The Rise of Endymion

This is the 4th and final book of the Hyperion Cantos series. I definitely enjoyed it more than Endymion as a lot of unexplained things from Endymion are explained in this final book of the cantos and I have very little if any critiques.

The book follows our 2 main character, Anea and Raul (Endymion) as they return from old earth which had been taken away and hidden in another galaxy by the “lions tigers and bears”

Raul tells his story from his shroedengers prison in orbit around a empty world. This is his prison for 13 or so months. He is in complete isolation in a small orbital box which is set to release poison in his air if the right quantum particle is detected. Telling his story is the only way he can remain sane.

Anea has basically been set up as Jesus Christ figure with Endymion as her diciple/lover.

Anea is tasked with basically redeeming mankind by introducing death and mortality and destroying the Catholic church and the pax control over humanity. She is a fusion of the AI ultimate intellegence aka god and humanity and the carrier of a genetic nano virus that is contained in her blood. This nano virus seeks out and destroys the cruciform which acts as a tool of ressurection and growing the techno cores control over humanity via the church.

Essentially this book is a time travelling jesus preaching the gospel gaining diciples. Allegorical in nature and a kind of twisted dark anit-christ type alternate version. This one bringing death instead of life and rather than the cross or cruciform being a symbol of faith the destruction and rejection of it being the symbol of faith.

The sacrement of the wine mixed with her literal blood to bring about this viral change in her followers and eventual self sacrifice by the authorities of the day but they ultimatley fail to stop the spread of Anea's message.

All throughout her mission she speaks of the void which binds powered by the force of love. Love being that powerful force which gives us the means to thrive in the one life we have.

I loved the anti-christ-christ sort of a dark christ story telling that can almost be viewed as a scathing rebuke of the religious ideology and mind set. Almost to suggest that rejection of religion is what brings love, compassion and care for all.

Overall I loved this book!! The angle from which it tells this clearly relious story is really intriguing read and capture my imagination at least! 5 stars for me easily.