Aerith Netzer

The greatest psycho-social work of the early 20th century. It certainly is different from most of Freud’s previous works, yet also his most forward-looking. The assertion that the origin of neuroticism in humans is attributable to the oppressive forces of social propriety as a consequence of civilization is certainly still compelling today. Second-rate students of psychology (indeed, of history) seem to balk at mention of Freud’s libidinous origin of consciousness, due to a seemingly instinctual defense of the contemporary status-quo of psychological inquiry. These students, failing to account for the historical surroundings and biography of Freud’s life, remain ignorant of their asinine readings, rather than reading this text for what it was: that of a jewish proto-sociologist attempting to interpret the utter cruelty of humans in the years leading to the devastating wars of the 20th century.

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This book has changed the way I view ethics and philosophy in general. It is an at times startling attack on speciesism and the current mode of animal production. This book is what has made me a staunch vegetarian.

Hyperion is very clearly Simmons flexing his talents across a variety of range voices, moods, and genres. At one point neo-noir space thriller, at another lovecraftian horror, yet another in intimate family drama. This book is engaging and kept me going even through flawed pacing.

I think that the point of this book is to be somewhat incomprehensible. As it is a work of "Theory-Fiction" the reader is -- at the same time -- invited and forced to analyze the text by their own method. To me, this is a text concerned with capitalism gone AWOL, about conspiracy theories that induce insanity, about dark secrets within university halls. It is certainly a compelling read and one that was, for the time of the writings, darkly prescient.