The blurb in the back cover of this hefty tome (779 pages) says "The books that reinvented epic Science Fiction". A quick search for Epic SF on the Goodreads site returns Dune, Hyperion, Star Wars, Orson Scott Card's Ender series and some others. I can partially agree, just looking at the scale of events in each of these books, they span the universe or galaxy, can take several years and nothing less than the fate of humanity is at stake.

I do like epic elements in Science Fiction. It all depends on the story and how it is presented. I had mixed feelings about the Hyperion books.

The first book (Hyperion) starts with seven pilgrims staring a pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on the planet Hyperion, just when humanity is in the brink of starting an all-out galactic war with the Ousters. The pilgrims have been chosen in different ways and they all have a different reason to join the pilgrimage. While travelling to Hyperion and then trying to reach the Time Vaults and face the legendary creature (the Shrike) which could instantly kill them or opening the secrets of the universe to them, each of the pilgrims will have the chance to tell their story. Using the ancient literary technique of stories within a story (like in One Thousand and One Nights), each one goes through their story, which basically confuses all of them by introducing a different, but possibly contradictory aspect of the Shrike and what it might do.

The first book ends as they are facing an uncertain encounter with the creature who is part god and part The Grim Reaper. The second book takes over from that period and brings the epic story to its conclusion. It is a complex story that requires a lot of attention. Not all mysteries are solved, there are hooks to sequels (which have been written since) and it introduces a lot of interesting concept about Artificial Intelligence, Cyberspace, the nature of humanity and artificiality, computers evolving to a different level etc.

I am sure these books have a lot of fans. Although I enjoyed reading them, I would have preferred a more lucid expression instead of the complicated weaves the books bring.

epic

A large tome. The story is a little difficult to grasp at first, but it is worth persevering as the strands begin to knit together. The climax is particularly surprising, but ties up the threads quite nicely.

The individual stories of the characters in the first part of the book are interesting in themselves.

This was a book I started, stopped and picked up again becuase of its sheer size. Worth it in the end.

Really liked it, especially the story about Sol Weintraub and his daughter Rachel. Minus one star for no clear ending.