Hyperion

, #1

Mass Market Paperback, 482 pages

English language

Published Dec. 17, 1995 by Bantam Spectra.

ISBN:
978-0-553-28368-6
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Goodreads:
77566

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4 stars (29 reviews)

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the reach of galactic law, waits a 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, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope—and a terrible secret. And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.

14 editions

reviewed Hyperion by Dan Simmons (Hyperion Cantos, #1)

Review of 'Hyperion' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

TL;DR removing one star because it falls into some classic uncritical usage of colonialist + imperialist narrative, misogynist plot devices + characters, and ableist language + lenses. without downplaying these core issues, i still have to say this book (and its sequel) are some of the most impressive, ambitious, & compelling hard sci-fi i've ever read. more specifics:


in particular "the soldier's tale" and "the consul's tale" were both totally uncritical of their feminine muse characters-as-plot-devices, and the sex scenes felt shoehorned and pointless because of it. "the detective's tale" starts by centering a dope & hyper-competent woman character but she too is eventually shrunk into a confused & lovesick wench. the book in general also has a poorly-hidden enjoyment of militarism & military aesthetics without much of a critical eye, although I think the sequel does more in this regard. "the priest's tale" could have done without its offensive …

reviewed Hyperion by Dan Simmons (Hyperion Cantos, #1)

Review of 'Hyperion' on 'Goodreads'

5 stars

a masterpiece of storytelling...

short plot description: set several hundred years in the future. Earth has been destroyed but Mankind has spread out to the stars in two different factions, the Ousters and the Hegomony. The Hegemony is planet-based, connected by a network of telepotation devices ("Farcasters") and a powerful computer network ("Datasphere") both controlled by AIs ("TechnoCore"). The Ousters live in deep space, having adapted to living in zero gravity. When the book starts both sides are on the brink of open war and the planet Hyperion seems to be the choosen battleground. Hyperion is also the home of the Time Tombs and the Shrike both which are shrouded in mystery around which has a religion has sprung up. Seven seemingly unrelated people are brought together to go on a pilgrimage on Hyperion with the hope of averting disaster. During the pilgramage we learn their stories...

my thoughts: one …