In the style of The Canterbury Tales, this is the story of a group of people on a pilgrimage. During their journey, each member of the group tells the story of how and why they came to be traveling on this particular pilgrimage. Unlike the Canterbury Tales, however, these pilgrims are all from different worlds and they're on their way to see the Lord of Pain, the Shrike, who will grant the wish of one of them and kill all the rest. The main plot of the book is that simple: a bunch of rather ordinary seeming people go on a trip. But the individual stories they tell are all very interesting and unexpectedly heart-wrenching. From a preacher's interactions with an unusually simple-minded tribe of indigenous people, to a teacher's desperate plight to save his daughter's life, to a private investigator's emotional attachment to a client who's murder she has been investigating, every single one of these stories touched me in some way. There are sequels to this novel and I will definitely be seeking them out. ( )

When I read the German translation of the book I was disappointed. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, maybe it's the translation's fault, I can't tell for sure anymore. 2 years later the situation has changed completely and I was blown away. There are some parts of the book I like better than others, but the whole concept and the emotional touch of the stories makes this an outstanding read. Highly recommended. ( )

When I read the German translation of the book I was disappointed. Maybe I was in the wrong mood, maybe it's the translation's fault, I can't tell for sure anymore. 2 years later the situation has changed completely and I was blown away. There are some parts of the book I like better than others, but the whole concept and the emotional touch of the stories makes this an outstanding read. Highly recommended. ( )

Pre09:

Epic and plodding.

Characters: Some I liked. Some I didn't. With this many, I think that will always be the case.
Plot: There wasn't one plot. It basically was just a bunch of short stories running simultaneously.
Style: Epic Science Fiction. Too cumbersome for me in the end. If I want short stories I'll read short stories. If I want an epic I'd rather have some consistent characters. ( )

Complex space opera with literary (read: poetry of John Keats) & religious overtones. Unlike most novels, there is no main protagonist; the storyline is developed through several different characters, focusing on or around the pilgrims (Canterbury Tales!). The first book ("Hyperion")consists of the individual stories of the pilgrims, and their journey to the Time Tombs. The second book ("Fall of Hyperion") starts off where the first one ends, continues the story of the pilgrimage and further develops the story on a grander scale, with the invasion of Hyperion and the Web as a backdrop. Although satisfying, the end leaves many questions unanswered (the story _is_ complex). Good writer. Blend of themes and writing styles. ( )

ZBH5 ( )

I am reminded of leaving the first Lord of the Rings movie and overhearing (and I am not making this up), “It’s almost like they planned on making a sequel.” I walked away from this book thinking, “It’s almost like he planned on making a sequel.” Yes, I approached the book thinking it was a stand alone and, I guess, if you really stretch the idea, such could be the truth. But let’s not kid ourselves; it is only the first part of the story. (Which raises the question, how does a Hugo award go to a partial story – oh well, neither here nor there.) I will try to set my prejudices about being sucked into a series aside.

I was not impressed at the way the story started – it felt the premise and, more importantly, the approach was clichéd. A prologue where someone gets pulled from retirement (someone with a secret) to return to the source of his troubles; a voyage that brings a band together; an initial description of each person as they gather at a table; then the drawing of numbers to determine the order for each person to tell their story. Sure, as everyone points out, it is a riff on The Canterbury Tales – but the set up just doesn’t ring with originality.

Nonetheless, the stories each voyager tells becomes engrossing, and the intertwining of the stories (both the way the plots come together and the way they eventually show the overall universe of the novel) began to win me over. The result - by the end of the story, when it was time for the climax, I was genuinely upset that the book had come to a close. And that means I will have to read the next book in the series because the writing is good, the story is engrossing, and I just want to know what’s gonna happen next. ( )

No hay palabras. Maravilloso libro ( )

Read this a few years ago (2004?), and what I still remember clearly is how good the writing was, and how I couldn't put the book down. Great writing, a rich universe and a blend of sci-fi, horror and just great story telling. This novel and Fall of Hyperion are up there with the greatest sci-fi/fantasy series (Foundation, Dune, LOTR, 2001, Rama, etc.) ( )

I absolutely loved it. My review is here: http://moosplace.blogspot.com/2009/05... ( )

Centered on the last chance pilgrimage of seven people and their personal stories, “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons is a cerebral wonder colored with beautiful vistas on foreign worlds, far future science fiction and significant insight into the human condition. Each character’s reason for being on this final pilgrimage is annotated and presented by Mr. Simmons in turn, giving the reader a feeling of separate stories within an overall thematic arc. And while the entertaining dénouement left me a bit saddened with not having resolved key issues and story-lines, the overall sense was extremely pleasing. ( )

First of four novels that have an odd connection to the poetry of John Keats. Fabulous work -- literate, dense, beautiful imagery and well-realized characters. Hugo Award winner, and well-deserved. ( )

This is one of the best science fiction novels written in the last 20 years. It is set in the far future of humanity, where powerful AI's control much of what goes on. Humans travel quickly from world to world via portals, or via very fast spaceships where there are no portals. Even in this advanced time, there are still mysteries, including the old Church, and the strange cruciform lifeform on Hyperion. Also on Hyperion is the strange alien Shrike, which no human has been able to communicate with or attack. People keep making pilgrimages to appeal to it. Somehow these things are all related, though it takes several books to sort it all out.
Very, very good science fiction. ( )

Listened to the Audible audiobook of this. I loved it! Had an odd possible cliffhanger, waiting for Amazon to ship me the sequel! ( )

a little drawn out, but cool ( )

Now this wasn't my first Simmons book. I had read "Summer of Night" in high school, and although I eventually forgot what it was about exactly, its grotesque imagery stayed with me for years until I reread it again a month ago. Another Amazon reviewer wondered "[h]ow could the man who wrote the Hyperion books pen this terrible, mindnumbing, unfinishable novel?" LOL. After I finished "Hyperion," my reaction was the opposite: how could the same man who wrote "Summer of Night" be the author of this masterpiece? I mean, it was decent enough horror novel but I've read much better from Dean Koontz. But no wonder that reviewer was so disappointed: "Hyperion" is light-years above "Summer of Night."

The setting is some 700 years in the future, in which Earth has since been destroyed by misguided science. Most humans are citizens of the interplanetary Hegemony, a decadent and decaying civilization on the brink of total war with the Ousters, a marauding tribe of quasi-transhumanists reviled as galactic barbarians. Think of it as the Old Republic of "The Phantom Menace" and "Attack of the Clones": a stagnant, overblown juggernaut suffering the mounting effects of social entropy. But don't let the "Star Wars" comparisons fool you - this is NOT Saturday-morning sci-fi.

At the core of the book, which is actually first in a series of four, is the distant world of Hyperion, an enigmatic place where ancient brooding structures travel backwards through time and a nightmarish entity known as the Shrike feasts on death but is worshiped by many as the righteous instrument of retribution. As the apocalypse rises in the stars, seven strangers have gathered to make one last suicidal pilgrimage to the Shrike and the Time Tombs, each telling his story along the way. "Hyperion" is essentially a compendium of six interlocking tales (yes, six - no spoilers here!), all of them a celebration of joy, tenderness, and pathos that illustrates the distance between the heights of which humanity is capable and the fallen state of the societies in which they live. Lurking in the background, but coming menacingly forward in the second-to-last tale, is the TechnoCore, a "race" of sentient AIs possessed of seemingly godlike technological powers (it is at this point that an element of cyberpunk noir is introduced) that act as "advisers" to the Hegemony government. If you're familiar with Masamune Shirow's "Ghost in the Shell," think of a super-evolved Puppet Master.

Honestly, I don't even think it's really possible to adequately summarize "Hyperion" and do it full justice. It's too expansive for that. There is so much that Simmons touches upon - "Hyperion" is large, containing multitudes. It is a stunning work of art that is both dazzlingly futuristic and achingly nostalgic: it simultaneously rejoices in life and laments what humanity, at its worst, ultimately destroys. ( )

Hyperion is an enticingly original sci-fi story with parallels to Chaucer's Canterbury Tales and to the life of John Keats. Allusions to the passion-indeed to the life force-of John Keats are seeded throughout the story in the most intricate manner. However, setting aside Simmons' background in English literature, Hyperion is a book that every science fiction lover should read. Enthrall your imagination while 7 pilgrims on a mission to visit the deadly Shrike relate their stories one-by-one. Simmons displays amazing creative talents as he endears each character (even the most annoying of them) to the fascinated readers. The turn of events is completely unexpected. Simmons keeps you guessing until the very end. Unfortunately, he doesn't end the story here, though. In order to find out what happens to the new found friends, the reader must buy the next book in the series: The Fall of Hyperion (which DOES finish the story). Despite the disappointment and frustration I felt at the end when I had to get my boyfriend to fly a copy of the sequel to me from half-way across the country, I understand the reason for Simmons' unsatisfying conclusion-the ending of the story IS another story. ( )

A truly wonderful book. I used to heavily read fictional books, consisting of fantasy and science-fiction. For one reason or another though, my tastes seemed to change. Up until now, it had been about two or three years since I had actually read a fictional book. I had finished the first few novels in Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series. I had even attempted George R. R. Martin's "A Game of Thrones", but made no real progress with that.

Since then I had been limited to reading historical and philosophical texts; which mind you I enjoyed. Anyways, to get on with the review; in one way or another I came across a recommendation for this book. I get my hands on it about two days ago, and finished it today.

Reading it is very pleasant, extremely different from the slow progress you typically make in a factually heavy book. Compared to other fictional books I have read, the length is just about perfect. It's longer and covers more content than "Ender's Game", but progress is certainly noticeable, unlike with 1,000 paged monsters. It is a soft Sci-Fi novel, which means that you will not be hindered in reading this novel. It means that the general setting, and the couple of technological inventions mentioned are easy to understand, but even if you don't, they are not completely integral to the novel.

The frame-story structure is wonderful, vaguely reminiscent of "The Canterbury Tales". Some overall plot progress is made nonetheless, but the realizations of the characters, which is the primary purpose of this novel, is thoroughly presented here and will leave readers happy.

Who is this book for? Anyone that enjoys reading. It has aspects of horror, mystery, and fictional fantasy and science-fiction.

Even though I have inadvertently spoiled some later key details in the Hyperion Cantos; I look forward to finishing this series up as quickly as the remaining three books arrive. I look forward to finishing this series that has made me realize and brought me to my roots of my love for fantasy and science fiction novels. ( )

Damn, but I need to get a hold of the rest of the series. Like with The Moonstone, we have a story who's central core is secondary to the tales of multiple narrators. It's a ensemble act! Only here we've death and daring and science and magic and Time. And lots of blood. ( )

Sci-Fi. Not exactly cool is it? Not something you'd admit to reading. I used to love it when I was a kid, but lost the taste for it years ago. I can make it through the odd 'literary' sci-fi book (eg Atwood) but that's about it. Every now and then I give it try though, just really to recapture some sort of youth I guess, and usually give up very quickly..

I picked this up for £1 as a random purchase from Bookends in Hay-on-Wye in a big pile of other random books - maybe a throwaway title for a summers day that never came.

Opening sentences: 'The Hegemony Consul sat on the balcony... Bruise-black clouds silhouetted a forest gynosperms..."

Utter gibberish, yes? I great reminded of why sci-fi was no longer for me. But I persevered (after all, it had cost a pound...) and how I was rewarded. Seriously. This book is probably actually a masterpiece of sorts, hugely imaginative, vaguely emotional, set in a perfectly believable universe.

It's actually six different stories (or rather, six people telling there stories), all which add more to the overall picture, and I really did find my self suspending all disbelief and getting totally involved.

Be warned though. It's a pretty big book, and ends with things unresolved. There's a follow up. I'll be reading it. ( )

The Canterbury Tales of science fiction; beatifully written yet, very dull. Word on the street: you need to read the sequel, "The Fall of Hyperion" to appreciate "Hyperion." Probably not going to happen, since it took me so long to get through this book.

It's a story that schoes the Decameron and The Canterbury Tales, seven people tell the stories behind their going to Hyperion. Home to the Shrike and some tombs that no-one understands. Shrike will give one of them their wish but the others will die.

It's interesting and while the story continues into other books it doesn't induce me to continue reading. ( )

Hyperion won a Hugo award. Nearly every review I’ve read of this book rates it a classic. Nearly everyone I’ve talked to like it. My reaction to the book was mostly what does everyone see in it? I don’t really get it. I didn’t think it was awful, but I didn’t really ever get into it. Is it the fact that Simmons copied elements of storytelling from past masters? It seems to me that he ought to do it better to get credit.

(Full review at my blog) ( )

First; a word of warning. Hyperion may be a complete book, but it is not a complete story. In spite of that I enjoyed the book overall. Seven people who have never met before are sent on a pilgrimage to the Tme Tombs. One by one, each character tells the tale of why they have entered the pilgrimage as they journey towards the tombs. Each tale pulls you further into the story until you don’t want it to end... http://icantstopreading.wordpress.com... ( )