Endymion (Hyperion Cantos, #3)

Oh I wish I liked this more. Coming right off the second book I was excited to go forward and see the payoff for the grander story. Instead this book is like treading water, setting up a bunch of stuff in motion. I hope it pays off in the fourth and final book.

The book even starts with an apology of sorts, about how this story isn't the continuing story of the characters from the first two books. OK fine, I'm happy for new stories in the same universe. Which they then do. But the central character Aenea is the worst kind of plot device, the magic child with magic powers no one yet understands. And the narrative structure of a meaningless and ridiculous trip down a magical river, really? It doesn't even succeed at being a Huck Finn style narrative, despite the Jim-like presence of A. Bettik. Also I was mad that the whole plot of the book ends up being basically a head fake with everything undone by a deus ex machina bigger than the Shrike in the final chapters. Meh.

So that's very negative. I still like this writing style, he's got a good mix of writing character and writing action. I like specific inventions, like the horrific mode of traveling in the Archangel ships. And I love the grander space opera plot and am holding out hope it concludes well.