In spite of the violent content, I really like Dan Simmons' Hyperion and its sequel.

This book looked like it had potential. For reasons unknown, the Greek gods are kicking it on Mars and the Trojan War is being fought with a lot of their participation.

Now the book starts throwing in all sorts of sci-fi wonders...nice, but not enough to save this.

First- it's far too detailed and has too many repeated references to the Iliad. Second, some seriously unbelievable things happen several times. And third, it's crippled by too much witholding of revelations. You could feel the author doing this over and over.

Proof positive for this is that, after seven hundred and twenty-five pages of reading, you are just now STARTING a major conflict and many things are as yet unexplained and unresolved. The sequel takes you there, if you have the staying power.

I made it through the first one, but even though I bought the second one inexpensively at the same time as I got the first, I won't be reading it.