Olympos

"I am in awe of Dan Simmons."

900 pages of heart-stopping dynamics. 900 pages of pulse-pounding tension. 900 pages of mind-dazzling possibility.

900 pages of pure genius.

900 pages is a lot to read, a lot to digest, and if you're going to do it...this is the only way to fly. Dan Simmons has presented what stands as one of the pinnacles -- if not the apex -- of modern science-fiction: a stunning blend of so many aspects of our own lives, some of which we never even noticed before, blasted into a perspective you could only ever dream of. At times the power of his simple words are so compelling that one can just sit staring motionless at the ceiling, trying to blink back tears. Phenomenal, astounding work.

Stephen King said it best, "I am in awe of Dan Simmons."

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Excellent book, but not for lazy readers

Seriously - if you need to have things spelled out to you, Olympus and Ilium aren't for you. If, on the other hand, you enjoy piecing things together through deftly parseled-out clues, these are wonderful books. As with one of sci-fi's other giants, Gene Wolfe, Simmons assumes the reader will actually read the book rather than skim for plot points. Wait until you're in the mood for some mental heavy lifting, than give yourself a good weekend or two to enjoy Ilium and Olympus.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Unbelievable

I don't believe that Dan Simmons wrote 'Olympos', or if he did he must have been on heavy drugs all the time. I'm highly disappointed about the book, which I waited long for after reading 'Ilium'. The story waggles wild between miraculous events, which often feels like they have been put in just to keep the book together. Like when you make up a fairytale ad-hoc for your children: 'Then came the elves and made everything good again'. I even found an error where Hockenberry claims to have been shot down together with Mahnmut and Orphu. So, if you felt 'Ilium' was a little confusing, 'Olympos' will turn you insane. I do not demand a solved case, that doesn't go well together with good SF, but compared to the smart and logical explanations in Simmon's earlier works -such as 'Endymion'- this book leaves you with so many frustrating questions that you might regret that you ever read it. I will surely think twice before I read another new book by Dan Simmons, but will probably re-read his older books.

1 out of 4 people found this review helpful.

Haha

Haha

0 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

Olympos: A New Peak in Homophobia?

I failed to see how expressions such as 'lousy Lesbian' and 'queer-boy fruit' moved the plot forward. Ditto for Simmons' gratuitous pot-shot at the transgendered. There's also a fair amount of misogyny if you bother to read between the lines. Simmons' vision of the future evidently fails to rise above contemporary prejudices. This otherwise imaginative novel was thoroughly ruined for me. I will never purchase or read another book by this author.

0 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

TOtally AWEsome!

All the superlatives I've just read are true!...Don't ask me HOW you can blend everything Simmons blended & do it so well but he did! Look at the other reviews for details!...Just read this book!...And, as most said - it is really a totally statisfying conclusion - which is an amazing feat of writing in itself. I was ready to cry when I finished it - I just didn't want it to be over!

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Great

Dan Simmons has done it again. Olympos is a worthy follow-up to the magnificent Ilium. Highly recommended.

A homer

While Helen mourns the death of her husband with the help of her lover twentieth century scholar Hockenberry, the Greek and Trojan warriors have united to fight the Olympic Gods who caused much of the conflict with their meddling (see ILIUM). However, the Gods have not been sitting back for a millennium as they are used to interfering, intruding and attacking mortals so they begin a counter assault. Abetting the humans is the moravecs space robots, but that might still prove inadequate as the allies war with the Gods they once worshipped. --- While Helen dresses for Paris¿ funeral following some lovemaking with traveling historian Hockenberry, in other dimensions the robotic voynix revolt against their dissolute human masters and Prospero and Caliban battle the Tempest god Setebos. Meanwhile Achilles mourns his beloved dead Amazon queen as Odysseus journeys to an alternate Earth. Soon these seemingly divergent happenings will converge with Trekkies appearing while Helen buries Paris before and after making love with Hockenberry. --- The storytelling talent of Dan Simmons is incredible as he somehow brings together this Homeric epic that feels more complex than the DNA helix yet the multiple story lines blend into a cohesive delightful satirical tempest of a novel. The story line combines humor with action adventure in a terrific time alternating science fiction thriller. Readers need to set aside several days to read this enthralling work slowly as Mr. Simmons ¿sneaks¿ in all sorts of tidbits. Readers will treasure this sequel that is as good as or perhaps better than the highly regarded ILIUM.--- Harriet Klausner

Quite an imagination

Again the author succeeds to charm the reader with his abundant imagination, combining many plots into one, from Homer's Iliad to Shakespeare and hi-tech future. The action is a little slow but still the book is very good.

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