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Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos) Mass Market Paperback – March 1, 1990

4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 25,322 ratings

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A stunning tour de force filled with transcendent awe and wonder, Hyperion is a masterwork of science fiction that resonates with excitement and invention, the first volume in a remarkable epic by the multiple-award-winning author of The Hollow Man.

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.

Praise for Dan Simmons and Hyperion

“Dan Simmons has brilliantly conceptualized a future 700 years distant. In sheer scope and complexity it matches, and perhaps even surpasses, those of Isaac Asimov and James Blish.”
The Washington Post Book World

“An unfailingly inventive narrative . . . generously conceived and stylistically sure-handed.”
The New York Times Book Review

“Simmons’s own genius transforms space opera into a new kind of poetry.”
The Denver Post

“An essential part of any science fiction collection.”
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From the Publisher

Experience the Hyperion Cantos

The Denver Post says, “Simmons’s own genius transforms space opera into a new kind of poetry.”

Booklist says, “An essential part of any science fiction collection.”

NYTBR says, “An unfailingly inventive narrative . . .”

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

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.

A stunning tour de force, this Hugo Award-winning novel is the first volume in a remarkable new science fiction epic by the author of The Hollow Man.

Review

Praise for Dan Simmons and Hyperion

“Dan Simmons has brilliantly conceptualized a future 700 years distant. In sheer scope and complexity it matches, and perhaps even surpasses, those of Isaac Asimov and James Blish.”
The Washington Post Book World 

“An unfailingly inventive narrative . . . generously conceived and stylistically sure-handed.”
The New York Times Book Review

“Simmons’s own genius transforms space opera into a new kind of poetry.”
The Denver Post

“An essential part of any science fiction collection.”
Booklist

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Spectra (March 1, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 481 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553283685
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553283686
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.12 x 1.07 x 6.9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 25,322 ratings

About the author

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Dan Simmons
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Dan Simmons was born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1948, and 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.

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. He sometimes writes 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.

Dan is one of the few novelists whose work spans the genres of fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, historical fiction, noir crime fiction, and mainstream literary fiction . His books are published in 27 foreign counties as well as the U.S. and Canada.

Many of Dan's books and stories have been optioned for film, including SONG OF KALI, DROOD, THE CROOK FACTORY, and others. Some, such as the four HYPERION novels and single Hyperion-universe novella "Orphans of the Helix", and CARRION COMFORT have been purchased (the Hyperion books by Warner Brothers and Graham King Films, CARRION COMFORT by European filmmaker Casta Gavras's company) and are in pre-production. Director Scott Derrickson ("The Day the Earth Stood Stood Still") has been announced as the director for the Hyperion movie and Casta Gavras's son has been put at the helm of the French production of Carrion Comfort. Current discussions for other possible options include THE TERROR. Dan's hardboiled Joe Kurtz novels are currently being looked as the basis for a possible cable TV series.

In 1995, Dan's alma mater, Wabash College, awarded him an honorary doctorate for his contributions in education and writing.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
25,322 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the stories compelling and well-written. They describe the writing as captivating and well-paced. The book is described as epic science fiction that contains elements of space opera and science fantasy. Readers appreciate the engaging characters with distinct personalities. Many praise the creativity and imagination of the work. However, opinions differ on the complexity of the world-building, with some finding it amazing and phenomenally complex, while others feel it lacks a sense of verisimilitude.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

776 customers mention "Story quality"728 positive48 negative

Customers find the stories in the book engaging and well-written. They describe the book as a great read that draws the reader in with its masterful storytelling and interesting topics like colonialism.

"...It was an absolute blast. Dark, funny, gruesome, surreal, sad, thought provoking, and erie; it was an incredible journey for me...." Read more

"...Sol and Rachael were my favorites. The priest tale was also very twisted and the author did a nice job of sprinkling in the horror elements...." Read more

"I loved the storytelling, the world building, and relatable characters. A thrilling sometimes heartbreaking but still hopeful..." Read more

"...yet, but I still feel like this novel is worthwhile and delves into many interesting topics depicting colonialism, artificial intelligence, religion..." Read more

300 customers mention "Writing quality"215 positive85 negative

Customers find the writing captivating and well-paced. They appreciate the distinct styles and voices of each story, with references to literature, poetry, history, and mythology. The book is a fairly easy read that allows readers to become familiar with the major characters. Readers appreciate the detailed descriptions of the far future and scientific fantasies, which evoke an emotional response.

"...The canto elicits a strong, emotional response that mimics what all of which humanity endures...." Read more

"...Each novella is masterful, written in a different style and a different voice, relating the character’s story while serving to explore different..." Read more

"...Tales setup and borrowed title, Hyperion’s literary aspirations are merely superficial...." Read more

"...As I said above, Hyperion is a well written and engaging book...." Read more

250 customers mention "Sci-fi book"238 positive12 negative

Customers enjoy the book. They find it engaging and well-written, with elements of science fiction and fantasy. The book contains elements of space opera and science fantasy that provoke wonder. Readers appreciate the author's skill in creating a well-built universe and hints of mystery.

"...It was an absolute blast. Dark, funny, gruesome, surreal, sad, thought provoking, and erie; it was an incredible journey for me...." Read more

"...Action, romance, love, mystery monster, space, time, many worlds, journey to the unknown, a must have for any sci-fi collection." Read more

"A truly epic science fiction novel that does not hold your hand in any step of the way...." Read more

"...story and an amazing accomplishment of rich, viable, science-fiction world building." Read more

200 customers mention "Character development"180 positive20 negative

Customers enjoy the engaging characters with distinct personalities. They find the book part thriller and part character drama.

"...His characters are lively and charismatic, his worlds vast and fascinating, his scope unbound and breathtaking...." Read more

"...Loved the world, characters were interesting with varied motivations. Sol and Rachael were my favorites...." Read more

"I loved the storytelling, the world building, and relatable characters. A thrilling sometimes heartbreaking but still hopeful..." Read more

"Great in every way each character is carefully created...." Read more

152 customers mention "Creativity"143 positive9 negative

Customers find the book imaginative and well-written. They appreciate the vivid descriptions and detailed worlds. The book has a grand, well-thought-out universe with interesting concepts. Readers also mention that each story has its own style and tone.

"...adventure with moments of poetic beauty." Read more

"...As i read, I wanted to highlight entire chapters for their sheer literary beauty, worlds in the work of Dan Simmons are more than altered and..." Read more

"...but it also manages to managed an innovative and shocking twist. It had me thinking about faith and resurrection in ways I never thought possible...." Read more

"An amazingly imaginative glimpse into the (fictional) future of humankind several hundred years into the future, after their migration (Hegira) from..." Read more

296 customers mention "Complexity"197 positive99 negative

Customers have different views on the book's world-building. Some find it amazing and complex, with rich references to literature, poetry, history, and mythology. Others feel the world-building lacks a sense of verisimilitude and explanation. The ending is also criticized for not resolving issues adequately.

"...His characters are lively and charismatic, his worlds vast and fascinating, his scope unbound and breathtaking...." Read more

"...Action, romance, love, mystery monster, space, time, many worlds, journey to the unknown, a must have for any sci-fi collection." Read more

"...In several places, Simmons’ world-building lacked a sense of verisimilitude...." Read more

"I loved the storytelling, the world building, and relatable characters. A thrilling sometimes heartbreaking but still hopeful..." Read more

226 customers mention "Story length"82 positive144 negative

Customers have different views on the story length. Some find it engaging and suspenseful, with a wonderful plot that serves to build tension and mystery. Others feel the first book doesn't end with a resolved plot, leaving the high concept unsatisfactory and the ending too cliffhanger-like.

"...I was disappointed in the ending, or non-ending, but as noted by the author, Hyperion really isn't a book unto itself but merely the first half of a..." Read more

"...Action, romance, love, mystery monster, space, time, many worlds, journey to the unknown, a must have for any sci-fi collection." Read more

"...The Consul - Definitely a very weird story at first but pans out nicely towards the end...." Read more

"...So, I think it’s a great book but it doesn’t have an ending. So if you wanna read this go ahead and get the second book too." Read more

66 customers mention "Pacing"30 positive36 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing of the book. Some find it well-paced and engaging, with no dull moments. Others feel the pacing is slow and disjointed, with slow plot development and excessive details.

"...course, the wonderfully complex Hyperion universe becomes an unnecessarily crowded and obsessively detailed place, and the wonderfully creative plot..." Read more

"...It was an absolute blast. Dark, funny, gruesome, surreal, sad, thought provoking, and erie; it was an incredible journey for me...." Read more

"...The book does start off a bit slow but after reading the first story of the characters, I knew I was in for something special if all the other..." Read more

"...And each of the travelers' tales is simply stunning - dark, scary, and thought-provoking all at once...." Read more

A Complex Achievement
4 out of 5 stars
A Complex Achievement
Hyperion is one of those rare science fiction novels that makes one gape in wonder at its creative world building, intricate plotting, and deep character development. This is the story of seven individuals who set off on a pilgrimage to the desolate world of Hyperion in order see a murderous mythical being called the Shrike. Each has his/her reasons for embarking on this journey and a huge part of the novel includes the pilgrims' narratives. Thus, the point of view changes seven times.A caveat to the reader: This is a very ambitious novel with multiple stories within stories which can be challenging to follow. Also, the vocabulary is very advanced and even though I'm a novelist myself I had to keep a dictionary close by while reading Hyperion.During the pilgrimage the individuals decide that each will choose numbers randomly and tell their story to the group in that order. Daily, the group gathers to listen to the seven tales. Personally, I found some stories more compelling than others and was disappointed when a favorite came to close. Also, this interupted the sense of urgency and suspense surrounding their treacherous pilgrimage. Still, Dan Simmons does an excellent job of making each character unique. A poet. A consul. A detective. A soldier. A priest. A starship captain. A scholarly father. All were well developed with fascinating back stories. The ending, however, did not satisfy as this is just the first of two Hyperion novels.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2012
    Give it a try. I've never wrote a book review before, but I want to aid in recommending people to reading this series, of which Hyperion is a part of. The first paragraph sort of sums up my review, the rest is a tangent more or less about Simmons and his style of writing (maybe it'll help you get a feel for his works and if you would like this book).

    It was an absolute blast. Dark, funny, gruesome, surreal, sad, thought provoking, and erie; it was an incredible journey for me. It's almost as if you are watching a play that has a grey shadow over it, even in the happier parts. Theres always this looming darkness, emptiness, and desperation (those of you who've read it know what I mean), that's wrapped around all of the cast. I think this stems from both the cold void of space and the decaying stagnancy of the universe, not to mention their own tragic lives. It is a plight of seven pilgrims and their actions that would affect all of civilization. But as a few readers have mentioned; there is a hope that burns in each of these pilgrims that warms you and fights at the desperation like only hope can.

    I think there is a lot of dimensions in Simmons's work that resonates with the human soul. If you have ever read romance (keats kind) or tragedy, it's like that (but with a happier outcome than tragedies). It is similar to the grandeur I felt reading the Divine comedy or Canterbury tales. At least for me, by the end of a majority of his books, especially this one, there is an attachment to his characters.

    Everyone has their flavor, I get it. But let me just say that I consider myself a person who has read a variety of Authors: Dickens, Robert Jordan, Coolidge, Homer, Stephen King, Koontz, J.K. Rowling, Michael Chriton, Shakespeare, Chaucer, Lovecraft, H.G Wells, Doyle you get the gist, too many authors to name.
    Anyway, Dan Simmons is great, FOR ME, way better than Stephen King. To use an analogy it's as if when I try to read King, it's like walking into a well kept house that belongs to old people; muted colors, stiff air, slow and boring, I really fail to see the big deal with him....
    Simmons is the complete opposite. His characters are lively and charismatic, his worlds vast and fascinating, his scope unbound and breathtaking.

    Having read what is, considered by many, "Great works", I think that Simmons has wrote a masterpiece with this Cantos. I don't think this review came out quite the way I intended it to, not being a writer myself, I find it hard to put into words exactly how I feel about Simmons, and more specifically this series. If you have read any great works (the odyssey, divine comedy, rime of the ancient mariner) etc, I think you'll like these books, even if you do not like space (which I love). The canto elicits a strong, emotional response that mimics what all of which humanity endures.

    I hope this helps and for a more descriptive summary of the books see some of the other reviews, they helped me with my decision. Enjoy, and later alligator.
    10 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on July 7, 2024
    I took 1 point off for the ending but you will want the sequel. Loved the world, characters were interesting with varied motivations. Sol and Rachael were my favorites. The priest tale was also very twisted and the author did a nice job of sprinkling in the horror elements. Action, romance, love, mystery monster, space, time, many worlds, journey to the unknown, a must have for any sci-fi collection.
    9 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2024
    I loved the storytelling, the world building, and relatable characters. A thrilling sometimes heartbreaking but still hopeful
    adventure with moments of poetic beauty.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2024
    A truly epic science fiction novel that does not hold your hand in any step of the way.

    The best way to describe it would be as zooming in way too much into a beautiful art piece. At the start much of the story may be disjointed and appear as a story that gives too many details without going anywhere, but as you learn about more of the pilgrims' story you learn more of its setting, Hyperion, and the objectives of each character

    I have not read its sequel yet, but I still feel like this novel is worthwhile and delves into many interesting topics depicting colonialism, artificial intelligence, religion, literature, and the inevitability of human demise
    One person found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2015
    Dan Simmons invites you to partake of a space opera after the heart of The Canterbury Tales in the first of the Hyperion Cantos, which promises to be an epic adventure with concepts and plot twists fit for a season of Doctor Who.

    Known space stands on the brink of interstellar war between the human Hegemony and the barbarous Ousters, a nomadic branch of humanity that has lived for generations in a nomadic existence in the dark between the stellar oasis of the stars, and have evolved and mutated into something perhaps other than human. And all the while a third faction – the independent AIs of humanity’s making – keep to their inscrutable plans, offering computing service to all while seeking to manipulate organic life to further the AIs’ own interests.

    In this pivotal moment, poised at a conflict of unprecedented scale that could well mean the extermination of sentience at worst and the devastation of civilization at best, news comes from the mysterious world of Hyperion: the legendary Time Tombs are opening, and a final pilgrimage is called.

    Artifacts of an unknown and immeasurably advanced power, the Time Tombs are gateways to eternity, offering enlightenment and puissance to the worthy pilgrim. To the unworthy pilgrim, the reward is death most brutal and terrifying, because first, the sojourners must face the guardian of the Time Tombs: the Shrike.

    To quote one character: He’s Michael the Archangel and Moroni and Satan and Masked Entropy and the Frankenstein monster all rolled into one package. He hangs around the Time Tombs waiting to come out and wreak havoc when it’s mankind’s time to join the dodo…
    Personally, I’d add Gort the robot from The Day the Earth Stood Still to that list. The real one, not that godawful remake. Like Gort, the Shrike is terrifying and inscrutable, beyond reason and appeal, and if it’s programming concludes that you die, the Shrike will execute that program, and it’s target, and no force in the universe can stand against it.

    And the Shrike is on the move.

    The reader’s introduction to this epic comes in the vector of seven different people from very different walks of life, and even from different times, since many have spent time in stasis or have experienced years or centuries compressed into minutes or days during faster-than-light travel through space. Seven people who under normal circumstances would never have met, now travel together across the world of Hyperion to the Time Tombs, knowing that only one will survive. All the while, Hyperion is on the front lines and will be among the first targets hit by the Ouster attack.

    As they travel, they agree to take turns sharing their stories, what brought them to Hyperion, what they want and why they are willing to risk everything to get it.

    And to add an extra layer of complication, one of the pilgrims may well be an Ouster operative.

    The story takes the form of six novellas as the seven pilgrims take their turn. Each novella is masterful, written in a different style and a different voice, relating the character’s story while serving to explore different aspects of this vast universe and its history.

    A disgraced Catholic priest discovers a race of beings who may have achieved the immortality his faith has promised, or is it an obscene parody of life?

    A debauched poet chronicles his rise and fall and his drive to create a poem unlike any other, even if it is humanity’s funeral dirge.

    A private detective is hired by an AI avatar solve a murder. The victim? The AI himself.

    A ruthless warrior, hero and butcher, tells the story of his defense of a planet in a pitched campaign to fight off an Ouster incursion, and now seeks the true meaning of war and it’s answer.

    And more.

    The framing narrative is fraught with perils as well, since our pilgrims must worry not only about the approaching Ouster invasion, but a murder mystery among their own ranks.

    And in the end, somehow Simmons manages to wrap up all these threads and leave us on the springboard for the true epic promised in the following three novels of the Hyperion Cantos.

    All in all, a seamless masterpiece. I not only loved it, but I truly can’t understand how anyone could not be sucked in immediately. I plan to devour the next novels soon, and I only hope they live up to the start in Hyperion.

    I can only say that the first book is definitely worth re-reading, and the Shrike deserves iconic status.

    On a side note, readers will also benefit from a familiarity with some of the literary references in the book, particularly Keats’ unfinished Hyperion, from which the tale draws many influences.

    Also, the narrator of the audiobook, Marc Vietor, is a genius in terms of conveying different characters.
    15 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2024
    This first book of The Hyperion Cantos has a framing structure much like that of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, in that it gives the backstory of each of the pilgrims, and how they connect to each other to be on the same pilgrimage. For much of this book, I was hanging on every word, but in other parts, my attention waned.
    As a whole, this tale is worth the read.

Top reviews from other countries

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  • Tom lys
    5.0 out of 5 stars Best book I've ever read
    Reviewed in Canada on May 24, 2024
    This is the best science fiction I've had the pleasure of enjoying. Fantastic
  • Gabriel Ritter
    5.0 out of 5 stars Ficção científica de primeiríssima qualidade
    Reviewed in Brazil on November 18, 2024
    Ficção científica de altíssima qualidade que irá encantar os amantes do gênero. Para os novos leitores que irão se aventurar, acho interessante citar que a história é contada através de vários contos de personagens que, apesar de muito diferentes, possuem um fator comum: Hyperion. É um livro intrigante e misterioso que possui um dos melhores vilões e mais assustadores que eu já vi na minha vida. Terminei o livro, querendo saber mais sobre aquele mundo e os personagens que nele estão.
  • Andrea Liuzzi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Uehd
    Reviewed in Italy on November 22, 2024
    Jxhd
  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in India on October 30, 2024
    I like the overlap of histories in the stories of pilgrims and the overall world structure is complex and fascinating.
  • lethenarl
    4.0 out of 5 stars Challenging language for a non-native english speaker.
    Reviewed in the Netherlands on March 28, 2023
    My english level is C1 yet while reading this book, I had to keep looking at the dictionary in every page like at least 4-5 times. This is good in a way, improving my vocabulary yet I can not really get into the book on the other hand because of this issue.