Wow. I was unprepared for this. Even though this can be summed up the same way as the Hyperion Cantos (HC) – a story of epic proportions, a fantastic multiple narrative, great characters, awe-inspiring backstories and a darkly entertaining reality, just an amazing read – the Ilium saga is so much more than Hyperion. While not better per se, it is much more complex, gripping and thrilling. As a plus, the maudlin story-within-a-story is missing.
Trojans, greeks, Olympian Gods and sentient robots, all at war in a love letter to Homer, Shakespeare and Proust, Browning, Virgil and Aeschylus, as much as Hyperion was a love letter to Keats. Simmons certainly knows his stuff. While not as engaging as HC, is a space opera like no other – a stunning new take on ancient legends in which literary references abound. It contains more science fiction, more fantasy and a lot more humor than HC, and succeeds at being a bold and thrilling piece of writing that leaves you thunderstruck.
As in the case of Hyperion versus The Fall Of, here also the first part is better than the latter. As last time, Ilium is more philosophical, literary and defining of characters and their reasoning, whereas Olympos kicks off quasi-non-stop action, short-changing us, leaving our beloved characters to the wind, making stupid sacrifices for the sake of the plot. While the two novels can’t be read alone, there is a clear cut difference of style, but – just like in Kill Bill – that old quote kicks in – The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.
As a integral read, the two sagas are just as good – mesmerizing space opera – but because of my previously declared love for Shakespeare and greek mythos, I enjoyed the Ilium saga a hell of a lot more. Now I’m starting The Terror, my fifth Dan Simmons novel in two weeks.
FYI: spent yesterday kicking CPU ass in HOMM3 and last night kicking ass at pool at a nightclub. Having people around isn’t as bad as once thought.