Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Every once in awhile, some story (whether it be a novel, TV series, film) sneaks up on me and simply blows me away. Immediately afterward I become unreasonably pissed off. Why you ask? Well I get angry when I discover something so good that I have been ignoring for so many years. Although, I haven't necessarily ignored Hyperion, I was simply ignorant of its existence. Which is...I don't know, I don't have to explain myself to you. I don't want to give away too much, but I want to praise some its aspects in hopes of getting you to read this excellent novel, because I honestly believe there's something for everybody.
Some preface: it is sci-fi, which if you're anti-science fiction, hold on. It's not hard sci-fi, I mean, it has its fair amount of jargon, but nothing too hard-boiled or confusing for the sake of confusion. It takes place in the future, humanity has advanced quite decently, there is adventure, space travel, so space opera is a decent genre to place Hyperion in, but that doesn't really do it justice. There are high stakes, but the focus of the novel is the characters and the mystery that surrounds them. The future tech is not too crazy, as there is a layer of logical science behind everything. Basically, all of the good aspects of science fiction. Creative worlds, the great beyond, the demise of culture and government, beautiful scenery, and all of the mystery that slowly unfolds around the world of Hyperion.
To all my english majors, or fans of classic literature, my god, there are just allusions on allusions. The story is a framed tale (like Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales), in which seven pilgrims are chosen to take the pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on Hyperion, where the legendary Shrike lurks. Do you know what any of that means? Of course not, but it's badass in every sense of the term. The fate of the galaxy may be at stake, so the pilgrims decide to each tell their own life story to figure out why they were chosen for the pilgrimage. Each tale is...just fascinating. We get to see character development and world building in the most absorbing way possible. Stories of faith, love, prowess, fate, and adventure that all slowly tie together beautifully. They grapple the purpose of religion, of self, of humanity's destructiveness, all the while the pilgrims slowly descend on their journey. Also for my poetry fans, John Keats plays a rather large role throughout the novel.
Hyperion is a slow burn that develops complex ideals and truly rewards the reader. There is deep sense of mystery and discovery, and as it develops you yearn and decipher and eventually come to relish Simmons' passion for literature and scope. The prose does not dilly dally or walk in circles, and when all of the pieces come together, you only want more.
I can't really say much else without spoiling, so I'll leave it here. The characters are genuine and layered with personality, the plot is wide in scope and builds marvelously, and the world that Simmons develops is a gem of intrigue. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
Rating: 9.8/10
Currently Reading/Next Review: Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
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