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Hyperion

(Hyperion Cantos #1)

Dan Simmons,

Gary Ruddell (Illustrator),

Gaetano Luigi Staffilano (Translator)

4.24 · Rating details · 216,767 ratings · 10,060 reviews

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all. On the eve of Armageddon, w ...more

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Mass Market Paperback, 500 pages

Published March 1990 by Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group (first published May 26th 1989)

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Feb 08, 2011 Kemper rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, time-travel, space, sci-fi, 2011, hyperion-cantos

Somehow I’ve managed to read a dozen books by Dan Simmons without getting around to Hyperion, one of his most acclaimed works. Frankly, I’ve been scared of it. Simmons has been mashing up horror, sci-fi, hard boiled crime novels, thrillers, and historical fiction while often stuffing his books with so many ideas that it was all I could do to keep up so this seemed like it could be a bit more than I could comfortably chew.

Just as I feared, while I was reading and nearing the end, Simmons crept i Somehow I’ve managed to read a dozen books by Dan Simmons without getting around to Hyperion, one of his most acclaimed works. Frankly, I’ve been scared of it. Simmons has been mashing up horror, sci-fi, hard boiled crime novels, thrillers, and historical fiction while often stuffing his books with so many ideas that it was all I could do to keep up so this seemed like it could be a bit more than I could comfortably chew.

Just as I feared, while I was reading and nearing the end, Simmons crept into my house like a ninja and rammed a funnel into my skull. Then he poured his wild sci-fi ideas and concepts into my brain pan like a frat boy pouring the suds in a beer bong. My mind overloaded, and I gibbered like a monkey on meth for fifteen seconds before passing out. When I woke up an hour later with a wicked headache and cerebrospinal fluid leaking out my ears and nose, Simmons was gone, but he’d left a note saying “Don’t you ever learn? Keep reading and one of these days, I will END you!”

So now I’m typing this with cotton balls stuck in my nostrils and ears while I’m waiting to get my MRI scan, and I’m once again left in awe of just how many wildly original ideas Simmons can cram into one story.

Simmons borrows the structure of The Canterbury Tales here. In the distant future, humanity has spread out among the stars, and one of the planets they’ve inhabited is Hyperion which has the mysterious Time Tombs and a deadly entity known as the Shrike which protects the area around them. A powerful religion has grown around the Shrike and many make pilgrimages to try and see him from which almost no one ever returns.

A former Consul of Hyperion is contacted by the Hegemony government and told that he must join a pilgrimage to see the Shrike with six others. The Ousters, a faction of humanity mutated by centuries of living in deep space, has been making aggressive moves against Hegemony worlds and now they’re targeting Hyperion just as there are signs that the empty Time Tombs are about to stop moving backwards in time and finally reveal their secrets.

The Consul meets the other pilgrims which include a priest, a soldier, a poet, a scholar, a detective and the captain of a rare giant tree capable of space travel. (Yes, a giant tree moving through space. Ask Simmons. I’m just reporting the news here, folks.) Realizing that they must have been chosen to make the journey for a reason, they take turns telling the stories of their connections to Hyperion and the Shrike as they make their way towards the Time Tombs.

I struggled with this book at first because Simmons throws the readers into the deep end of the pool with little explanation of the universe he’s created, and I don’t do well with books that start like: “Captain Manly Squarejaw woke up on his Confederated star potato and drank a glass of strained purplepiss juice while checking his com unit thingie to get the lastest news on the crisis involving the Whogivesashitsus.“

Fortunately, Simmons gets the plot up and moving quickly, and then uses the stories of each of the pilgrims to fill us in on the history and setting. By using the different story tellers, Simmons gives different perspectives for tales as diverse as an interstellar war to a future detective story with big sci-fi action to quieter personal tragedies like a father losing his daughter to a horrible fate. All of these stories eventually come back around to Hyperion and the Shrike.

I was also impressed how Simmons writing this in 1989 foresaw a computer network linking people, but also turning them into information overloaded cyber junkies who confuse accumulating news with taking action. There’s so many different big sci-fi ideas in here that many writers probably would have been content to make an entire career out them, but Simmons uses them all deftly to create one unified story. Oh, and memo to George Lucas: the next time you want to make a sci-fi movie with interplanetary politics being a primary driver to your plot, read this first. Or just hire Simmons to write the damn thing for you .

My only gripe is that while I knew there were sequels to this, I thought I was getting a complete story, and it definitely leaves a lot hanging for the next book. And there’s a Wizard of Oz thing near the end, and I hate the goddamn Wizard of Oz. It’s a Kansas thing. ...more

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Sep 17, 2021 Rick Riordan rated it it was amazing

I had to be in the right frame of mind to read this book. Basically, it is The Canterbury Tales in space. Seven pilgrims set out on a potentially fatal one-way trip to visit the Time Tombs on the planet of Hyperion, where a godlike killing machine called the Shrike will possibly grant one of them a wish -- and probably slaughter the rest.

You have to have some patience, and be willing to change your focus from character to character, as each takes their turn telling the story of what has brought ...more

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Feb 22, 2022 Petrik rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My 600th review goes to Hyperion, an imaginative and magnificent classic science fiction novel.

After years of having Hyperion by Dan Simmons on my TBR, I can finally say that I’ve read this beloved classic sci-fi novel. Before I started reading this novel, I didn’t know much about the premise or the content of the Hyperion except that there’s this creature called The Shrike in it, and also this book or series is one of the most beloved and highly praised sci-fi novels of all time. I’m actually p ...more

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Mar 07, 2018 Mario the lone bookwolf rated it it was amazing

Shelves: simmons-dan

Shriking the way towards one of the best epic, old mythology, and literature inspired, mindblowing, amazingly ingeniously written space operas.

The difference between the first two Hyperion parts and the third and fourth Endymion parts of the series is that the first duo is more oriented on classic mythology and literature motives transformed into a sci-fi settings, while the sequel goes full frontal space opera with anything a sci-fi readers´ hearth could wish for.

Tricky not to spoiler, because Shriking the way towards one of the best epic, old mythology, and literature inspired, mindblowing, amazingly ingeniously written space operas.

The difference between the first two Hyperion parts and the third and fourth Endymion parts of the series is that the first duo is more oriented on classic mythology and literature motives transformed into a sci-fi settings, while the sequel goes full frontal space opera with anything a sci-fi readers´ hearth could wish for.

Tricky not to spoiler, because there are different characters, each one telling her/his own story that often has to do with past events that will influence the future of their mission, but let's say that Simmons does exposition like a boss, especially recognizable if one remembers elements of Hyperion when reading Endymion.

I would name, the classic, Simmons in a line with Irving, Bradbury, Sanderson, and King, because of the very rare style and his narrative competence and talent that lets the reader never lose interest and thereby connection to the world for just one second.

Important to know, if one isn´t such a sci-fi prone reader, one should just read the first 2 parts of the series that are mainly character focused and classic retelling mode with more epic space opera towards the end, much philosophy, and indirect criticism and stuff, while Endymion is more going towards combining the master storyteller characterization with longer, epic sci-fi moments, more detailed worldbuilding, and the meta with fractions, subtexts, history of the world and a big, unexpected revelation towards the end.

I would call this series, and Simmons, some of the best a reader can imagine and wish for, one of the greatest both worldbuilding and characterization with many underlying, deeper topics, and a prime example what the visionary power of one talented, literature loving human can create. A timeless milestone, something that should make him immediately be named in one row with the big three, Asimov, Clarke, and Lem. Sorry, Heinlein and Dick, you never achieved to reach their level. Read, at least the first 2 parts if you still aren´t into sci-fi, epic, unforgettable moments are waiting for you.

Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph... ...more

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Jun 02, 2009 Wil Wheaton rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Fathers who are also SciFi fans

Shelves: sci-fi

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The updates I posted while reading this book pretty much capture how I felt the entire way, so rather than just rewrite them, I'll focus on my overall impression upon finishing Hyperion.

It's about the journey, it's not about the destination.

I was deeply disappointed that there was no resolution, once the pilgrims arrived at the Time Tombs, but I don't see how there could have been a satisfying resolution without adding at least another 100 pages to the book. So I just reminded myself that this b The updates I posted while reading this book pretty much capture how I felt the entire way, so rather than just rewrite them, I'll focus on my overall impression upon finishing Hyperion.

It's about the journey, it's not about the destination.

I was deeply disappointed that there was no resolution, once the pilgrims arrived at the Time Tombs, but I don't see how there could have been a satisfying resolution without adding at least another 100 pages to the book. So I just reminded myself that this book was about the journey, and not the destination.

I almost wish they'd left the entire Ouster/Spy/Galaxy-is-on-the-edge-of-Armageddon story out, and simply focused on the pilgrims and their story, letting their individual tales hint at the wider galaxy and its various conflicts. I guess the Consul's story wouldn't have been as meaningful without the greater understanding we got about the Hegemony and the Ousters, but if not knowing that meant not having this disappointing unresolved feeling that I have right now (I just finished the book a few minutes ago), I think it would have been a fair trade. If the whole thing is telling us about these people going to see The Shrike, fading out just before they do is like dropping Luke into the trench on the Death Star, and never letting us know what happens next.

I understand that much of the resolution I currently find lacking is provided in [Book: Fall of Hyperion], but every book, even those that are part of a series, should provide an entirely satisfying experience to someone who reads them in isolation of the other volumes. To that end, Hyperion succeeds, I think, even if it doesn't tell us what happens when they finally get to the Shrike (or if they even do) as long as we accept that it is about the journey, and not the destination.

I still loved it. I still thought it was a wonderfully-written novel that absolutely deserved the Hugo. I wish I could give it 3.5 stars, but thinking back on how much I enjoyed it while I was reading it (instead of how unresolved I feel at this moment) I'm bumping it up to 4. ...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Lyn rated it really liked it

First of all, let me begin by saying that I really enjoyed reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons.

The depth, variety and scope of his imagination is a joy for any science fiction fan. Having said that, there were some flaws that must be addressed. The dialogue is frequently flat and there are some corny stereotypes that were fun but also distracting when the writer is trying to create a serious work. The pace is also a problem. I had to invoke my rule to give any book at least 100 pages before I set i First of all, let me begin by saying that I really enjoyed reading Hyperion by Dan Simmons.

The depth, variety and scope of his imagination is a joy for any science fiction fan. Having said that, there were some flaws that must be addressed. The dialogue is frequently flat and there are some corny stereotypes that were fun but also distracting when the writer is trying to create a serious work. The pace is also a problem. I had to invoke my rule to give any book at least 100 pages before I set it aside. It was not just that the narrative was slow, but Simmons takes the reader for granted in the first quarter of the book, trusting that he will be able to keep the reader’s attention. It was not until the halfway mark that I really began to buy what Simmons was selling.

Also frustrating is the thematic trend of science fiction and fantasy writers to write a series, to which Simmons subscribes. This book is entertaining and enjoyable but is clearly meant to begin a series, the denouement is posted somewhere after the back cover. This is not necessarily wrong or a problem all by itself, but I do think it adds to a book to stand on its own. Certainly there are great series and books that are meant to be a part of a series, but as an artistic achievement and for literary significance, a novel should be able to be its own story, even if it is a part of a larger chronicle.

That said, Hyperion is a fun, smart book. Structured along the lines of Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales and with frequent literary references, especially to John Keats, this is well written and compelling. Another fundamental aspect of a good science fiction book is the ability to illustrate a future setting. Simmons use of the Chaucer template allows him to explore several different settings in the future universe he has created, and it is a very good universe, reminiscent of Clarke, Asimov and Heinlein in its detail. And I will read the next book in the series, Sam I Am, with a fox and in a box, because Simmons has created a very good book in Hyperion that will probably continue to be good as a series.

** A year later and I still have not read the second book, still mad about the ending

** Years later and I still have not read more, still mad about the ending

** Ok six years later and I am reading the sequel.

description

...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Kay rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: offerings for the lord of pain

Shelves: all-time-favorites, time-travel, smilingdamnedvillain, sci-fi, chilling, epic, mind-fuck, war-and-conflict, 6-plus-stars, gods-and-beasts

WHAT THE SHRIKE!

What in the world did I just read, and why didn't I read it sooner? This book is so superbly written and crafted—it's easily one of the best modern books I've read, one that excels in storytelling and writing!

If I could give this book more than five stars, I definitely, definitely would.

The scope of imagination, wordplay, and critical analysis of humankind is astounding. I do think that the "frame" structure of the story, in which each character's tale slowly unfurls the plo ...more

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Jun 09, 2019 Emily (Books with Emily Fox) marked it as to-read · review of another edition

After reading the first chapter in a "try a chapter book tag" a few months ago I'm finally back to reading this.

I'm gonna give the audiobook a shot and see how it goes!

Update: Audibook is definitely NOT the way to go with this one... I'll read my physical copy instead! ...more

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Sep 23, 2017 Kevin Kelsey rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, highly-recommended, read-2017

Posted at Heradas Review

This is another one of those classics of SF literature that I have somehow missed reading over the years. Had I been more of an active reader in the nineties, I’m sure I would’ve come to it much sooner. Thankfully, I finally got there, and Hyperion was not what I expected, in the best way possible. It’s most often compared to Dune, The Book of the New Sun, or other great works of Science Fantasy. Obviously, coming into the novel my expectations were high, and I knew the m Posted at Heradas Review

This is another one of those classics of SF literature that I have somehow missed reading over the years. Had I been more of an active reader in the nineties, I’m sure I would’ve come to it much sooner. Thankfully, I finally got there, and Hyperion was not what I expected, in the best way possible. It’s most often compared to Dune, The Book of the New Sun, or other great works of Science Fantasy. Obviously, coming into the novel my expectations were high, and I knew the most basic gist of the plot: a pilgrimage across a world to meet an unimaginable being. What I got was partly what I anticipated, but in a very left-field form, which was such a refreshing subversion of my what I thought I was getting myself into. It delivered on what I thought it was, but in a way I never imagined, and it was fantastic.

Instead of straight-forward narrative momentum, Hyperion is almost entirely the backstories of these pilgrims. It’s heavily character based, and the only book I can honestly say is 100% both a novel, and a story collection. These stories are more technically novellas, because of their length, but you get what I’m saying. Each story genuinely adds to the forward narrative, by going backward. It’s really quite breathtaking to see this done so well. I’ve read other collections that are also novels, but they’re always more one or the other. This is equally both.

Each tale feels like a slightly different genre married to science fiction, and the interstitial sections weave them together tightly. Only one of them fell slightly flat for me. Mostly because it was more akin to cyberpunk than anything else, and I have a real love/hate affair with cyberpunk. I tend to judge the genre entirely too harshly at times, mostly because if I have any sort of professional knowledge, it’s in the Information Technology arena, and I have a difficult time suspending my disbelief about the realities of virtual worlds in regards to how they’re represented in cyberpunk. That’s a topic for another day.

Hyperion has that indescribable, almost lovecraftian terror, dread and brooding present throughout, and one tale in particular left me unbearably heartbroken. There’s honestly only one thing I can objectively complain about here, and it’s more endemic to the genre during the time period this was written in than anything else: the way the narrator spends an inordinate amount of time describing women’s bodies, broken down into parts, particularly breasts and nipples. It’s just kind of eye-roll pervy, but it’s my only real gripe. Thankfully, it’s not quite at a Haruki Murakami level, and this doesn’t much happen anymore in the really well written stuff of the genre, but I’m more embarrassed for the author than anything else, award winning fiction like this is fairly written in stone for future generations to examine.

I was torn whether or not to dig straight into The Fall of Hyperion after finishing this, but ultimately I decided not to just yet. I want to let this percolate and grow in my mind, but mostly I’m one of those anti-bingeing types that prefers to spread great stories out over a long period of time, to elongate my enjoyment of them, and better unpack their themes. I think it’s time for a non-genre novel, and then I’ll dig back in when the time is right. That being said, I can’t wait to come back to the world of Hyperion, and see what new terrors await these fantastic characters. ...more

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Feb 03, 2018 Baba rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, this-book-tho

SF Masterworks (2010- series) #21: This book was a very deserving winner of the Best Novel, 1990 Hugo Award. Seven pilgrims travel to the mysterious Time Tombs on Hyperion and share their stories of how they ended up being a pilgrim. Words escape me - immediately I had to start reading the sequel The Fall of Hyperion! On so many levels this book is a masterwork from a constructed reality that covers universes and eons, through to a cosmos wide legacy, mythology and strategic planning by numerous ...more

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Oct 24, 2014 Markus rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, 2014

Deep in the shady sadness of a vale
Far sunken from the healthy breath of morn.

Hyperion...

Imagine a universe where the Earth has been destroyed and humanity is spread out across hundreds of planets. Combine the artful poetry of John Keats with a science fiction retelling of the Canterbury Tales. Add tons of references to the myths and legends of the three Abrahamic religions, and what you have is Hyperion. A masterpiece of literature.

Seven pilgrims come together aboard the treeship Yggdrasil to ...more

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Oct 19, 2018 Joe Valdez rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi-general

The fiction of Dan Simmons reminds me of a sporty and high maintenance dog, a dalmatian or Weimaraner perhaps, the type of athletic breed who walks its owners as opposed to the other way around. Like a canine with stamina to spare, the author's 1989 science fiction epic Hyperion, winner of the Hugo Award, may be the best fit for those who enjoy hours of exercise and mental stimulation in their personal time, a beast as opposed to a buddy. Intensely literary, highly imaginative, mostly capable of ...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Megan Baxter rated it it was amazing

These stories are, individually, mind-blowingly good - in concert, they are little short of breathtaking. This is science fiction at its very best, and its avoidance of simple answers satisfies me deeply. I can't wait to read the next book.

Note: The rest of this review has been withdrawn due to the recent changes in Goodreads policy and enforcement. You can read why I came to this decision here.

In the meantime, you can read the entire review at Smorgasbook ...more

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Mar 02, 2015 Henry Avila rated it really liked it

It's the 28th century through a little accident ( some people do not believe it was), Earth has been destroyed by scientists over 400 years before, the inhabitants have dispersed they struggle in two hundred different planets to survive, in the vast galaxy an Empire called Hegemony rises to protect or is it to exploit them ? But with civilizations growing and changing in desert planets, ocean worlds, jungle lands, mountains regions, the expanding universe goes on forever how can any rule ? On th It's the 28th century through a little accident ( some people do not believe it was), Earth has been destroyed by scientists over 400 years before, the inhabitants have dispersed they struggle in two hundred different planets to survive, in the vast galaxy an Empire called Hegemony rises to protect or is it to exploit them ? But with civilizations growing and changing in desert planets, ocean worlds, jungle lands, mountains regions, the expanding universe goes on forever how can any rule ? On the world called Hyperion a strange, frightening looking being lives the Shrike, some hate it others love all fear, and many want to kill the creature animal or machine, no one knows in the valley of the Time Tombs, huge structures ( some kind of time travel device, quite incomprehensible) the evil thing kills without mercy or feeling, but a cult evolves from this ruthless entity, the bizarre "church" has many shrines around the empire ... Now war against merciless barbarians Ousters, descendants from Earthlings living outside the Hegemony is about to begin, faster than light speed transportation has been achieved, total destruction is now possible, billions can be slaughtered by unseen powerful weapons only dreamed of, by their ancestors. The Shrike by way of his followers invites seven humans on a pilgrimage to visit him (yes, this is a homage, to the Canterbury Tales). The priest Father Hoyt sick, tired, taking drugs losing his faith, the soldier Kassad who has seen too many deaths in too many battles, retired the boisterous poet Silenus famous for his first poem, now unable to finish one not liked by his companions, the scholar Weintraub, carrying, his infant daughter Rachel the one person he loves, medicine has failed she gets dangerously younger every day, he would do anything to save her, the Starship captain Masteen from the mysterious Templar Brotherhood, keeping secrets from the others the detective and only woman in this group Lamia, as tough as any man who still can weep, having lost her love and last but far from least the cynical, brooding consul ( name not stated) he has information from the top, the legendary Meina Gladstone she controls the empire, ( the omniscient computers, in reality) by unethical political maneuvers enemies would say, that a spy is among them maybe he knows more than anyone else, returning reluctantly to the planet he formerly governed and always enjoys looking at the nightly sky as the meteor showers light up the darkness . They go up endless rivers , stormy seas, remote lands in aerial trams high above the ground telling stories when the pilgrims stop to rest ... and finally walking slowly in the eerie valley of the Shrike to their doom , all believe still continue on holding hands one begins singing an obscure song from old Earth, everybody joins in ... " We're off to see the Wizard "... A brilliant novel that of course has a sequel, three in fact. ...more

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Aug 04, 2017 Michael Finocchiaro rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, american-20th-c, fiction, sci-fi, hugo-awards-winner, series

I loved this sci fi classic, Hyperion and want to read the rest of the series now - especially with the massive cliffhanger at the end!
A sort of Canterbury Tales in space, Simmons takes us 700 years in the future with a human race that fled the ineluctable implosion of planet earth in two groups - the Hegemony and the rebellious Ousters. There are, if memory serves, about 25 (or was it 250?) inhabited worlds between which slipships (sp?) use Hawking drive (presumably named for the amazing Stephe I loved this sci fi classic, Hyperion and want to read the rest of the series now - especially with the massive cliffhanger at the end!
A sort of Canterbury Tales in space, Simmons takes us 700 years in the future with a human race that fled the ineluctable implosion of planet earth in two groups - the Hegemony and the rebellious Ousters. There are, if memory serves, about 25 (or was it 250?) inhabited worlds between which slipships (sp?) use Hawking drive (presumably named for the amazing Stephen Hawkings?) and traveling at light speed leads to time debt from the voyages to take into account the quantum physics of space and time. The story revolves around seven pilgrims headed to a world not connected to the WorldWeb (this being a network of human habitations connected by networks and AI intelligence of the TechnoCore). There is a ton of speculative ideas that were very far-reaching for a book written in 1981 including the aforementioned WorldWeb (think of the World Wide Web that was conceptualized in 1989 and opened to the public in 1991!), farcasting portals for stepping from one world to another using time-space singularities, cybrids which are androids whose AI is seeded with known Earth personalities such as John Keats (whose poetry and life plays an enormous part in the story!) The Hegemony has become somewhat authoritarian amd paranoid following the incredible rise of intelligence in the AI systems and the menace of the Ousters who are now completely comfortable living in deep space and have developed sophisticated weapons that threaten Hegemony worlds. On Hyperion, the destination of the pilgrims, there is mysterious murderous creature called the Shrike who lives near the Time Tombs which are now off limits to the imminent danger. Each of the pilgrims has a specific and important link to Hyperion and to the Shrike and each tells their story during the long voyage.
Needless to say, there is a LOT of material here and telling you more would inevitably lead to spoilers so suffice it to say that there is no question that Hyperion belongs in the upper echelon of science fiction novels and its vision of the future is at the same time quite terrifying and incredibly fascinating.
Looking forward to the next installment! (Since, read and reviewed here on GR!) ...more

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Aug 23, 2017 Dan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: pants-shittingly-awesome, 2017, 2017-books

On the eve of interstellar war between the Hegemony of Man and the barbarian Ousters over the fate of Hyperion, seven pilgrims embark on a journey to the Time Tombs and their mysterious protector, The Shrike, a three meter tall, four-armed monster covered with blades. One pilgrim will have his wish granted and the others will be impaled on the Shrike's Tree of Pain. Only one or more of the pilgrims isn't what he appears to be...

I first read Hyperion almost seven years ago as part of the The Hype On the eve of interstellar war between the Hegemony of Man and the barbarian Ousters over the fate of Hyperion, seven pilgrims embark on a journey to the Time Tombs and their mysterious protector, The Shrike, a three meter tall, four-armed monster covered with blades. One pilgrim will have his wish granted and the others will be impaled on the Shrike's Tree of Pain. Only one or more of the pilgrims isn't what he appears to be...

I first read Hyperion almost seven years ago as part of the The Hyperion Omnibus: Hyperion / The Fall of Hyperion. When I found the ebook on the cheap, I decided it was time for a reread.

Hyperion is an epic tale that's hard to quantify. Borrowing its structure from the Canterbury tales, Hyperion is a literary sf tour de force, encompassing much of what I love about reading in the first place. There are literary references, far away places with strange sounding names, three dimensional characters, and a universe that is anything but black and white. There is also artificial intelligence, faster than light travel, robots, lasers, and many other spectacular sf concoctions.

As I said before, Hyperion is really a multitude of tales in one. Seven people have been selected to go on what is possibly the final Shrike pilgrimage. Along the way, they tell their stories, stories which run the gamut of genre tales. There's romance, humor, action, adventure, sex, and violence, everything I love about genre fiction. Simmons really flexes his writing chops in this, from Martin Silenus' verbose tale of being a writer to Brawne Lamia's Raymond Chandler homage. World-building is often intrusive and wielded like a club but Simmons' world-building is more like a massage, doled out in bite-sized chunks during each of the characters' tales.

While the world-building is staggeringly interesting, it's the characters that really fuel this fire. A repentent soldier, a conflicted diplomat, an old man with a child aging in reverse, the captain of a treeship, a burden-carrying priest, a detective in love with a poet, and a poet in love with the past.

There isn't enough space to write down everything I loved about this book. The only gripe I have is that it ends abruptly once the Consul's tale is told and the real ending is in the second volume, The Fall of Hyperion. For my money, Hyperion stands alongside The Dark Tower as on of my favorite fantasy/sf works of all time.

I originally read this way back in 2011 and it was one of those wonderful books that eclipsed many of the books before it. On the second read, it still is. Five out of five stars. ...more

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Jan 28, 2011 Jonathan rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone

Shelves: science-fiction, fiction

I'm frankly terrified to review Dan Simmons' masterpiece Hyperion. It is too good and too big for me to do this right. So...if I'm going to do it wrong, I might as well have fun. I thought I would mirror both Chaucer's and Simmons' use of the frame story in my review:

(The opening bit of Keats poetry)

He enter’d, but he enter’d full of wrath;
His flaming robes stream’d out beyond his heels,
And gave a roar, as if of earthly fire,
That scar’d away the meek ethereal Hours

The Overarching Frame

This ma ...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Apatt rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

Hyperion is generally regarded as a science fiction classic, it tends to be included in most "Best SF Novels of All-Time" lists. I first read it when it was first published in paperback, at the time I had no idea I was reading a book that is destined to become a classic in the genre. When I began to participate in online sf books discussion groups not so long ago (primarily PrintSF these days) I noticed how often Hyperion is mentioned, usually reverent tones. A reread is then in order because I Hyperion is generally regarded as a science fiction classic, it tends to be included in most "Best SF Novels of All-Time" lists. I first read it when it was first published in paperback, at the time I had no idea I was reading a book that is destined to become a classic in the genre. When I began to participate in online sf books discussion groups not so long ago (primarily PrintSF these days) I noticed how often Hyperion is mentioned, usually reverent tones. A reread is then in order because I have entirely forgotten what is so good about it, besides I have not read the subsequent books in the Hyperion Cantos. If I remember correctly I could not get my mitts on a copy of The Fall of Hyperion at the time. Anybody who is familiar with the works on Dan Simmons will know how versatile he is. Simmons has published books in several genres including, sf, fantasy, horror, crime, and non-fiction. I can not say that he excels in all of them because I have only read his sf and horror novels but it would not surprise me if he does.

Hyperion is beautifully structured and skillfully built up from gradually introducing the reader to the universe of the book to taking the readers through the adventures of the seven protagonists. It is one of those rare books that is highly readable from start to finish, yet its accessibility belies its complexity. The novel is comprised of brilliant six distinct novella length stories wrapped within a frame story (a la The Canterbury Tales). This book encompasses several different styles or sf sub-genres including space opera, hard sf, soft sf, military sf, cyberpunk, horror, and even literary fiction, each story even manage to encompass multiple subgenres. The different parts combine into a cohesive excellent volume, Simmons' wonderful versatility is amply showcased by the different narrative voice and tone he adopts for each part.

My favorite is Part 5, The Detective's Tale: "The Long Good-Bye" which begins as a noir crime fiction then transform into a cyberpunk story with a ton of action with a touch of martial arts and even romance. The difference in narrative voice is particularly noticeable here, Brawne Lamia is the only female protagonist but kicks more asses than all the males put together yet still comes across as feminine. It is a sort of The Long Goodbye in reverse with the woman as the private eye. Part 4, The Scholar's Tale: "The River Lethe's Taste is Bitter" also deserves a special mention as the saddest, most poignant story here, somewhat reminiscent of Flowers for Algernon crossed with The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. All the parts are great, though, these two are just my personal highlights. An earlier story even reminds me of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness before things take a left turn into Twilight Zone-ish weirdness.

Characterization is certainly a strong point of this book, all the characters are complex and believable, moments of humor and irony are discreetly slipped in to prevent the book from becoming leaden. The prose style, as mentioned previously, changes in accordance with the setting and character, as a whole the book is beautifully written. I also love that the book ends on a surprisingly cheerful musical note (though not quite a song and dance number) which is also something of a cliffhanger, and our "heroes" are far from safe.

If you count yourself an sf fan you need to read this. If you just want to read a damn good book this is also for you. ...more

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Aug 03, 2021 Wick Welker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sff-favorites, sff-masterpieces, sci-fi

A science fiction and literary masterpiece.

What was I doing with my life before I read Hyperion? As a huge science fiction and fantasy reader, I thought I had a pretty good grasp of what science fiction was capable of but wow did this book completely blow away all expectations.

How does one even begin to talk about this masterpiece? I could start with the masterful and subverting storytelling or the bottomless well of characterization. Or how about the subtle yet overarching world building and d ...more

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Nov 08, 2018 Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin rated it it was ok

Shelves: fantasy-all, own, paperback-own, sci-fi

I’m about to give up on rereads and my books in general. (Okay, not really) I’m just not liking anything! Okay, a few books but still, the hell is doing on??!! Actually, I do know but that’s my personal issues.

Happy Reading Peeps!

Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾 ...more

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May 25, 2015 Mario rated it liked it

2.5

I wanted to love this book so bad. I really did.

Reading this book definitely wasn't easy. So many times i didn't know what the hell was going on. Most of the time I was confused or frustrated, and many times I thought about giving up. If this wasn't a library book, I would definitely put it down, and read it again when I'm in a mood for reading this kind of book.

The book is written in 'short stories' form, and I think that was my problem with it. I got bored at beginning of each story, and as ...more

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Jun 14, 2014 Conor rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, hyperion-cantos, sci-fi

Still singing loudly, not looking back, matching stride for stride, they descended into the valley.

This first novel in the Hyperion Cantos easily surpassed any sci-fi I've ever read. While the presence of cool space-ships, strange planets and gun-fights in space are all going to be familiar to fans of the genre the typical adventures, rebellions and funny/evil aliens are nowhere to be found. Instead we get a tale of incredible complexity, deep, brilliantly realized world building and a mature ...more

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Sep 15, 2016 Niki Hawkes - The Obsessive Bookseller rated it liked it

“Hyperion” was an interesting book, but it’s difficult to convey what the story was about in a summary. It’s one of those books that gradually reveals its purposes as the plot progresses. In a nutshell, a handful of POV characters journey to Hyperion – an enigma of a world made even more mysterious by the presence of the Shrike (see cover for visual – it’s the big metallic being). As each character expands on their connection to this world, you start to get a sense of what’s really going on.

“Hyp “Hyperion” was an interesting book, but it’s difficult to convey what the story was about in a summary. It’s one of those books that gradually reveals its purposes as the plot progresses. In a nutshell, a handful of POV characters journey to Hyperion – an enigma of a world made even more mysterious by the presence of the Shrike (see cover for visual – it’s the big metallic being). As each character expands on their connection to this world, you start to get a sense of what’s really going on.

“Hyperion” is definitely a thought-provoking book. Although it started out with heavy religious overtones (the first perspective being the religious POV), it soon captured my imagination with a complex mystery and only got more engaging from there. It was not a feel-good story. It was the kind of gritty, morbid tale that kept me page-turning well into the night despite the ever growing knot in my stomach. Then it kept me up even longer as my brain tried to sort out all the information learned about this world, the Shrike, and their effects on time itself. It’s ironically exhausting… and kind of brilliant.

Time manipulation in stories is a tricky thing. It can go from a clever idea to convoluted in a heartbeat. I often find myself finishing such books or shows slightly confused, wondering if I missed a critical detail somewhere or if the author just failed to communicate it clearly (it’s usually a bit of both). In “Hyperion,” Simmons did a decent job of presenting his concept in segments which were easier to digest. In fact, his overall presentation of all pertinent information was very carefully placed and effective. It allowed me to build my own theories alongside the characters based on every new revelation. That’s the sort of engaging interaction I always enjoy within books. Overall, it’s one of the better conceptual time-manipulation novels I’ve ever read.

Another note in “Hyperion’s” favor was its timelessness. It was written when I was 4 years old (O_o) yet read as though it was written within the last couple of years (and will likely do so for many to come). It illustrated just how smart Dan Simmons is at story construction. Surmising from just the text, Simmons comes across as a very well read, intelligent person. It was awesome to pick up on all the literary references throughout the plot, and I’ve always been impressed with authors who can present POV characters with such integral differences in perspective on complex issues such as religion and politics, and do so convincingly. I have no idea where the author’s personal stances are on these issues, and that something I oddly love about his writing.

I can easily see why classic sci-fi lovers rave about this book and defend their 5 star ratings to the ends of the earth. My conservative 3 star rating, however, hopefully conveys appreciation for the book while acknowledging that it didn’t quite blow me away on all accounts. I think the culprit might be the fact that there’s no silver lining or hope in this book. It definitely doesn’t leave you with anything but gloom and that aforementioned knot in your stomach. Now, I don’t need books to be about butterflies and rainbows to enjoy them, but I do need at least a tiny ray of sunshine to give me hope that the story could end well and that the characters are working towards something meaningful. Part of this can be attributed to the format of this first book – the multiple POVs were presented in a reflectional format where all the focus was on what came before. While interesting, it didn’t leave a lot of room for plot advancement, and in fact made most of the book read like a collection of prequel novellas leading up to the actual beginning of the story.

Overall, I liked “Hyperion” but it didn’t land among my favorites. It is still an awesome contribution to classic sci-fi and worth your time if you like the genre.

Via The Obsessive Bookseller at www.nikihawkes.com ...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Penny rated it liked it

Shelves: scifi-and-fantasy-club-bookshelf, time-travel, adventure, locus-award, award-winner, magic, fantasy, aliens, short-stories, space-opera

When people rave about this book they should really mention that it doesn't have a real ending! Sure it was an enjoyable bunch of stories and all, but I was reading them in the context of learning about the characters before the big showdown at the end of the book. I guess that only happens in the next book.

I also found the description of the settings overdone and a bit indulgent. These sections became very easy to spot as they tend to be at the beginning of a chapter or new story. I found mysel ...more

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Nov 28, 2018 Adrian rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-space-opera, sci-fi, zz-owned-books

An interesting book. It has been recommended to me a number of times, and seeing as I had a copy, I thought I'd see what all the fuss was about and read it.
Did I enjoy it, yes, was it what i expected, no, not really. As a book it is basically a scene setter for the sequels, yes a few things happen, but the majority of the book is the back story (and history) of the main characters in the book.
Now this sounds a little boring, BUT, it is in fact a great way to start a wide-ranging space opera seri ...more

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Nov 10, 2014 Scott rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, science-fiction

“The Hegemony Consul sat on the balcony of his ebony spaceship and played Rachmaninoff’s Prelude in C-sharp Minor on an ancient but well-maintained Steinway while great, green, saurian things surged and bellowed in the swamps below.”

After reading this stunning first line I was intrigued by Hyperion. By the end of the first page I was hooked. By the conclusion of chapter one I was a craven addict, my Hyperion-obsessed mind now fit for a series of cautionary posters titled "This is your brain on g ...more

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Mar 10, 2021 Trish rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I’m finally getting to this sci-fi classic which derives its form from another classic of English literature.

We are in the 29th century and mankind, after spreading to hundreds of different planets, is at war. The Hegemony if facing off with the „Ousters“ (and possible another force behind that but no spoilers) which results, amongst other things, in a planet called Hyperion being threatened. Usually, humanity’s planets are connected by portals but some farther out are not. Hyperion is one such ...more

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May 14, 2019 Algernon (Darth Anyan) rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2019, favorites

The Hegemony Consul sat on the balcony of his ebony spaceship and played Rachmaninoff's Prelude in C-sharp Minor on an ancient but well maintained Steinway while great, green, saurian things surged and bellowed in the swamps below.

I thought I was well-read in the genre, having tackled most of the big names in the 80's and early 90's, but somehow I missed out on the saurian in the room. WOW!!! I can't remember the last time I was so amazed at a new series, instantly jumping into the next book a ...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Bradley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-fi, top-ten-w-cheats, top-one-hundred, fanboy-goes-squee, 2021-shelf

This is one of my favorite SF novels.

Easily in the top ten. It has just about everything I could want in an SF while also elevating the entire SF conversation at the same time.

And a virtuoso performance is another term I'd use, as if the character of Martin Selinius had popped out of the pages and wrote this very book, wowing the AIs connaisseurs and elevating the very first Literary SF form to do universal justice to the term.

Back when I first read this book, the same year it came out, I was ...more

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Jan 26, 2010 Dirk Grobbelaar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites, science-fiction, books-i-own, 55essential-space-opera-barnesnoble, hugo-award-winners, sff-from-1980s

Ah. Hyperion. Quite the achievement. Like its fascination with poetry might suggest, this novel is a piece of art.

There are many themes addressed here, and a re-reading at some stage is likely in order. On one level it's a novel about faith: the loss of faith, and, perhaps, the regaining of faith. On another, it's a novel about retribution. Alternatively, it is nothing of the sort, and just a darn good Space Opera.

As other reviewers have noted, there is a notable element of horror throughout. I ...more

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About Dan Simmons

Dan Simmons

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Dan Simmons grew up in various cities and small towns in the Midwest, including Brimfield, Illinois, which was the source of his fictional "Elm Haven" in 1991's SUMMER OF NIGHT and 2002's A WINTER HAUNTING. Dan received a B.A. in English from Wabash College in 1970, winning a national Phi Beta Kappa Award during his senior year for excellence in fiction, journalism and art.

Dan received his Master Dan Simmons grew up in various cities and small towns in the Midwest, including Brimfield, Illinois, which was the source of his fictional "Elm Haven" in 1991's SUMMER OF NIGHT and 2002's A WINTER HAUNTING. Dan received a B.A. in English from Wabash College in 1970, winning a national Phi Beta Kappa Award during his senior year for excellence in fiction, journalism and art.

Dan received his Masters in Education from Washington University in St. Louis in 1971. He then worked in elementary education for 18 years—2 years in Missouri, 2 years in Buffalo, New York—one year as a specially trained BOCES "resource teacher" and another as a sixth-grade teacher—and 14 years in Colorado.

ABOUT DAN
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His last four years in teaching were spent creating, coordinating, and teaching in APEX, an extensive gifted/talented program serving 19 elementary schools and some 15,000 potential students. During his years of teaching, he won awards from the Colorado Education Association and was a finalist for the Colorado Teacher of the Year. He also worked as a national language-arts consultant, sharing his own "Writing Well" curriculum which he had created for his own classroom. Eleven and twelve-year-old students in Simmons' regular 6th-grade class averaged junior-year in high school writing ability according to annual standardized and holistic writing assessments. Whenever someone says "writing can't be taught," Dan begs to differ and has the track record to prove it. Since becoming a full-time writer, Dan likes to visit college writing classes, has taught in New Hampshire's Odyssey writing program for adults, and is considering hosting his own Windwalker Writers' Workshop.

Dan's first published story appeared on Feb. 15, 1982, the day his daughter, Jane Kathryn, was born. He's always attributed that coincidence to "helping in keeping things in perspective when it comes to the relative importance of writing and life."

Dan has been a full-time writer since 1987 and lives along the Front Range of Colorado—in the same town where he taught for 14 years—with his wife, Karen, his daughter, Jane, (when she's home from Hamilton College) and their Pembroke Welsh Corgi, Fergie. He does much of his writing at Windwalker—their mountain property and cabin at 8,400 feet of altitude at the base of the Continental Divide, just south of Rocky Mountain National Park. An 8-ft.-tall sculpture of the Shrike—a thorned and frightening character from the four Hyperion/Endymion novels—was sculpted by an ex-student and friend, Clee Richeson, and the sculpture now stands guard near the isolated cabin. ...more

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