Paperback, 535 pages
Published Dec. 31, 2004 by Gollancz.
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.
this book avoids a lot of the problems of its prequel. the story is richer, the characters are more interesting and interact with each other more, the gigantic world is explored and detailed more, and the large-scale philosophical + political developments are crafted with patience and precision. I feel fulfilled after being slightly disappointed by book 1 overall.
Simply amazing book even though not that much is happening after all. The different characters stories were told so differently and engaging it really felt like the character telling his story. Obviously the stories were also very good, especially the one about the child.
The beginning feels a bit overwhelming with all the terms of this science fiction world but in time you'll understand the world more and more. And all the worldbuilding is done "on the way" - it never gets in the way of the story being told itself.
If you like science fiction i'd urge you to read this book, at least the first story (you'll know when it's finished).
Dan Simmons sequel "The Fall of Hyperion" won two awards (Locus, British SF) and was nominated for two more. It also appears on several "top 100" lists, and both this and "Hyperion" are Science Fiction Masterworks.
I read the first book in November of 2011, and my rather sparse five star review of the first book didn't really do it justice. In short, I was disappointed with the ending and the fact that a sequel was required, but other than that a fine book. An even better short review of Hyperion comes from Wil Wheaton - "It's about the journey, it's not about the destination."
The Fall of Hyperion does finish up the first books story, though not quite in the expected way. The political background story marches to the forefront, leaving our characters to encounter the Shrike and deal with major changes. Some words about the mechanics first.
The …
Dan Simmons sequel "The Fall of Hyperion" won two awards (Locus, British SF) and was nominated for two more. It also appears on several "top 100" lists, and both this and "Hyperion" are Science Fiction Masterworks.
I read the first book in November of 2011, and my rather sparse five star review of the first book didn't really do it justice. In short, I was disappointed with the ending and the fact that a sequel was required, but other than that a fine book. An even better short review of Hyperion comes from Wil Wheaton - "It's about the journey, it's not about the destination."
The Fall of Hyperion does finish up the first books story, though not quite in the expected way. The political background story marches to the forefront, leaving our characters to encounter the Shrike and deal with major changes. Some words about the mechanics first.
The first half of the book is told through a new character who observes what the Shrike Pilgrims are doing through dreams. Some of this is later explained by his connection to the data sphere or mega sphere, though without a chart I couldn't prove whether this is logical or not. In the latter part of the book, the narrator becomes more omniscient, jumping around the characters and stories. After the wonderful layout and voices of the first book, this is an awkward change.
Without spoilers, the political story arc works very well. Major space battles, planetary invasion and technological revolutions are all handled smoothly and believably. On the other hand, the bogey man of the original book is not fully resolved. Perhaps this leaves a mystery for future books? I am not sure.
As a two book pair, this story deserves five stars. I didn't like the ending of the first, the second seemed less refined. As a pair, the story comes to a convincing end after the second book. If I had to choose just one to read, it would be the first, with perhaps a better stopping point before the second book. I'll stick with five stars for the first book and slot this one in at four. Will I read the pair of sequels? Likely so, but only when I have time to read both together.
