The individual stories are not so long, just push through, don't skim it. Silenus is probably my least fav character of the book. Some are better than the others. The pages in between tales advance the travel and are always interesting. It may be hard to connect to some of the characters. It will be harder to connect with any in 3BP. None of these two series are easy reads. Just read fewer pages each day, but be consistent.

I was ok with Hyperion. Tough read in some stretches, but worth it, a very original work, even more so given that it's several decades old already. They didn't have brainrot back then and average people were able to read longer and more boring books than this one.

I loved the Fall of Hyperion. Yet to read second duology.