hyperion and memory

SPOILERS FOR THE HYPERION SERIES BELOW

I’m currently re-reading Hyperion. I originally read the series back in undergrad. Recently HGR started the first book and was talking about it, and I realized how much I had forgotten; so I decided it was time for a re-read.

It’s fascinating what I did and didn’t remember:

• I remembered much of the priest’s tale, but did not recall it was a bifurcated story and there were two priests.
• I remembered Rachel’s tale in detail, but somehow did not remember her father. I vaguely assumed Rachel was the pilgrim, which makes NO sense.
• I remembered Martin (my favorite character!) but the only plot details I remember are him joining Sad King Billy’s artist colony and getting impaled by the Shrike.
• I didn’t remember any of Kassad’s tale, but I recalled him briefly showing up in book 4, hundreds of years after his death, for fanservice purposes.
• I 100% forgot the Consul, Brawne, and the templar. (I did remember a pregnant woman patting her stomach in book 2 but assumed it was post-crisis Rachel.)
• I can’t recall any of the second book’s plot, except at the very end, some entity broadcasts “You are abusing this. We’re turning it off.” and shuts down the entire internet.
• This also shuts down all the farcasters. In book 3, they deal with this by use of cruciforms (upgraded to a lossless format). Ships move fast enough to basically liquefy their passengers but it’s fine because the cruciforms bring them back.
• Raul Endymion falls in love with a 13-year-old. It’s ok because there’s time hax and she ages up to 18 before they have sex. Also she’s the savior or something. tbh the series jumps the shark hard in books 3 and 4, so I might just stop after book 2, Higurashi style.

But the kinda wild thing is: Obviously, I forgot a LOT about the first book. But I didn’t think I forgot as much as I did. Like, I forgot it so deeply I had no idea I forgot. Then HGR said, who could be the Ouster spy, the Consul is pretty suspicious isn’t he? and I was thinking who?? and what’s an Ouster?

But man, how much else have I forgot that I also forgot I forgot?