[.ca] Hyperion (ISBN 8466617353)

From Amazon.com:
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.

Very Entertaining!:
This has got to be one of the best science fiction series I've ever read. The scope of this book and the sequels is amazing, it really keeps you glued to the page. Action packed, great character development, cool technical and scientific concepts, its all there. And many interesting thoughts about the role of religion etc, so it really makes you think. I really didn't want it to end, it was so enjoyable. Probably best to buy all of the books at once, as you will not to stop after reading the first one

a master piece:
Dan Simmons has written a Cantebury Tale style masterpiece. Seven people are on their way as pilgrims to the time tombs to meet a monster called the Shrike. Each pilgrim tells their story of why they are going to meet the Shrike and what they want. Some see the Shrike as a monster and others as a god. Dans Simmons has created a richly textured world that is very detailed and believable. The characters are neither good nor bad, just various areas of gray. The book is very deep and is worth the effort to read. The book is very readable but will take some time becasue it is not a super fast read. This is the first of four series and the others should also be read. Highly recommended.

Some interesting ideas and passages, but overall lacking:
First, be aware that Hyperion consists mostly of the tales of pilgrims on a journey like in Canterbury Tales. But instead of illustrating morals, the tales are meant to flesh out the main characters and to shed light on the mysteries of the Time Tombs and the Shrike. A few are interesting and faintly stirring. Some are outright perfunctory and belabored. Second, be aware that this is really volume one of a two-volume novel (like in the days of Alexander Dumas). Hyperion alone has no traditional plot (with a climax, etc.). It's mostly the pilgrims' stories and ends with their arrival at the Time Tombs. Third, Simmons' style was irritating. He used color names I didn't know. He referred to events without describing them with irritating frequency. He repeated certain descriptions of recurring events with the same words. For example, every time he refers to the Shrike's eyes, he will use the word "blood" to describe their color. EVERY TIME. After about fifty times, it starts to become annoying. Fourth, Simmons' characterization, despite his use of the convenient device of the pilgrims' takes for characterization, was somehow still shallow and unconvincing. I just finished the sequel, and the final parting of most of the main characters wasn't sad or warming in any way. I was glad to be rid of such boring and one-sided characters. My view is that this is not great science fiction. It does not compare with Herbert's Dune, for example. It was an OK summer read with some interesting incidental ideas.

My 100-word book review:
If you are searching for epic, literary science fiction with overtones of horror, look no further. Hyperion is a complex and intelligently written novel set in the far future, where opposing cultures are on the brink of war and where a small band of pilgrims are journeying to the mysterious Time Tombs. Simmons has imagined a richly textured galactic civilisation and within this milieu has created an intriguing story with multiple threads and which works on many levels. Better obtain The Fall of Hyperion too, as the second book carries on the story, right from where the first book ends.

fascinating story....:
Dan Simmons has written a fascinating story, and one that leaves me hanging in such a way that I want to keep reading the series. That being said, I found the settings more complicated than enriching, and many of the themes more simply sadistic than dramatically compelling. The Shrike is like a hunka-hunka burning saw that wants to embrace you...(ok). Dan Simmons is a little too stuck on pain and gore, but regardless it's still a damn good read, and I still want to know what happens next. He can spin quite a convincing world for you to wander in your mind's eye. I just like my sci-fi a little more Wagner and a little less Puccini.