Summer of Night, The Terror, and I also really liked Drood, especially if you like Charles Dickens.
John
Summer of Night, The Terror, and I also really liked Drood, especially if you like Charles Dickens.
John
Summer of Night keeps being mentioned, so I'll put that at the top.
Originally Posted by mkb.redux
I've always being curious about the Hyperion series - mainly because of that enigmatic TPB cover - so I'm sure I'll get around to this at some point. As I mentioned in a different thread a few days ago however, I'm a bit worn out on heavy, multiple novel scifi right now. I'm sure I'll love it when I eventually get around to reading it though.
Right now I'm mainly interested in his quick, self contained novels.
What about Carrion Comfort? How does it juggle the meld of the supernatural & historical fiction?
Here are my top 5 Simmons books:
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
Endymion
The Rise of Endymion
The fifth place changes with my mood. Right now it's The Fifth Heart
Those four Hyperion books take up four spots on my Top 10 SF list. I honestly can't remember how many times it sent chills down my spine.
You could always start with Song of Kali and work your way through his books chronologically. Or pick up Summer of Night. Carrion Comfort is pretty good but I felt it was a little bloated. Check the Simmons thread
The chronological approach would also get you to PHASES OF GRAVITY sooner rather than later.
That book has one good thing going, it's a pretty quick read. Though to be honest, I didn't mind it. It's not top tier Simmons but I also wasn't crazy about Children of the Night (too clichéd), and Carrion Comfort (I started losing interest around the 500 page mark).
The Crook Factory was excellent too. That ending got to me.
Hyperion is among the finest novels I've ever read - one of a small list with a full 5 star rating. And Prayers to Broken Stones is a top-notch collection. If just starting with Simmons I highly recommend either of these two books, but because Simmons is often a ponderous writer, reading the faster paced short stories might familiar you with his style without risking boredom before you've learned to follow his voice.
My two cents - I've read 6 of his books.
“Reality is a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.”
-John Barth
bugensbooks.com
Carrion Comfort (surprised no one else mentions it here - oops, it is mentioned.)
Summer of Night
The Terror
runners up:
Hyperion
The Fall of Hyperion
(Would not start my Simmons love-affair with the Hyperion books, though.)
sk
Well, our opinions differ a good deal here, even though Carrion Comfort is great and if I get a cat I'm likely to name him Harod. I started with Hyperion and ended up loving the author.
I've got two suggestions for the Op:
First, I wouldn't start with Carrion Comfort because I felt it more difficult than the other Simmons I've read, though still a very good book.
Second, I absolutely suggest listening to Frik over me. He's a monster and knows more about this stuff than I do.
“Reality is a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.”
-John Barth
bugensbooks.com
Not sure about your last remark (second half...) but with me it's exactly the other way around:
I wouldn't start with the Hyperion books because I felt them more difficult than the other Simmons' I've read.
Plus: I started with Carrion Comfort and ended up loving the author.
Not kidding.
sk
I started with Song of Kali (when it was first published) and have been a Simmons fan ever since.
John
That's so funny! I wonder if it's different threads we latched onto more than others that changed the pacing for us. But you're right, even in Hyperion Simmons takes his time getting there. It can be a big part of his style. And its got a pretty serious cliffhanger ending. I haven't read Summer of Night yet but have been meaning to. The Terror you've brought up a few times and I'd crossed that one of my short list for the TBR pile but that seems to have been a mistake.with me it's exactly the other way around:
Song of Kali is an dirty first novel and very effective, where you can almost taste the underbelly of Calcutta. It's faster paced than the other Simmons I've read other than his short stories, which he also really excels at.
Many pathways to end up really enjoying this guy.
“Reality is a nice place to visit, but you wouldn’t want to live there.”
-John Barth
bugensbooks.com
Absolutely!
sk
I also have not read any Dan Simmons. It's as if fernandito read my mind, as I was wondering the same thing.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
Carrion Comfort
Hyperion series, book 1 has a pretty tough start. (great series)
“The battle between good and evil is endlessly fascinating because we are participants every day.” - Stephen King
Summer Of Night is one of my favorite books and The Terror, Carrion Comfort, and Song Of Kali are also great! If you like gritty detective stories check out his Joe Kurtz novels as well.
Ken
This has been most helpful, and enlightening!
I know I mentioned earlier in the thread that I would postpone an eventual read of the Hyperion series because I was looking for a quick read, but I might have to double back on that. The more I read about it, the stronger the itch to read it becomes. I'm thinking of starting off with that.
Summer of Night will be next, with possibly The Terror following closely behind.
I'm excited to finally delve in the work of this (apparently) brilliant author! Thanks for all the recommendations guys.
I am nearing finishing up my first Simmons book: Summer of Night. FANTASTIC!!! I'm thinking of reading Lovedeath next, as it has novellas of differing themes. Any thoughts on Lovedeath?
"God punishes us for what we cannot imagine." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Lovedeath is a little challenging. I might recommend A Winter Haunting as a good followup to Summer of Night.
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
Sorry Bev, but A Winter Haunting was such a disappointment as follow up to Summer of Night. The latter is one of Simmons' best, the first...well.....Let's say I'm sure Simmons was capable of much more.
sk
I really enjoyed it -- It's a tauter, more introspective book than its predecessor. Simmons says, "Each book changes the 'reality' of the other, depending on which novel one reads first. The idea was to create a Mobius strip of perceptions."
Author of The Road to the Dark Tower, Stephen King: A Complete Exploration of His Work, Life, and Influences and The Dark Tower Companion. Co-editor with Stephen King of the anthology Flight or Fright.
I felt the same. Hated A Winter Haunting. The direction he took some of the characters in just didn't flow well with how I saw them in Summer of Night.
Only the gentle are ever really strong.
Thanks, Bev, I queued that one up on my Kindle Paperwhite!
"God punishes us for what we cannot imagine." - Stephen King, Duma Key
Carrion Comfort is his most enjoyable read in my opinion. I love a good paced novel with plenty of action that doesn't "carryon"
This was my favorite by a long shot.
SUMMER OF NIGHT
THE TERROR
CARRION COMFORT
SONG OF KALI
...would be my favorite three (plus one), and in that order.
I also, however, very much like his Joe Kurtz novels (three of 'em), but if you don't care for hardboiled noir (ala Richard Stark, to whom these books are an acknowledged homage), you won't care for them.
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