Hyperion Cantos

by Dan Simmons

Book Overview

Two books in one, Hyperion and The fall of Hyperion. 928 pages of science fiction - set 8 centuries in the future, on the brink of intergalactic war. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568651759
• ISBN13: 9781568651750
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Doubleday Books
• Length: 936 Pages
• Weight: 2.35 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Sci-Fi is not a minor genre; this book will change your mind.

"Hyperion" cycle is a quartet divided in two halves that shares the same universe. This book starts the first part. Even if "Hyperion" has all the in and outs of a classical Sci-Fi novel, is much more than that. Is the story of seven pilgrims trying to arrive to a particular shrine in a journey full of dangers, but at the same time is the life story of each one of them. These personal recounts dig deep into essential human questions. Religious faith and on what basis is sustained, is investigate from different stand points. One from a Catholic priest view point, in the verge of loosing his faith, the other one from a Jew intellectual confronted with God commandment to sacrifice his daughter (I found in this episode some resonance of Kierkegaard's meditations in Fear and Trembling). Just these two stories will be reason more than enough to recommend the book, but there is a lot more, much more to enjoy. A decadent poet tells his life and struggle to find his muse at whatever cost. A detective's story mixed with John Keats restored to life. All this elements skillfully mixed in a page-turner Sci-Fi adventure. One of the best novels I ever read. Reviewed by Max Yofre.

Not Free SF Reader

Fabulous novel. One even the literary snob types might like, given the structure and all the Keats work. The novel has a Canterbury Tales type feel, as a group of men and women travelling to the important planet Hyperion tell their stories. Travel is instantaneous throughout the galaxy thanks to the TechnoCore, an AI group and their farcaster technology. People can literally have different rooms of their houses on different planets. Hyperion is the site of the Time Tombs, an artifact travelling back in time, sent by an unknown entity. The planet will be the site of an attack by a rogue group of far travelling humanity called the Ousters, upon the stay at homes, unflatteringly terming themselves the Hegemony. The travelling band must also deal with The Shrike, a monstrous avatar of pain. 5 out of 5 Omnibus type edition from a book club, containing Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion. A more convetional story structure is to be found here, as the pilgrims try and deal with an invasion, a Hegemony political leader, and an android avatar reincarnation of Keats. They discover that the TechnoCore itself is fighting its own battles, and the spillover affects them in a very serious way. Oh, and throw in some highly entertaining Catholic satire, to boot. 5 out of 5