of the catholic church, the Pax, is an 11 year old girl named Aenea and Raul Endymion, who has been chosen to protect this future Messiah.

As they attempt to elude the church, the blue android A. Bettik along to help, we are immersed in a world of the future which becomes as real and plausible as our own. Using the farcaster portals to escape Father DeSoya, who has misgivings about his assignment, Simmons gives us excitement at breakneck speed. Like all of Simmon's work Endymion is engaging and thought provoking.

Simmons has woven all the best elements of Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion into one of the most breathtaking adventures ever written. Raul Endymion and the young Aenea will connect amidst the mystery of the future with doom for all mankind looming like storm clouds on the horizon.

This is a book to get lost in every time you pick it up. It is also a book to be read slowly and savored.If you only read one book in this genre I would reccomend this one. You will enjoy this book whether you are a science fiction reader or not. It is adventure on a grand scale and you must have this one for your library.