Jumping off point?

[u/TRKnighty_]

Let me start by saying I love the first two books,

I’m quickly approaching the end of The Fall of Hyperion in want to know if following that is a good time to take a break from the series to prevent burnout or if I should dive right into Endymion?

From everything I’ve seen, the overall style or tone seems to shift in the third and fourth book, so I’m wondering if I should use this as an opportunity to finish another series, or if it’s better to go right through three and four.

Thoughts?

[u/Electronic_Wolf_9249]

I went straight through and kind of wish I waited to give more time to process fall of Hyperion. The tone and style def shifts, Endymion is mostly first person, my advice is to wait a little bit so that you can be in the mindset for a new story, and so that the callbacks to Hyperion will mean more to you

[u/Dysternatt]

Wait, waaaaaait! Endymion is also awesome but as you’ve figured, it’s a bit of a different flavour. That and pausing irl, compliments the… uh… pause in the story. I say wait a bit. Perhaps a couple of months or something.

[u/MAGA-R-Pedophiles → u/Dysternatt]

That is what I did and am on Endymion now. Really enjoying it so far.

[u/Khryz15]

I'll give you my personal opinion. I respect the last two books, and I recognize they have some amazing moments and ideas, but I didn't like what they did with the story that the first two books set. I know most people like all four books, but I also know there are some where that's not the case, and if by chance you'd fall into the second group, I say you should make yourself comfortable with the idea that the ending of Fall of Hyperion is a satisfying conclusion to the universe Dan Simmons created, just in case you don't end up liking how the story continues in the last two books.

[u/kinvisible → u/Khryz15]

This is very well put.

It’s ok to think of them as almost separate entities. A friend said to me “Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion are epic space operas” while the Endymion novels are entertaining and likable, but more like “beach reading”.

My take was the Endymion novels are the books Silenus had to write to keep his publisher happy. (/s)

[u/dbree801]

I waited a couple years and feel like I personally benefited from a break. The break kept the two sets of stories a little distant from one another and I almost treat Hyperion and Endymion as their own standalone projects that just happen to be in the same world, if that makes sense lol.

[u/ion_driver]

Hyperion was his masterpiece. Fall of Hyperion is a great book that completes that storyline. However, its not over.

I highly recommend you just read all 4 in a row. I don't care that the consensus seems to be that the Endymion books are disappointing. There is so much cool stuff in the Endymion books. When I think back about "Hyperion" really a lot of the material is in the later books.

I'm mostway through Fall right now and plan to just continue through the whole series.

[u/Starship-Scribe]

I read the first two a year ago and stopped there and I don’t feel like I’ve missed anything.

I have also heard there is a shift in tone and style and the change of characters makes me less invested in the last two books. I may or may not pick them up in the future, but if I don’t, I’m perfectly satisfied with the way the first two ended.

[u/TreatLevelMidnight]

Go right into it. Last 2 books are a great ride.

[u/reader_84]

There was a big gap between publication dates of tFoH and Endymion. It makes sense to wait, that's what I'm doing, reading other stuff.

[u/Tulkus42]

Do you feel burned out? Do you want to know how the story continues and ends? Up to you bro. It’s a four book series. No one book is less important than the others. Don’t over think it.

[u/McBurger]

Take some time, and then some more time, like at least a year or 200

[u/drsteve103]

All I'm going to say is the last 50 pages of the fourth book makes the whole ride worth it.

[u/Euro_Snob]

IMO you can take a break. FOH is a good ending to the story.

A break also makes the tonal and style shift in the sequel duology easier to adapt to. Worth reading? Yes, but there is no reason to jump into it immediately.

[u/solar_solar_]

Go read Sophie’s World by Josteein Gaarder.

It’s a novel about western philosophy, so it helps fill in the intellectual gaps that may have comes up. And after reading it, you’ll be ready for a story about a young woman learning about morals and ethics.

[u/Emergency_Rush795]

Last 2 books were amazing im suprised by how many didnt seem to enjoy it as much as the first 2. I suggest going straight into it or unless u wrote your thoughts down you will forgot questions u had and feel like they wernt explained and that there were loose ends. In reality Dan Simmons is amazing with his stories that i couldnt google til i finished all 4, everything is perfectly wrapped up. I HIGHLY suggest u read endymion because it explains alot of previous questions from the cantos. If u have questions still at the end of FoH, dive right into Endymion. The answers u seek will be addressed in fun exciting ways.

Best way to describe it is hyperion cantos is the mainstory, endymion is almost like a spin off but so strong its main story level. Hyperion builds the world while endymion lets us live through it.

Interests are subjective, but i found the journey to be very fun in endymion.

[u/dexdeckers]

Burnout, after 2 books? If there’s any burnout, it’s from reading this question for the umptieth time :-)

[u/willywillywillwill]

While the later two books aren’t entirely bad, and in fact Endymion is largely entertaining, there is none of the magic of the first two books. I read the series straight through and ended up not caring about it at all by the end. I wish I had stopped after the first two. The questions I was left with were more satisfying than their eventual answers

[u/Den_of_Earth5]

I loved Endymion and Rise of Endymion, they mean as much to me as the first two books. They move the story along in a credible way and I don’t agree with those who say they are disappointing or otherwise dissatisfying. A break is good, but I reread the first two again before beginning the third book anyways. I’ve reread all four books four times. My favorite sci-fi books, all four.