Hyperion

Rating:
Summary: Pretty good book
Review: All in all, this is an entertaining read. The characters each tell their own life stories. I must say that those back stories are MUCH more entertaining than the story of the pilgrimage itself. The pilgrimage story isn't bad, it's just that the others are so much better..... Sometimes, there's a bit too much philosophising for my tastes, but this book does entertain, and in the end, that's what matters.

Rating:
Summary: over-hyped-erion
Review: This book was not an easy read for me. I was really disappointed considering the reviews. The first story was OK, but the next two stories got exponentially worse. I was struggling through the Silenus story, when I realized I was bored out of my skull. All the references to Keats and his poetry were getting very annoying. I was skipping huge chunks of boring "I think it was blah blah who said blah blah blah, and wasn't it blah blah who said blah blah?" Shut the hell up and tell your story! I actually had to put the book down for a month because I couldn't take it anymore.

After reading some of the reviews I decided to give the other stories a chance. I forced my way through the poet's story and I'm glad I did, because the following three stories were much better. I still wasn't sure I wanted to read the sequel, but by the end of Counsel's story I was pretty much sold. The ending is making me have second thoughts, but I already asked for it for Christmas, so I'll probably read it.

Rating:
Summary: Brave New WorldWeb
Review: The book has several different stories, probably modeled on Canterbury tales, each told by a different pilgrim.

Interestingly, some of the stories are told are not those of the pilgrim himself; it's as if the pilgrims are surrogates for others. Mankind, it seems, is well represented on this final pilgrimage.

The sections use different SF sub-generas or styles:
-hard-boiled detective story/ cyberpunk (Brawne Lamia)
-military SF (Kassad)
-gothic horror
-religous (Father Dure)
-love, Romeo and Juliet

The "hard SF" is done well, but there are also elements bordering on fantasy or horror, some religion, some poetry, a very interesting blend.

The poetry of John Keats is a thread through the narrative. Normally, I'm not big on poetry, but I liked this book well enough to subsequently make a stab at reading Keats.

The "WorldWeb" universe created by Simmons is fabulous. He does a great job of "world construction". And then, amazingly, turns this intricate construction inside-out in the last section.

I did not find the ending lame, as some other reviewers mention.
Be advised there are three more books in the series.

I would rate this book as the best in the series - broad in scope, with varied technique and style.

Rating:
Summary: WOW!!
Review: Hyperion is my all time favorite book. Mr. Simmons weaves a world that is so believable, you have to pinch yourself everytime you stop reading. The character developement is brilliant. Perfect. Read it, then read the other three books.

Rating:
Summary: The true symbol for anit-climax
Review: This book had many clever ideas, and was a good vision of the future. However, this book had literally 0 plot. The entire story is a background of seven different characters, telling why they are on the planet Hyperion, and why they want to meet the mysterious creature the Shrike. The book climaxes to the night before the meeting of the shrike....and then simply ends. It was a pathetic end to a pointless book. If youre thinking about buying this book, think again

Rating:
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: The most important rule in Science Fiction for an author is to work the technology and sociology seemlessly into the story as quickly as possible so that the reader can understand everything as the book unfolds. Simmons does not do this. Instead, he writes a very confusing group of independent stories with confusing explanations of the structure of his world. And, as a final blow to the reader, he does not even finish the story. It is one thing to write a novel with the idea of a sequel (as Orson Scott Card does with his Ender series). It is quite another thing to drop the reader into the "valley" with his characters and not even offering some conclusion. Adding to this unfortunate ending is the fact that his characters are annoying and do not create a reason for the reader to care about them. I am reading the sequel only to find out what happens.

Rating:
Summary: pretty nifty
Review: see my review of fall of hyperion

Rating:
Summary: Half the Story
Review: Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1990.

I have no objection to series, trilogies, dodecologies, or gogglologies as long as they are clearly labled. However, nowhere in the hype of this book did I become aware that you have to read The Fall of Hyperion for the rest of the story. Seems to me to border on deceptive marketing.

What IS there is briliant, The Canterbury Tails for the 28th century. Seven Pilgrims gather, traveling together to see the Shrike, a mysterious alien, artifact, time traveler, or some combination thereof. Six of the Pilgrims tell the stories of what brought them on the Pilgrimage were, according to legend, one of them will be granted their heart's desire, the others will die.

The characterization is brilliant, the stories interweave, the world building is convincing, the story takes you to the point where they are standing on the Shrike's threshold and . . . buy the sequel.

I may raise the rating after reading The Fall of Hyperion, but for now I feel like the entire book was a tease.

Rating:
Summary: Superb
Review: I have read all 4 books in the Hyperion series and they are by far some of the best books I have ever read. They keep you rigged from start to finish with continuous action and a gripping plot. Be sure to read Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, and Rise of Endymion if you like this book ;) .

Rating:
Summary: divine book
Review: That book is The Bibble for of all fans of the fantasy books.