On the world called Hyperion, beyond the reach of galactic law, waits a creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all.
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.
I enjoyed this, but it's very much the opening book in a series and it's a personal bugbear of mine when a book just cuts off in the middle of a story. I like the ideas and most of the structure, though the opening section before the tales begin is a bit bewildering for just how much it dumps on the reader without context. But the scope and ambition of it is huge, and there's a lot to get stuck into and get you thinking - already have the next book reserved at the library!
TL;DR removing one star because it falls into some classic uncritical usage of colonialist + imperialist narrative, misogynist plot devices + characters, and ableist language + lenses. without downplaying these core issues, i still have to say this book (and its sequel) are some of the most impressive, ambitious, & compelling hard sci-fi i've ever read. more specifics:
in particular "the soldier's tale" and "the consul's tale" were both totally uncritical of their feminine muse characters-as-plot-devices, and the sex scenes felt shoehorned and pointless because of it. "the detective's tale" starts by centering a dope & hyper-competent woman character but she too is eventually shrunk into a confused & lovesick wench. the book in general also has a poorly-hidden enjoyment of militarism & military aesthetics without much of a critical eye, although I think the sequel does more in this regard. "the priest's tale" could have done without its offensive …
TL;DR removing one star because it falls into some classic uncritical usage of colonialist + imperialist narrative, misogynist plot devices + characters, and ableist language + lenses. without downplaying these core issues, i still have to say this book (and its sequel) are some of the most impressive, ambitious, & compelling hard sci-fi i've ever read. more specifics:
in particular "the soldier's tale" and "the consul's tale" were both totally uncritical of their feminine muse characters-as-plot-devices, and the sex scenes felt shoehorned and pointless because of it. "the detective's tale" starts by centering a dope & hyper-competent woman character but she too is eventually shrunk into a confused & lovesick wench. the book in general also has a poorly-hidden enjoyment of militarism & military aesthetics without much of a critical eye, although I think the sequel does more in this regard. "the priest's tale" could have done without its offensive takes on neurodivergence and the frontiersman/missionary narrative too.
thankfully Simmons does engage much more critically with imperialism, sex/gender, and disability as the book+series progresses. "the scholar's tale" in particular was beautiful and devastating, and I enjoyed "the poet's tale" for its view on socioeconomics + disability and life in an over-networked world. speaking of, the world of the book is massive and intricate with a rich history that is revealed in media res as you read (my favorite type of worldbuilding though i know some find it tedious). if huge-scale speculative political & philosophical intrigue interwoven with intimate hyper-personal character-driven narrative is your cup of tea, give it a shot and hit me up to discuss!
Wow, this took time (I started this in summer 2019, as my first purchase on Audible India). In case you haven't read about it - the story is written ala Canterbury Tales, with travelers on a pilgrimage telling tales about how they ended up here. The frame-story intertwines with the tales that are told, and as you can expect (Previous on Lost:) Everything is connected.
Good stuff: Most of the stories stand well on their own. The stories themselves work very well within the frame structure - explaining the current scenario slowly. The world-building is mostly well-done, and while some characters feel a bit off at places - it is an overall well written book.
Bad stuff: The ending is a cliffhanger. Was totally expecting some resolution, but it leaves you hanging.
Favorite tale: Scholar's, and then maybe the Poet.
