What a book. I can’t believe I didn’t come across this book sooner. I had certainly heard about it over the years, but for me, this book should have had bold, red “READ ME” letters flashing over it. First book in a long time that “transported” me, as only good books can.
Superb world building, some of the best I have read in ages. Each of the pilgrim’s sub-plots feels like it could have been a book, universe, and story on its own, and the depth and scale of each backstory is beyond impressive. I literally laughed out loud at some of the poet’s dialogue, felt deeply for Sol and Rachel, was a little spooked with Father Hoyt’s story, intrigued by the mystery with Brawne, etc. And somehow they all tied together.
I should also confess to consuming the audiobook that was superbly done.
One thing that puzzled me was how abruptly the book ended. I was very interested in the outcome of the pilgrimage and curious about what happens in this world. I know there are a number of sequels. Does the next book pick up where this one leaves off? Does the story of the pilgrimage get resolved? Do we find out more about Het? I think I will check out the sequel regardless, but I hope the answer is yes.
Also surprised this has not been adapted to the screen yet. This IP is truly top notch.
by BlindTiger86
42 Comments
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Yes a really great book. Loved this.
Yep, you have to read The Fall of Hyperion. I basically see the two books as one novel. To read the first without the second is only half a story. I think you’re going to love the second book.
Hyperion is easily my favorite sci-fi novel. You should absolutely read Fall of Hyperion as well.
Dan Simmons originally wrote both novels as a single huge novel, but his publisher convinced him to break it up into two. Therefore it’s very much one continuous story. I won’t answer any of your specific questions because those are all spoilers, but you’ll be happy reading Fall of Hyperion.
There are some pacing problems in the first half, but I recommend you read the entire novel because the ending is incredible.
Easily the best time travel book I’ve ever read which does not include actual time travel in it.
I know Thats quite narrow, but I was really surprised in the middle of the book when the thought “Wait … is this a time travel story?” entered my mind.
I listened to the Audiobook on a long, long travel in the car and during Weintraubs story I had to make a stop for about 20 minutes because I was emotionally devastated and had to cool down before I could continue to drive.
There are a couple of things I didn’t like. This book can’t include a female character without immediately undressing her within the first two chapters of their appearance. And the story of the Soldier, who meets this woman time and time again was just not interesting from beginning to end.
Other than that, I really loved it.
This is an amazing piece of fiction. I just finished Fall of Hyperion. These stories are full of big ideas, wildly prescient, and the characters are all real and moving. I slept on this story too long! One of the sci-fi greats.
By far my favorite book. Like everyone says, The Fall of Hyperion is incredible and finished the story.
Read series! Only sci-fi book to make me straight up cry, one of my all time faves.
Keep reading!!!!!
See ya later alligator 🙁
The Shrike in that series still gives me the creeps.
Also, Iliad and Olympos as well is an amazing duology by him.
First book is fantastic because it’s basically Canterbury Tales in space. Second book has a more standard structure and it’s just not as well written. Except for one really interesting thing that happens toward the end, I’d say it was a rather disappointing followup. I haven’t read books 3 and 4.
I agree with the general consensus: Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion are amazing and should be read together, they’re one story (told in a somewhat different style, though, so don’t expect exactly the same).
Endymion and Rise of Endymion are the 3rd and 4th books in the series, and contrary to most I really liked them. They are very different in style compared to the first two, but I loved where the story went. It does follow on from the first two novels but set long into the future, and it completes some elements of the story that I found very satisfying. It was also quite moving at times though it did suffer from more of a “pulpy” style compared to the first two.
The first book, on its own, is nothing. You need to read all 4 books, otherwise nothing makes sense. I honestly can’t believe how few people have suggested this. If you stop reading after book 2, you’re literally stopping in the middle of a story. It’s a 4 book series. I always think of it as one book, in 4 parts. Imagine stopping Star Wars (original) after Empire and not bothering with the conclusion.
Maybe someday I’ll try it again but I got so lost in the first half of the book and I read a lot of sci fi, so idk what my issue was
Sweet, thanks for the tip! Just finishing the Stormlight Archives on audible and Hyperion is on there too. Will get to it after
>Does the next book pick up where this one leaves off?
Yes.
Father hoyts story was by far my favorite. So intriguing but creepy at the same time. I loved how you were figuring things out as it went with him.
A close second was sols, made me cry.
In addition to the rest of the Hyperion Cantos, I highly recommend Simmons’s other series, Ilium and it’s sequel Olympos. Although, a rereading of Homer’s The Iliad and Shakespeare’s The Tempest are highly recommended companion pieces.
great book(s) and worldbuilding but I seriously cringed every time the poet swore or basically said anything, it just seemed so awkward and forced
Fall is great also, and wraps up the story nicely.
If you like Steven King and historical fiction, The Terror by the same author is amazing as well. I read it years apart from Hyperion and loved them both, and it didn’t dawn on me until years later that they were the same author.
I have to admit I have tried it a few times and never even gotten past the dinner sequence. A friend whose opinion I really value said he feels like shortly after that, the entire time changes and it becomes riveting.
There are 4 books in the series. Enjoy!
I just finished the first book and started the second book yesterday. I think the book has been very hit and miss. Dan obviously loves poetry, but he makes it’s so important that it makes the series almost comically unbelievable instead of taking you into a new sci fi world. He is also very long winded I feel. However some of the book has been brilliant. The Scholar’s Tale was one of the most well done and emotional things I have ever read. That alone has convinced me that I need to read the second book.
Also I did the book on Audible as well. Most of the narrators were good, but the girl narrator was absolutely awful and that certainly took away from the story.
It’s been Rumored to go to the screen a few times. Personally,I think it would be a terrible movie but an amazing miniseries.
I read Hyperion somewhat recently and I would love for Netflix or HBO to throw some serious money at a series. It’s practically broken down into episodes for them already with the bulk of the story being the individual pilgrim tales.
It’s basically two duologies. You have to read the sequel to get the end of the pilgrim stories, and then some of the characters have more to the story in Endymion duology. Haven’t read it in awhile but I think some mysteries of the shrike are only answered if you read the entire series
Great book and I will add my vote to read all four. Books 3 and 4 are still great.
There is also a short story set way after the events of Book 4 that caps it all off – Orphans of the Helix.
you definitely need to read Fall of Hyperion. As other has sets, it’s like there’s 2 “sets” in the series. Books 1 + 2 and 3 + 4
It’s only the first part of the Hyperion duology. You need to read the second part. Also, the Endymion books are part of the saga. Personally I enjoyed the Endymion books even more than Hyperion.
I am 2/3 of the way through the second book, and I am feeling torn. On the one hand, I feel like Fall of Hyperion is actually the better story, with characters that have the space to actually grow. On the other, it lacks the best feature of the first book: having characters with vastly different experiences due to time-debt. It is definitely the most remarkable concept that the Hyperion universe presents to readers.
I am finding all the writing of Moneta a little cringy. Her nipples get more words of description than some principle characters.
First two books of the Hyperion Cantos are great. But Simmons got a little too lost in the exposition sauce in the third and fourth. Ultimately worth a read imo.
I remember reading a while ago. But Bradley Cooper was pushing to get this turned into a TV show. I don’t know what that was more surprised at. The fact that someone really was pushing to get this to TV show or that it was bradley Cooper. I am not sure if it has gone any further.
I do understand that most people who write about it on Reddit are very fond of Hyperion, and I am well aware that I may be in the wrong, no problem with that but to me, these books are overrated AF.
The first one is decent but it goes downhill from there. You can explain away most of what I would call a plot hole but to me it feels like, occasionally, the author got quite lazy.
I am just writing this because I am honestly wondering if I am the only one who feels this way about these books.
Edit: Many thanks for your replies! I am glad to see I’m not completely out of touch with reality.
Read it for the first time in my 20’s and it blew me away. Read it again a couple of years ago in my late 30’s as a mum… hits so different. Absolutely incredible both times
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I’m reading the sequel currently. It’s amazing.
Yes – the next book continues where the first left off, more or less. You’ll understand what I mean when you get to it.
I’m sort of pacing myself on the Fall of Hyperion because I only have Endymion after it, I’ve been trying to get (second hand) the rise of Endymion to finish the quadrology. I know the first two books are a separate entity from the latter two, however being some time apart but still in the same world.
I’ve thought about them adapting it to screen, but I feel like if it weren’t a true adaptation, that so much would be lost from the book.
Anyone else have absolutely no interest in a screen adaptation of the books?
I think Cooper was working on getting a movie done at some point but have precisely zero interest.
Ever since the abomination that was Shannara on MTV adapted from Terry Brooks’ novels I won’t ever watch a movie made from a book I love again.
I still want a house that has each room on a different world. The bathroom that was just a raft in the middle of an ocean was hilarious.
I am always surprised when this book pops up here. After all the reviews, I was excited to finally read it, and BOY was it a disappointment. It was a total slog to get through, I found none of the stories interesting, even in concept, except for the girl with Benji B disease. I felt like if it was THIS boring, the ending must be great to justify it, and then it was such a shitty cop out non-ending. The Shrike was such a cool idea and NOTHING was really done with it.
To each their own, but I just don’t understand the appeal.
Also, I have another issue. Hyperion is NOT sci-fi, it is fantasy.
I got to the end of the first book and was incredibly disappointed. It essentially finished mid story. Spent so much time on side quests that while interesting should have been books in their own right or much shorter.
But mostly I just couldn’t get past the stupidity of the book not resolving even a single plot point.
The story continues in the next book. Like. wtaf. this is worse than my hsc essay writing. Don’t care how brilliant the world building, there was no structure.
World building is the backdrop for an exploration of a story that helps tease out some important point about the universe, relationships, people or… fuck… anything. Contrast. Alien in ways we can’t comprehend. Familiar themes in fantasy contexts. Consequence of science.
Hyperion has none of that. There was no story progression. Just blah blah blah and oh you’ll have to find the next book to continue…
I felt like the publisher said 400 pages is all you are allowed. Author responded by finding the nearest chapter ending and cut it there.