So, I’ve finally finished Endymion after it being on my shelf for about 4 years. Like usual, I will write a review about the book. For a while, I did the writing by hand and then copy it manually but this time I decided I shall just do all the writing digitally. I will like the preface the entire review with the fact that I will write it all in one go right now I think. So, apologies if there are any typos and/or inconsistencies. I just want to have it all down now before I procrastinate too long on it.

Short summary#

Endymion is part 3 in a 4 part series called The Hyperion Cantos. It takes place several centuries after everything that happens in book 1 and 2 but its events still resonate into this book. In this book the format is slightly different and it is all according to the main character we will be following here, Raul Endymion. Immediately in the book we learn that he is all writing this down and we are basically just reading this document of his. Throughout the book, we learn who Raul Endymion is and how he is involved in the story that connects to the pilgrimage that happened long before he was born. We also meet the daughter of Brawn Lamia! Her name in Endymion is Aenea but her name has apparently changed throughout the years before she entered the tombs.

Aenea steps out of the tombs and el classico shrike is also there to fuck shit up for the love of the game (the game of killing people dead). Aenea is a girl who is of great importance to both our main character but also apparently to a new-esque organization called the Church. The church is basically just the christian church but with a lot more political influence and…the cruciform from the first book giving people basically immortality but now without the retardification downsides that it normally gives (iirc that was the actual term used in the story. Apologies if it is not but the word used is not far off).

In the book we follow the cat and mouse game of Raul and Aenea running away from the Church and going along their path of discovery of a great “Architect”.

Review#

Maybe on a second read it would be a lot nicer but during this first read like nothing happened until the very end. It was just Raul and Aenea exploring worlds and getting closer to their goal. It was interesting and also interesting (and brutal) to read about the Church’s technological improvements with the Cruciform but I was just wading through the book hoping for something to happen.

The last 10-20% of the story was very action packed and interesting to read and made the rest worth it because all the build up came to fruition. Now, I am also curious to read the next book and have already bought it and read a little of it.

All in all I’m not sure if I would recommend to others. I think I would just say like others have said on the internet and say “read it and see if you like it”. Haha that truly is just the only appropriate answer to if someone should read a book. Just give it a go! If you don’t like it stop otherwise go on :P