Say, anybody read "Ilium" by Dan Simmons? I am enjoying the spectacle of Greek gods who have recreated the Trojan War, plus it has made me long to access the Cliff's Notes of "The Tempest" for a memory refresher on what was the dealio with all that. I'm sure readers with solid backgrounds in those literary classics would be all over the references going on. I am having big fun with this one.

I was waiting for it to come out in paperback, and then it kind of dropped off my radar. How does it compare to the Hyperion books? (Which I lovelovelove.)

Oh man. It has everything "Hyperion" did and then some. Big sweeping everything and characters with lots of heart. I am about ready to tear the hardback copy of "Olympus" from DH's hands if he doesn't hurry up and finish already.

We couldn't find our copy of "Hyperion" and thus added it to an Amazon order. Now we both wanna read that one again.

Say, anybody read "Ilium" by Dan Simmons?

Yes! And I just finished the sequel a couple of weeks ago. God, loved the first one, even with the faint whiff of pretentiousness. I thought the sequel was good, but I didn't think the ends tied up as neaty as I'd like. Yeah, I love the classical stuff, am less solid on the Shakespeare, and handwave through the Proust.

I've read Hyperion, but can't for love nor money find any of the sequels.

Thanks for the Dan Simmons reminder. I'm another who loved the Hyperion books (and plenty of his other stuff too), and hadn't gotten around to Ilium. I think Neil Stephenson ate the $40+ monster hardback part of my brain. I'll have to scout around for a paperback Ilium.

Had book group tonight. Presented 4 books for next time at my house and we chose The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman. I stressed that I wanted to get away from the disturbing or depressing. It had to be something that none of us had read too, so tricky.

10 thumbs down on the book we discussed tonight. How to be Good by Nick Hornby. Hated it. But it did generate a lot of discussion. My take was that I felt like I was reading a blog. The type of blog where the writer is pretending to be sincere and is totally making the shit up. The voice was only convincing from time to time. It had moments, but too few and far between.

What did you guys like about "Hyperion?" I read the series, and felt like it got off to a promising start, but didn't live up to that promise. It just sort of got weird. I wondered if I missed some symbolism or something...help?

I wondered if I missed some symbolism or something...help?

Okay, remember the part with the snail in the blender? That was Jesus.

I hope that helps.

Okay, remember the part with the snail in the blender? That was Jesus.

Huh. I could've sworn that was you at work.

Raq! You have a Banjo Patterson tag! I'm very impressed. There was a wombat caught on camera trying to prevent the Crocodile Hunter from fathering any more children.