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The winner of a 1990 Hugo Award follows seven pilgrims on a voyage to the world of Hyperion--dominated by the all-powerful creature, the Shrike--where they hope to learn the secret that will save humanity. a very deep, thought provoking and stirring book.

Summary edit see section history

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the 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... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the 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.

Characters/People edit see section history

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First Sentence edit see section history

The Consul awoke with the peculiar headache, dry throat, and sense of having forgotten a thousand dreams which only periods in cryogenic fugue could bring.

Glossary edit see section history

  • Hawking drive: Hawking drive enables faster than ligh travel. It was named after Stephen Hawking.
  • Farcaster: A farcaster is an instantaneous transportation device. Farcasters allow two points separated by a vast distance to be brought together at a Farcaster Portal.
  • EMV: Presumably standing for Electro-Magnetic Vehicles, EMVs are variable-sized transports which use a planets magnetic field to fly above the surface.
  • Autosurgeon: The Autosurgeon is a (non-sentient) AI assisted system capable of diagnosing and treating illness and injury.
  • Treeship: Living trees that are propelled by ergs (spider-like solid-state alien being that emits force fields) through space.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 1 of 4 in The Hyperion Cantos. (standard series)

Followed by The Fall of Hyperion.

This book is in Guardian 1000 Novels Everyone Must Read. (authoritative list)
This is book 51 of 99 in National Public Radio's Top 100 Science Fiction and Fantasy. (authoritative list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Dan Simmons (Author)

Other Contributors:

  1. Zoltán Boros (Illustrator)
  2. Gábor Szikszai (Illustrator)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Doubleday
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1989
ISBN: 0-385-24949-7
Page Count: 481

Awards edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

   
  • The Fall of Hyperion
  • Rise of Endymion
  • Endymion

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • The Decameron

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