Hyperion

Rating:
Summary: Some nice ideas
Review: I agree with some of the other criticism of this novel - that the style appears to be very much in imitation of early Asimov and Clarke. That's not necessarily a bad thing, if that's the kind of Sci-Fi you like, and I do.
What struck me most about this was the ideas presented. Some were fleshed out a little more than others, and I expect that some of those which were a little thin will be more fully explored in the sequel "Fall of Hyperion" (not read it yet, but it's on the list).
There are enough characters that everyone should find at least one to relate to, perhaps not at first, but certainly after their personal tale is told.

The ending was a little abrupt for my tastes. I had assumed that this was a standalone, but luckily I am already in possession of the sequel. There are sufficient unresolved issues to ensure that I'm looking forward to that.

Rating:
Summary: A Pilgrim's Progess for the 21st Century and Beyond
Review: Dan Simmons has created a marvelous feat in the first of the fours novels centred around the planet Hyperion. The novel plays a science fiction variation on the Canterbury Tales as the pilgrims in the story each relate their six individual stories, beginning with the priest's tale. This structure allows the reader to glimpse parts of the mystery of their quest with each story and watch the layers of narratives build up into a delightful structure. Along the way echoes of such divergent authors as Robert Heinlein, Raymond Chandler, Stephen King and William Gibson sound throughout the stories while the voice always remains in the able hands of the author. The theme of time is played with marvelously throughout the novel as it becomes, in a sense, another character. As the Canterbury Tales slides into the Wizard of Oz the book ends, but this reader eagerly looks forward to beginning the next part of the tale.

Rating:
Summary: Caveat emptor, caveat lector
Review: A would-be Foundation or Dune-style epic. The style is tedious and wooden. The story is not particularly imaginative though it has a number of pleasant conceits, ranging from the Canterbury Tales format of the first volume, to the various obsessive exploitations of Keats themes in the second, the zen koans of an AI nammed Ummon, and a pastiche of a famous scene from Romeo and Juliet. The author appears to be a widely-read magpie - occasionally a confused one, mistaking Brahe for Kepler. If his prose style were bearable, it could be quite entertaining.

While I prefer writers with a good style, such as Bradbury or Kim Stanley Robinson, or those who aspire to one, like Dick and Bester, still I'm perfectly happy with Herbert's Dune and Card's Ender series, which are adequately executed and reflect the authors' real commitments to their constructed worlds. In other words, as someone once said (Shaw?) "fortunately, I am a man of low tastes". But not low enough for this. The world of the book is unconvincing, and seems to be based on broad familiarity with the themes of science fiction rather than any internal vision, salted lightly with uninspired sex and violence (not always easily distinguishable) when all invention flags. Even the author seems to have succumbed to the tedium well before the end.
Toward the end of volume 2 Simmons repeatedly recapitulates recent events (from the same volume) in the apparent conviction that his readership is too cretinous to follow the plot. In this, I assume he is mistaken.

The book seems to be immensely popular. It won the Hugo Award, which is a "fan's award", as opposed to the Nebula Award, given by professionals. The Hugo went to Harry Potter this year, which in itself speaks volumes. On the other hand, when the Hugo ballots are counted, they have more submissions for the tv/movie award than for the novel award, which suggests that the generic fans' notion of SF is fundamentally non-literate.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best SF books ever written
Review: The story is rich, complex, has many great characters, is exciting, makes you think, and fills you with wonder. This, and the Fall of Hyperion, is Dan Simmons best work. The book is so good that unfortunately none of his other work can come close to its greatness (although much of his other work till about 6 years ago) is pretty darn good. A later two addition to this series, while fun, doesn't come close (and somewhat takes away) to these two original masterworks. If you love SciFi at its ultimate best (better than Dune) then don't live without it.

Rating:
Summary: not for a novice
Review: hyperion is an excellent book. the plot is very original, and intricate. the first book ofcourse does not answer any questions, but the sequel ties up all loose ends perfectly. if you are new to sci fi, this book is not for you. even a seasoned sci fi buff may need to read these books twice just to completely understand the plot. I think this would make a great movie or miniseries, espeacially the scenes with The Shrike in action. I highly reccomend this book.

Rating:
Summary: The Shrike's Message
Review: Dan Simmons has created a masterpiece that is an outstanding example of science fiction and will be for years to come. Hyperion's plot is styled in the same way as Isaac Asimov's I, Robot, in that it is comprised of several individual stories that come together to form the plot. Although this makes the novel slightly more difficult to read, it enhances the reading experience. The author creates believable but very intriguing personae to be the seven pilgrims to the mythical monster, the Shrike. These range from the former Consul to the world of Hyperion to a retired FORCE colonel to a Roman Catholic monk. The stories all help to explain the particular character's actions, thoughts, and personality. Simmons has created a future not too similar to our world today, but not overly different either. He shows that sometime in the future, we will design artificial intelligence that is similar to our own. In conclusion, this Hugo Award winner has all the qualities needed to become a literary classic.

Rating:
Summary: Maybe the best series of all time
Review: The four Hyperion books (Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and Rise of Endymion) comprises the best sci-fi series I have ever read, and maybe the best of any fictional genre. Amazing story, characters and the Shrike is the coolest figure in Sci-fi hands down. Read these books now...as well as everthing else Dan Simmons has written.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting style, interesting topic
Review: Before I go into my review of this book, I want to make it clear that if you are going to buy this book, you must also purchase Fall of Hyperion. Hyperion is in reality only the first part of a two part book which should have been published in one volume. This publishing strategy is one of my personal pet peeves - you are being forced to purchase two books in order to get one story. Hyperion does not stand on its own as a book and you must have the companion volume to actually reach a conclusion in the story.

Although I am irritated by how this book was published, I have to admit that it is a really interesting book that I am glad that I read. Hyperion is basically a science fiction version of the Canterbury Tales. The question the book asks is: Why are these "pilgrims" travelling to Hyperion? The answers to the question are interesting, mysterious, and exciting and leave you wanting more. On the planet of Hyperion, there is a deadly (and really creepy) creature called the Shrike. The Shrike lives in an area of Hyperion with artifacts called the Time Tombs which are somehow travelling backwards in time. At the beginning of the book, you know very little about what the Shrike is and what is going on in the universe. By the end of the book, you know a little bit more about the Shrike and a lot more about the state of the universe.

Each part of the book has an intro section about what is going on with the pilgrims in their current time - where they are on their journey to see the Shrike. After the intro to each part, one of the pilgrims tell their story. The characters range from a diplomat with a secret past to a poet who has lived a long time. The motivations and background of each character become clear as they tell their stories.

All of this knowledge about character motivation and what is going on in the universe is actually only useful when you're reading Fall of Hyperion. Although the pilgrims have finished telling their stories by the end of this book, you really don't have a frame of reference for what actions they are going to take and what is going to happen to them as a result.

Also, I have to agree with an earlier reviewer who got sick of all of the references to Keat's and his poetry. The Fall of Hyperion is even worse on this score.

Standing on it's own, I have no doubt that I would give this book three stars. However, once the story is completed in Fall of Hyperion, I would give both books together four stars.

Rating:
Summary: My Nomination for Best Series Ever Written
Review: I guess it is hard to deny what an impact this novel has had upon my life - and yes, I mean that sincerely.

I first read "Hyperion" when I was fresh out of high school, back in 1991. Young, impressionable, looking at a career in science, and very much a fan of science fiction. This, I guess you could say, was my first foray into Hard-SF, and what a "first foray" it was, too.

I was amazed by the novel, but to say the least, nonplussed to learn I had to read yet ANOTHER book to even get into the real story just hinted at "Hyperion" (actually, there are four books here, not just two). I waited patiently for "Fall of Hyperion" to be released. Again, I was blown away. The characters, the plot, the shear strength of the author's imagination. So, at the tender age of 17, I had the book by which to judge all other books - Sci-Fi or otherwise.

There are so many things RIGHT about this novel. Simmons' compassion for his characters, be they minor plebes or major contributors to the plot. He fleshes out these characters to the point where they jump off the page, live lives of their own.

The plot? Convoluted, complex, and simply unlike any other HardSF novel I've read since, which is to say "stupendous".

And the authors style itself, while not an easy read, is comfortable, literate, and definitely his own. Simmons' is a voice that I've yet to see topped by any other SF novelist, and that includes the greats like Silverberg, Asimov, Delany, and Clarke.

If you've read the other reviews, you'll hear that "Hyperion" is sort of a Bocaccio's "The Decameron" set in space, or perhaps just another space opera. Yeah, "Hyperion" is both of those things, but so much more.

The first novel in this series aims to do one thing, and one thing only - to lay the foundation for the next three books in the series. "Hyperion" introduces us to the place - humanity's domain spanning a web of hundreds of worlds, linked together by a technology that allows humans to move from world to world instantaneously. And the conflict - an offshoot of humanity, the evolved "Ousters", coming back from their journey into the far reaches of space, apparently to begin a war with us world-bound humans. Then there's the "technocore", the domain of the A.I.s, long seceded from Man's rule, and pursuing their own nefarious ends. The characters - six men and one woman, on a pilgrimage to the world of Hyperion, and planet so strange, wonderful, and complex, that even the Technocore knows not what to make of it. Their quest - while a potentially empire-crushing war with the Ousters rages above the planet, these pilgrims are to visit the enigmatic Shrike, a vengeful beast so steeped in mythology and lore as to be a god of all its own, to find out what humanity's place in the universe really is.

I cannot recommend this book more highly, and I've read plenty of them. The only drawback? "Hyperion" is simply the first step in the journey. But if you are patient, and find it within yourself to read all four books in this series, you will be rewarded. If you often empathize with characters you read about, you will find yourself crying. And if you often wonder about God's place in man's future, you will find yourself comforted.

If you can open yourself up to new ideas, you will find yourself amazed.

Read this and the three other novels. And you too will have books with which to judge all other books.

Rating:
Summary: An Excellent Book to start an Excellent series
Review: Hyperion was given to me a year ago by a friend who was trying to get me into "sci-fi". I put off reading it ("I'm not into that kind of stuff") but once I picked up the book I just couldn't put it down. Each character has such a rich, complex history that all play well together as the series continues. I found myself constantly marveling at how well thought out this story was. The universe Simmons has created is just amazing--I can't do it justice in a short review. It's a world that seems so real, one that I love coming back to again and again. I have read all the books in this series so many times that I've lost count, and I enjoy them more and more every time I do. I highly recommend this book!