A review by kurtwombat
Hyperion by Dan Simmons

5.0

This book was mysteriously gifted to me by an old friend—having not spoken to him for decades—the arrival took on the aspect of a visitation. Like the central event of the book, something amazing and unknowable was about to open up before my reading eyes. Lured in by the Canterbury Tales format, I’m a sucker for tales of tale tellers telling tales, layer upon layer of story builds a universe & more. Religions are woven into science fiction into action adventure into myth building into mystery-thriller into cultural origin stories into noir detective novel and into straight up eye popping horror. A little slow to begin as the first story lays down a necessary religious foundation (with some ghastly horror elements)—and as with most things religious I tended to have my doubts—but soon the book takes off. I love books that blend elements—this was everything I could want including one of the most marvelous bad guys/monsters/deities I’ve come across in the Shrike. The only down side is that this is ultimately all just a set up for book two in the series, THE FALL OF HYPERION that I think is even better. Just astonishing.