Customer Reviews

Hyperion (Gollancz S.F.)

5 star:		(392)
4 star:		(94)
3 star:		(47)
2 star:		(29)
1 star:		(22)

 

 

Though 'Hyperion' is dependent upon its sequel and ends with a tooth-grinding cliff-hanger, it is in its way self-contained. 'Hyperion' is centered on the six pilgrims' tales, their pasts, the terrible needs which drive them to confront what is almost certain death--or worse. Each of the tales is written in a unique style, and each introduces a new element to bind the story as a whole. All are wrenching, even disturbing in their intensity, in their focus on the deepest possible of human suffering.

Do not read this book if you're looking for a light, fun read. In fact, forget it. This book defies all expectations, serves up horrors that were hitherto unimaginable if you are even remotely sane. Dan Simmons is in this book exploring a world that has lost its soul and is decaying by inches. To underscore that decay, the tales focus on the underpinnings of humanity--death, love, parenthood, art--and twist them into the most horrific contortions possible. The tale of the cruciform, for example, investigates with terrifying clarity the possibility of there being a fate far, far worse than death.

As a result, the quest of each pilgrim has a greater significance than being merely a quest; in the empty world which Simmons creates, they are pioneers searching for a depth beyond the tested parameters of their rotting civilization. The atmosphere of the book is overshadowed by the horror of the Shrike, yet does not completely dim the hope of what might be.

Steeped in the tangled sorrows that drive them, the characters do not always engender sympathy. I found Kassad shallow and difficult to relate to, and the explicit sex a turn-off. However, Martin Silenus, Sol Weintaub and the Consul--to name a few--are fully realized, complex characters, and even at their worst moments, still by their very existence encourage the reader to keep reading simply to learn their fates.

An account of six tales from seven desparate travelers as they make a pilgrimage to Hyperion to seek out one the most terrifying monster ever created in fiction, the Shrike. They all have various reasons to risk their lives, and all hold the belief that whoever survives the Shrike, one prayer will be granted.

All six stories (novellas in their own right) are brilliantly conceived, and every reader here has his or her own personal favorite. While the priest's tale is one of the most harrowing I've ever read, I was personally moved by the tale of Sol and Rachael. As a parent, I found this tale especially haunting. As another reviewer mentioned, I will not think of the words "...later alligator...'while crocodile..." in the same light ever again.

This is science fiction told in a grand scale. It is sweeping in scope and Simmons' narrative is extremely imaginative, often fanciful, yet sometimes yawn inspiring. It is not an easy read. For those that know little or nothing about the poet, Keats (me included), much of the narrative may become ambiguous or boring. But despite that (or because of that), Simmons spins a masterful tale of the travelers and of the great war against the Hegmony and the Technocore.

Unfortunately, "Hyperion" is only the first part of a two-part story, and ends unfinished. One has to purchase (unknowingly) "The Fall of Hyperion" to complete the story. My suggestion would be to purchase them both at the same time and enjoy--it's well worth the money.

Although this novel won't be to everyones' taste (what novel is?), I thought it to be one of the best novels I've read in many a year. Between 1 and 10, I give "Hyperion" a solid 8. Had the novels been double bound and sold as one (as they should have been), I would have given "Hyperion" an enthusiastic 9.

Hyperion and the rest of the series is the best science fiction series yet written. I do not make this claim lightly. I have read alot of science fiction and the only books that I would say that come close are The Sparrow by Maria Doria Russell and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Although Across the Sea of Suns and the rest of the Galactic Center series by Gregory Benford was another favorite.

Hyperion is one planet in a large federation of planets which are at their political peak. This book is the story of 7 people picked to go on a pilgramage to the time tombs on Hyperion to see if they can figure out what is happening. The time tombs are guarded by a creature called the Shrike. The Srike can move forward and backward through time at will and seems to be invulnerable to any type of weapon. The 7 people are strangers to each other, but they have on common link, they have all encountered the Shrike before and been allowed to live. There is a legend and even a cult religion that has grown up around the Shrike for hundreds of years. It is said that the Shrike can grant any wish. Pilgrims that go searching for the Shrike must travel in groups of prime numbers or everyone will die. They must approach the time tombs on foot or everyone will die. According to legend, the Shrike somehow interviews everyone in the party if they have followed these rules and one person will have their wish granted and all the other party members will be killed. Also, the time tombs are moving backwards in time, and the fear is that once the time tombs stop that a whole army of tens of thousands of Shrikes will be unleashed. But this is just one thread in the vast tapestry of the story which grows in complexity with each book. What is happening on Hyperion is at the center of the collapse of this federation of thousands of planets that is on the brink of collapse. It is a facinating tale.

Enjoy.

Hyperion is truly incredible. As well as being a science fiction version of the Canterbury Tales, it also sets out a breathtaking and at the same time chilling vision of what humanity's future might be like. It creates a spectacular and wonderfully detailed world where citizens step through farcaster portals to have lunch on another planet, mysterious artificial intelligences scheme and plot, so-called 'barbarian' Ousters migrate between the stars, and a terrifying demon-machine called the Shrike stalks the area around a set of mysterious artifacts which appear to be travelling back in time. This world is populated with all sorts of fascinating characters and cultures, such as an artificial recreation of the poet Keats, a girl doomed to age backwards and a planet of peaceful environmentalists crushed for daring to resist modernisation.

This first book of four, consisting almost exclusively of the stories told by seven pilgrims (a priest, a soldier, a poet, a scholar, a detective, a starship captain and a diplomat) as they travel across the planet Hyperion to meet the Shrike, is essentially a gigantic prologue which sets the scene for the tumultuous events of The Fall of Hyperion. It builds up a picture of the Hegemony (the 'established' human grouping) as what I take as being the author's idea of the inevitable product of today's Western civilisation, and establishes the background to the crisis that has brought the seven pilgrims together, which appears at first to be a simple war of aggression by the Ousters but turns out to have much deeper ramifications involving the AI TechnoCore, the Shrike and the future of humanity. The stories they tell also leave many unanswered questions and mysteries that will hopefully leave the reader running to find the second book. Each one is distinct - some horrific, some merely moving, all intriguing. I have to say that the Priest's Tale, the first to be told, will always be special because it left me thinking: 'Wow! Could this get any better?!' And best of all, because this is the first book, you don't have to grimace too much at the annoying continuity errors that increasingly crop up as the series progresses.

As I said, the book leaves many questions to be answered in the next one. However, the greatest mystery of Hyperion is not the unknown purpose of the Shrike or the sinister plans of the Core. No, the greatest mystery of Hyperion is: WHY DOESN'T THE CONSUL HAVE A NAME?! ;-)

Not only am I not a science fiction fan, I am a science fiction outcast, having never read many (any?) of the "major" works of this genre of art. I know people who are, and they look at me sadly, with an elaborate mix of pity and revulsion, as I rattle off the list of books I have not read, and probably never will.

But if you are in this same lamentable category as I am, Hyperion is a book you should read. It is one of the great marvels of literature in the past 20 years, and it will grab hold of you and whisk you into its vivid, frightening, exhilarating, mind bending world. This book will get under your skin and say there for a while after you have finished reading it. I remember, for it was a while ago, having very vivid dreams incorporating the book while I was reading it. I wondered if Simmons had somehow gotten inside my brain and was up to something in there.

Plenty of people have given their view of the synopsis of the story(s), so I will no re-tell what has already been told. It may help if you have read some Keats, but it is not essential by any means. To me, it was a modern day Canterbury Tales, probably not just to me. And Simmons creates an entirely new and convincing universe, with its own intricate and convincing jargon and technology. Oh, and by the way, it is also a lot of fun to read...

This is one of the best books I have read in the past year. Rather, it is the best first half of a book I have read, and if you are considering ordering it, I suggest you buy "The Fall of Hyperion" at the same time, and save yourself the agonizing 5-9 day wait I am currently in the middle of.

"Hyperion" is the story of the Shrike, a mysterious, murderous, unstoppable, and unknowable entity that seems to defy the laws of physics and probability. For hundreds of years it has roamed the human colony world of Hyperion, making victims of both the inhabitants and the suicide-pilgrams that the Cult of the Shrike send on annual pilgrimages. Now war is coming to Hyperion, and the final pilgrims are rushing to a grim rendezvous ahead of weapons that might well scour the planet clean.

It is through the stories of these five pilgrims that we come to know the Shrike, and the human culture upon which it might soon be loosed. Each pilgrim tells his or her story in flashback, revealing their motives for undertaking a journey from which there is often no return. And each, we learn, has prior exposure to Hyperion, the Shrike, or the Time Temples where he dwells. One pilgrim is a father seeking a cure for a disease beyond human understanding. The others are a poet, a soldier, a private eye, an anarchist, but all of them have some connection to the monster they are seeking.

Their individual stories also paint a brilliant living picture of the society in which they live; a society of instantaneous travel and limitless information. Their laws are made by a democracy so deep that any citizen who wishes to can participate in the most minute detail of governing, but managed by AIs so omnipotently powerful that their whims are more powerful than any legislation.

Through the personal stories we learn not just about the pilgrims, but about the deeper mysteries surrounding the Shrike, and how those mysteries might well spell survival or disaster for the human race.

There are few books that succeed so completely in creating a believable universe and populating it with compelling characters doing interesting things. "Hyperion" is such a book, and deserves every plaudit and praise that has come its way.

In my mind there are few science fiction novels, or any genre fiction for that matter, better than Hyperion.

Dan Simmons, whose previous work had mainly been in the horror genre, focused on the idea of a frame story, an overriding story in which other stories are told (Canterbury Tales may be the most famous story of this type). Seven travelers all find themselves on the same journey and each tell the story that brought them to that point. And thus Simmons creates an incredible universe through the eyes of seven unique and well-crafted characters.

Hyperion ranks with great science fiction creations of all time, from Asimov's Foundation to Heinlein's Lazarus Long or Herbert's Dune. The fiction is both character and idea driven. Simmons' storytelling abilities are also excellent - the tales he writes range from brutal and violent to beautiful and poignant.

As previous reviewers have noted, please have Fall of Hyperion ready to go. It picks up where this one leaves off and you'll want to have it handy. The other two books in the series are also definitely worth reading. Too bad Simmons moved on to other genres of fiction. One can only hope he'll revisit the universe he created here.

There's so much good to say about this book, that I could never fit it all in, without completely boring and alienating anyone who may read this review. It simply must be read to be believed. I've personally read it six times, and am planning on reading it again.
Coupled with its' sequel, The Fall of Hyperion, Dan Simmons has created a universe of complexity and wonder, which I enjoy enough to return to again and again.
If you enjoy re-reading books, and find that you learn something new each time, then you'll love this book.

The story takes place in the future, after the Big Mistake has decimated Earth, and driven its' survivors out to the stars. The resulting Community of Man, known as the Hegemony, wages a war with a rouge fleet of humanity, known as the Swarm. Aided by advanced computers,
simply known as AI (Artificial Intelligence), whose computing power is such that they can predict the future with over 99.9999% accuracy, the Hegemony maintains a tenuous grip on its' collection of worlds, known as the Web.
However, the AI's ability to predict the future (and thus assure the continued dominance of the Web) with 100% accuracy is hampered by the existence of the world known as Hyperion. Apparently, Hyperion serves as an unknown variable in any equation that the supercomputers develop. Further, there is the Shrike, a seemingly immortal, unstoppable killing machine whose designers and purpose are unknown, and whose very existence may(or may not)decide the outcome of the Web.
The Hegemony decides to send a group of seven pilgrims to Hyperion, in an effort to solve its mysteries, and in doing so, continue the reign of the Hegemony, at the expense of the Swarm.
Based partially on an unfinished poem by Eighteenth century English poet John Keats(which chronicled the cataclysmic battle between the Greek Gods and their predecessors, the Titans), and Modeled after Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the story unfolds with each pilgrim stating his/her reasons for going on the very dangerous journey. Along the way, the reader is drawn in to Simmons' world, as the secrets slowly begin to unravel.

Regretfully, this clumsy attempt of mine berely scratches the surface of this wonderful and challenging novel.
You simply must read it, and enjoy.
Filled with metaphor, poetry, action, and intrigue, Hyperion is a fantastic, if difficult read; however, if you're willing to put your mind to work, the effort is very rewarding.

Whether you read it alone, or as the beginning to the epic Cantos series, Hyperion is simply brilliant, and Dan Simmons should have every reason to be proud of it.

The tale is of the seven pilgrims, off to face certain death at the will of the ever mysterious Shrike. As they progress further towards their final destination, each pilgrim shares with the others their pasts, discovering more about each other and learning more of themselves.

Each tale is differently filled with equally fantastic settings and interesting characters, that are woven into an elaborate storyline with such detail and depth, that each tale could become a novel onto itself.

There can't be too much said on the plot without revealing the really incredible ideas in this novel. So, that makes me having to write breifly on the many great points in the book. But one true thing for all, writing a novel about a world set 700 years into the future can't be seen as an easy task. Yet Simmons delivers it with such precise detail, it's hard to not envision this possible future.

Truely one of the best Science-Fiction novels ever written (if not THE best, which I think it is).

I've always put off reading Hyperion for some unknown reason. This year, I was accepted to Clarion West, where Simmons is going to be teaching, so I decided to pick up his most famous book in order to be able to approach the man with semi-intelligent conversation.

I was amazed. The book is made up of six novella length stories told by character on a pilgrimage to the deadly Shrike. Like the Canterburry Tales, each character takes a turn telling his or her tale, and believe me, any one of these tales would be worth the price of the book all on its own. I won't go into any description of the tales because I don't want to spoil your enjoyment, but I can say that they are written in a variety of modes and styles that portray Dan Simmons's superb talents.

Even more amazing, every tale is interconnected to the larger frame story: the pilgrimage. Each tale holds a vital clue to the pilgrims' future meeting with the Shrike.

For careful readers, Hyperion holds references to major literary works of our world, including Pounds Cantos and Shakespeare (and I already mentioned Chaucer). This is a book that was not only worthy of the Hugo, but should have been considered for "literary" awards as well.

One note of caution to those expecting a pat ending: the pilgrimage does not end in this book. You'll have to continue to Fall of Hyperion, as I'm going to do immediately. Simmons's work is so awe inspiring, so exquisite, that I'm both excited and intimidated to have him reading my own work this summer.