Ilium by Dan Simmons
01/10/2003 . Source: Pauline Morgan 

pub: Gollancz. 576 page enlarged paperback. Price: £10.99 (UK). ISBN: 0-575-07260-1.

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In the past, every school child was taught classics and would be familiar with the Iliad and the Odyssey. Their author, Homer, was probably the first notable poet to transfer the oral tradition of story telling to the written page, immortalising the ancient heroes of the siege of Troy and making them part of our heritage.

Today, although every child is expected to learn about the ancient Greeks, including their myths, there is no time to explore the richness of Homer's epics and if they hear of Troy it is probably as a result of watching TV programmes such as Xena: Warrior Princess or Hercules or the rare enthusiasm of a teacher.

The Ilium of the title of Simmons novel is Homer's Troy and if this book kindles an interest in these classics or ancient Greek culture, that is a bonus.

Dan Simmons is a talented, versatile writer. His first novel, 'Song Of Kali', utilised some of the themes that have been developed here and in some of his other work. In 'Song Of Kali', the mythology belongs to the Hindu pantheon, but there as here, the deities (if you can trust the perceptions of the protagonist) have very definite god-power. 'Ilium', though, is Science Fiction and the unfolding of the events of Troy's siege are only one part of this complex novel.

This future Earth is very much changed. It is largely unpopulated and the people travel by fax so their sense of geography is limited; maps, reading and story-telling are a thing of the past. Daeman is a young man whose life is a round of parties and attempts to seduce every woman he meets. Like everyone else, every twenty years he faxes to the infirmary in one the rings of satellites that circle the planet for rejuvenation.

On his fifth Twenty he expects to fax to the rings permanently and enjoy a post-human existence. Other than parties, most people enjoy an entertainment obtained by pulling a Turin cloth over their faces. They experience a real-time enactment of the siege of Troy, now in its ninth year. Daeman's placidity is unsettled at a party at Ardis Hall. All he is interested in is in seducing the hostess, Ada. But he meets Harman.

Nearing the end of his fifth Twenty, Harman has developed a desire to experience everything and has rediscovered the printed word. Daeman thinks he is weird. Then Daeman gets eaten by a dinosaur. Later, he finds himself travelling with Harman and a very ancient woman, Savi, to the now dry Mediterranean basin in search of a spaceship to the rings, partly to impress Ada, partly because his alternative is to return to Ardis Hall and he fears that if he does, another dinosaur will be awaiting him.

A very long time ago, the outer reaches of the solar system were seeded with moravecs - autonomous, sentient, biomechanical organisms. Although, each are different, depending on their original purpose, they have formed a kind of guardianship for the solar system. They have lost touch with humans but are deeply concerned about the activity taking place of Mars. The amount of quantum shift activity is in danger of ripping apart the space-time fabric. Four individuals are sent to investigate.

Two of these have literary interests. Mahnmut, normally at home in his submersible in the cold seas under Europa's ice, spends much of his time analysing Shakespeare's sonnets, while his friend, Orphu of Io, a hard vac moravec admits to a predilection for Proust. Although the dialogue between these two very alien friends as they wittily and comprehensively dissect their favourites for each other, may seem an unnecessary diversion, Simmons never includes something for the sake of it. He has purpose.

The reader will quickly grasp the idea that the siege of Troy is being recreated on the terraformed part of Mars close to Olympus Mons, which doubles as the Olympus of the myth and somehow it is being broadcast to the remaining inhabitants of Earth via their Turin cloth. Be not deceived.

That conclusion is too easy and there is a lot happening of which only the peripherals are seen and things which do not fit. Such as the activity of the little green men who are erecting a vast circle of stone heads round the terraformed northern area.

This is an erudite and complex novel. It is littered with literary references. I have only two real complaints. The first is that some readers may find the listing of all the heroes and spear carriers mentioned in the Iliad and which are detailed here, uninteresting. It may lend an air of authenticity but it can be overwhelming. Secondly, the book finishes.

A number of issues remain unresolved. Not all the loose ends are yet connected into the fabric. As the Iliad was followed by the Odyssey, I suspect there is a second part to come. I look forward to it.

Pauline Morgan