Hyperion by Dan Simmons
As of Jan 17th, I have finished my first book for the year!
Hyperion is one of those classic science fiction books that, if you enjoy sci-fi, someone has surely mentioned before. I had been recommended it several times, and finally sat down to read it over my Christmas holidays and the start of January.
Published in 1989, there are definitely some writing conventions that more modern authors don't use anymore... So if you're used to a lot of action and immediate payoff, you're probably going to bounce off of this book. There are some parts of this book where payoff is deep, deep into the story. And for me, that was just fine - one of my favourite fantasy series of all time is Malazan book of the Fallen, which is very well known for being a dense read where sometimes a plot point isn't resolved until an entire 1200-page book or two later. So Hyperion making me wait to connect some dots and see a payoff isn't a problem.
Hyperion is interesting in that most of the story unfolds as stories within the story. We follow six pilgrims, who each retell a story about why they're headed to this specific planet and the mysterious Time Tombs. As each tells their story, we get a deeper understanding of not just the world, but also why these six people are important, and possibly so important that they change the future. I have some suspicions on that front which I'll have to read the next book in the series to see if I'm right about.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I think I'll end up reading more of the series because I really want to know what the Time Tombs are and most of that doesn't get explored in this first book. I don't honestly know if I'll read the entire Cantos, as the series is I think 4 books total, but the first one impressed me enough that I'll likely read the second one later this year. I have a few other books also on the go right now so it won't be back-to-back.
There are a few great concepts in this book, like the Web - which is a nexus of planets connected by Farcaster technology (basically teleportation gates). The technology is so advanced that some very rich people have homes "within the web" which means that to THEIR perception, their home is just like any other home, but it could have rooms looking out over a dozen different planets - doorways that open to streets on entirely separate worlds. It's a very neat concept that has a lot of cool implications.
The Time Tombs, which is where the main characters are on a pilgrimage to, are strange artifacts that exist only on the titular world - Hyperion. They seem to have been sent backwards through time, and nobody is really sure what they do or what they contain, which is a major point in the book as we read through it. Protecting these is a strange creature called the Shrike - a metallic-like possibly organic being that is said to grant a wish to pilgrims who visit the Church of the Shrike... but it also kills folks all the time so it's a bit of a tossup if you'll actually get your wish or if you're going to head off to your own death.
Maybe, you get both.
In Hyperion, we don't get a direct answer to these questions... but we arrive where we need to be for the next book - Fall of Hyperion - to answer those questions, and I'm definitely going to be revisiting this to do just that.
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Great review! I've heard a lot about Hyperion and your insights about the storytelling structure and its depth make me even more intrigued. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I found it really enjoyable! I'm a big geek for worldbuilding so the various little tidbits of how the setting works and what weird science and such they have were just fabulous to think about. But outside of that, the way Dan Simmons wrote each section to basically be a separate person's point of view about what drove them to reach Hyperion was really fun and enjoyable. If that sounds cool to you, definitely pick it up!
I have read all 4 and believe me, the third and fourth are even better! Actually all 4 are ingenious, just in different ways! You don´t want to wait half a year until it is revealed who the Core is and what it is about the farcasters, etc.
Good to know! I'll maybe push off what I was about to listen to on audible and snag the next one then, I have a spare credit 😁
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It's a sci-fi classic that really plays with story-within-stories narrative. I find it fascinating how each pilgrim has their own story and as they tell it, you become more immersed in the world and its mysteries. Great review!
Thank you!
I haven't read this series, so I may need to take a look. It's been a while since I read much sci-fi. I should get back into the genre. Action-packed space operas are fine and all, but the exploration of ideas in a slower tale has its place too.
Some of the most impactful parts of The Lord of the Rings (I know, fantasy, not sci-fi) were the dialogue on the way where the characters discussed death, destiny, and the meaning of their struggles. When the films used those lines, sometimes from different characters and in different locations, it still felt more meaningful than the massive battle scenes. Consider Gandalf and Frodo discussing Gollum and pity in Moria in the film.
Absolutely. I love LOTR (which is likely no surprise), so I agree completely - some of the best parts of the series are slow areas that some folks would bounce off of.
I think that was one of the big failings of the Hobbit trilogy. Aside from all the additions for more action, it skipped over or rushed through all the quiet parts of the story where actual character development occurred.
Y'know, I never actually finished those movies. They just didn't grab me, and it might be for that exact reason. We gained action but lost substance, and I enjoy the source material too much to lose much of its heart for empty eye-candy.
There's a fan edit (several, actually...) which carves out as much of the added bloat as possible, and it's definitely better. I still wouldn't say it's good. More like tolerable, barely.
I'll check that out!