Some time ago I accepted the fact that I need to improve my writing and that reading other people’s work was one of the best way to do just that. But since I read really fast, I think that the benefit of it may be very limited. So, I am devising the organized way that I want to apply while employing this powerful learning tool.

First of all, I want to know why one work of authors is so highly prized. What is that the author did that made his work so outstanding? What is its appeal?

Obviously, I need first to read the whole book to understand that. And after I finish with that, then I need to dissect it to parts. Maybe I even need to reared it a few times just to make sure I learn everything I can from it.

There are a lot of things that can be looked at, and it all may end up too confusing. I will organize my analysis into questions that need to be answered. That way I can stay focused and consistent.

2. What made the characters likable? How did the author do that?

1. What made readers turn pages? What made them go on? Was it the plot, the characters, the style? How was that accomplished?

3. Why would people consider this work special? Was it something unique that the author did? Was the plot unique?

4. What could have been done better?

The first book I want to see if I can analyze in this manner is one of the jewels of Science fiction, Hyperion from Dan Simmons. So, this is not a review of the book as much as it’s the analysis of it, the type that I am hoping can guide me in learning and mastering the art of writing.

First of all, I need to make one point clear. Hyperion and Rise of Hyperion I consider to be one book broken in two parts because the story was only partially told in the first part which ended in a cliffhanger. So, I cannot say that the negative part about Hyperion is that it ends without offering conclusions. Hyperion and Rise of Hyperion need to be read together. By the end of the whole book, there is a definite closure of number of issues. The author spend over thirty pages writing how the timeline continued, not only for characters but for planets as whole. After considering it all, I really like that the book did not end abruptly but showed what happened to the whole space after the final quest was completed.

Maybe I am getting ahead of myself and I need to take a step back.

1. What is Hyperion and The Rise of Hyperion? It’s a science fiction space opera set in a far future where humans have colonized hundreds of planets and now count in hundreds of billions of beings. The book deals with number of issues that are facing us. At its center is the debate about AI and how we are going to manage it, or better, is it going to manage us? All of that makes the book very interesting. It also deals with immortality and shows how most likely, prolonged lifespan will be reserved to only those that can afford to pay for it. The book also deals with the future of religion – not just one, but most of the major ones. And it does that in a very believable manner. That is what strikes me first about this book. It is all very believable. We are not talking about spice and creatures that can move one ship in space with a flick of their arms. It is something more concrete here.

2. What made readers turn pages? The tension is constant. The action is fast. Too many facts, a lot of history. The tension is being build. How? It starts as a single mission. Then the mission turns into a possible war where the mission is in the middle of it. The history of each characters are told, away in a slightly different manner to break up the monotony – using a first person storytelling on occasions. And this adds a dimension to the book. The threat is always there and it is a big threat that can jump at the characters any time. The mystery of the threat. Nobody knows what it is. Is it human made, an alien? What does it want and why is it so indestructible, so pitiless? Not until the very end are the true answers provided.

3. What made characters interesting? There was a story behind each of them. It was told in a great detail. Actually, while I was reading it, I consider that the author provided too much detail. I sincerely thought that I really did not need to know everything that was told about them. It, at times, seemed as even distraction from the main plot, and I often wondered why was the facts mentioned? But obviously, it worded. And my confusion can only be explained by the lack of my own skills of introducing characters and providing the needed depth to their persona. More I think about it, I think that there were so much details to each character that the whole book could be written about them. A whole series of book. That is how interesting their lives and their background was.

4. Why is this book special? What stands most importantly for me in the books is revelation toward the end as one of the protagonist faces the Shrike. It talks about love being the most important element in the word. How the god can evolve from being cruel and horrifying to the one that is dominated by empathy and love. I found that part the most interesting and the one that goes together with my own line of thinking. When considering life in general, what is the most important thing? It is not justice, not enforcement of rules, but love and acceptance. Empathy and understanding. I found I like this book a lot because of that. It was not about getting revenge for something that happened. It’s not about justice being served. It’s about the meaning of life and how it may evolve but at the same time how it is useless if it is not followed by love. And how love is the most important element in the whole universe. I appreciate that there are people who think along the same line as I do. And I wish I can leave my life according to the same principles.

This book reminded me there are other people who not only feel the same way, but feel it so deeply that they can write a monumental book about it. I am not saying that everyone will get out of it the same thing. But I did. The book for me has that element and I appreciate it for that.

5. What do I get out of this? What have I learned here?

First of all, I love books that makes you think long after you finished reading them.

Secondly, I love books that are just more than what they appear to be. This was not about the mission. It was not even about humans vs humans or humans vs other threats. It is about the evolution of life and what it means in its purest form. And I really appreciated that part.

Thirdly, I loved the depth of the characters. Obviously, too much detail is better than too few. Just write. Write your heart out. It’s better to know why a character loves the color green than to think that a character has no preferences. Paint the whole picture. One stroke at a time. But it has to be finished and complete.

The bottom line here is that this book is a rare book hat makes me think about things in general, long after I have finished reading it. It was not just about the story and how it ended. I wish I can do that. In that sense, it was very moving and motivating. I definitely will have to re-read it and analyze it some more.

These are just my idea and opinions and impressions. I do not know how many people would agree with me. But that is how I see it.

Some other books from Dan Simmons that may interest you: