Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

The titular character being hurt and clueless is initially literally his only quality in this book. The variety of planets depicted is more appealing than in the predecessor book, as is the fact that the wider conflict between homogeneity/stability versus diversity/growth/uncertainty finally gets into focus
Irritated by all of these puzzles hidden in enigmas hidden in code

Much better than Endymion, but also (again) massively too long. The whole solo quest of Endymion (following the rather well worn pattern of him knowing little of his environment, being seriously injured and miraculously saved due to a connection with messiah Aenea) makes me rate this book 3 stars instead of 4. For good order, Endymion his immature jealousy of parts of Aenea's past and the most bizarre use of a kidney stone as a plot element ever (like wouldn't we have gened that out of people a thousand years in the future, was the water at old earth really so full of minerals, and couldn't Simmons have imagined something that made more sense and gave more agency to the ones who end up helping Endymion) made me consider 2 stars as well.
But the conclusion and the Pacem politics definitely made me want to read on.

The variety of planets is nicely done in The Rise of Endymion (Star Wars can learn something from that, with everything being Tatooine nowadays), including a gas giant and a mountain planet.
I liked the Pacem politic chapters so much more than the Endymion narrated ones. Also when Aenea finally does teach she gives interesting views on the whole confrontation between homogeneity and stability versus diversity and uncertainty.
Also the elephant in the room how the Hegemony and Pax worlds are all just reflections of facets of Old Earth, instead of beings something entirely new, is addressed. Also part of the AI Technocore goals (We’ve always been your masters. You are rotting flesh around chimpanzee brains) are broadly similar to the Matrix machines who wage war with the humans.

What is also well done is how Dan Simmons in this pre 2000's book predicts quite accurately the internet of things. The whole take on diversity does sometimes work less well, someone Asian being called Lapsang and Harujuku makes me wait on a Brit being called Earl Grey or Kensington...
Then again the brief allusion that action hero Endymion has had sexual experience with men is interesting.

The overall writing is also more action packed, and follows more interesting points of view than the previous installments. The same fascination with delta-Vs and methods of travelling that Neal Stephenson has in for instance Seveneves does slow down things occasionally. I very seldomly think of how my car works, where the power and rare earth mineral comes from, and how the physics of the machine work when doing my morning commute and I can hardly imagine a native of the future doing the same, let alone write whole chapters on their transportation methods. If anything I rather have Endymion explain to me how there is readily available aluminium on a low tech world.

But not to be too sour, the startree concept is fascinating, and I loved how the catacombs under St Peter come back since I visited them, even if it gives a kind of Dan Brown feel to the book.
The whole thinking about the increasing of diversity and complexity and the overall resilience of live is interesting.

I even warmed up to Aenea (But I am your morbid little bitch) and needed to steel myself for some of the scenes involving her near the end of the book. Heck, even Endymion saying about himself: Raoul Endymion was slow and dimwitted is not just a fair self assessment but also kind of endearing. And the person who ends up running Pacem system is definitely a justified survivor.

So definitely a satisfying conclusion, with some flaws but also genuine emotions and interesting ideas embedded in it. Aenea says it best and lets conclude with her words:
No lifetime is long enough for those who want to create, Raoul, or for those who simply want to understand themselves and their lives. It’s perhaps the curse of being human, but also a blessing.