This is not a standalone book, but the second and final part of the story begun in [b:Hyperion|77566|Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos, #1)|Dan Simmons|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1405546838l/77566._SY75_.jpg|1383900], and I’ve reviewed both of them together. ( )

Дълга и скучна книга, в която има точно толкова смисъл (но не повече), колкото да не я захвърля, въпреки че се изкушавах няколко пъти. ( )

The first half of the novel which focused primarily on the pilgrims and the Shrike was so much better than the interplanetary space opera that followed. I wish the setting never left the time tombs - the subtle and heady mix of horror and mystery that pervaded the pilgrims' stories and their awaited encounters with the Shrike were the best parts of the novel. I really didn't want the Shrike or the cruciform or Moneta demystified. The story lost that tone of looming terror with the explanations and the explanations, such as they were, felt pretty run of the mill.

A very entertaining three stars that could have been so much more. ( )

Here I find that I’m moderately interested in the underlying story (two factions of humanity, one enmeshed with AI and one not, fighting it out or possibly fighting against the total destruction of humanity) while still not liking the writing style or characters very much. Still annoying: all characters who have sex experience it the same way, which includes a man getting raped by a woman (his former lover, who he currently considers an enemy), and then later deciding that he wanted it because he still loved her; the woman’s actions are treated as generally commendable and she is in fact presented as the embodiment of innocent heroism, although the rape was entirely extraneous to her mission. ( )

Really liked the individual stories, and the audiobook is well done. I was a little disappointed about the story not finishing until the next book. ( )