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[afternoon delight]

Simply incredible. What an amalgamation that becomes something else entirely, I couldn't get enough of it. Another LTTP thread of this mentioned they re-read it immediately, I almost did as well but jumped into the sequel instead.

It's hard to put into words how this book manages to creep under your skin and leave you thinking about it when you're not even reading it. The stories haunt you. They feel real, and sad, and great, thrilling, contemplative- even with some of the uh cheesier sexy parts. There's a lot of truth written in between the set pieces, and the characters really shine. Sure, sometimes you can really tell it's just one author as they tend to sound the same- but for the most part Simmons has laid down a perfect master's class in characters and story.

I couldn't get enough. It went from being a book I was always interested in, to rivaling and perhaps besting hallowed greats such as DUNE or Game of Thrones.

If you were like me and thought "You know, I should really check that out one day. An adult science fiction that manages to entertain, scare, and inspire..." This is a book for you.

I am positive I'll always remember the stories of Kassad the soldier, Hoyt the priest, the consul, the scholar, the satyr, the detective. Flawless victory. I hope to hear the seventh's story eventually....

 

[Charles Brandon]

Loved Hyperion, hated the sequel. Wish I had just left it at the end of the first book tbh.

 

[Bolivar687]

Maybe the best sci fi story ever told.

 

[afternoon delight]

Loved Hyperion, hated the sequel. Wish I had just left it at the end of the first book tbh.

You can't say things like this! I have to know! I HAVE TO KNOW. Much like the satyr I fucking must know what happens, even if it is just the end.

The way it uses each of them in their lives (to what purpose?) is so captivating I can't even properly express it in words.

 

[smokeandmirrors]

Soll Weintraub's story really fucked me up.

 

[RS4-]

I got tired of it, stopped somewhere in the third book lol; ended up reading the wiki a few weeks ago. Still waiting for the movie/tv series

Edit - or maybe I stopped in the fourth book, dunno.

 

[Makareu]

One of the great.

 

[BumRush]

I read the first book and absolutely LOVED it...but was really put off by the way it ended. Haven't picked up the sequel yet.

 

[Charles Brandon]

You can't say things like this! I have to know! I HAVE TO KNOW. Much like the satyr I fucking must know what happens, even if it is just the end.

The way it uses each of them in their lives (to what purpose?) is so captivating I can't even properly express it in words.

Like most things the mystery is more intriguing than the solution...but I don't want to influence you unduly.

 

[MrOogieBoogie]

Soll Weintraub's story really fucked me up.

First and only time a book has made me bawl my eyes out. His whole story is BEYOND heartbreaking.

And yes, OP: Hyperion is a classic. One of my favorite books of all time. Don't listen to the naysayers, either, the sequel is well worth reading. Not as inventive as the first book but there is some exciting action and imagery throughout.

 

[RedSparrows]

I liked the set-up, but found some of the stories had moments that felt a little contrived - the ending too. I dunno. Never read the next one, I should.

 

[ApharmdX]

Hyperion is one of the greatest scifi novels ever written but fair warning- I would avoid Simmons' other novels, particularly his more recent stuff. He's kind of a right-wing Islamophobic dude.

Loved Hyperion, hated the sequel. Wish I had just left it at the end of the first book tbh.

The follow-ups weren't nearly as good for sure. They were ok but nowhere near as engrossing as the original book.

 

[TheExhaustedWalrus]

I read it around this time last summer and loved it. Personal, riveting sci-fi at its best. Some of the stories are just very powerful and the Canterbury-style storytelling is something I thought was expertly done. However, I still need to read the sequel.

 

[HStallion]

Hyperion is one of the greatest scifi novels ever written but fair warning- I would avoid Simmons' other novels, particularly his more recent stuff. He's kind of a right-wing Islamophobic dude.

That's up to the reader as yes he is crazy IRL but he has written some of the best horror novels in existence. Carrion Comfort, The Terror and The Song of Kali are all amazing works of horror fiction that can easily stand alongside the best from Stephen King and other horror greats.

 

[Carn82]

One of my all time favorites. And I also like Endymion, but that's a bit apples and oranges if you ask me.

 

[swarley64]

Loved Hyperion, hated the sequel. Wish I had just left it at the end of the first book tbh.

Yep, same here. Hugely disappointing sequel.

 

[kswiston]

Fall of Hyperion is fine if you go in expecting a more straight forward novel. It isn't as good, but it does wrap up the dangling plot points.

I never read the third and fourth books, and see no point in them. Fall of Hyperion provides a pretty conclusive ending.

 

[ahoyhoy]

Don't read the sequel.

Felt like male power fantasy garbage comparatively.

Edit: by sequel I mean Endymion. Fall of Hyperion is definitely worth reading.

 

[butzopower]

Loved Hyperion, hated the sequel. Wish I had just left it at the end of the first book tbh.

Didn't hate the sequel, but it really did feel unnecessary to move it in the direction he does.

 

[MythicReclaimer]

This is a 4 book series, right? No spin-off stories or anything? Deciding whether I want to just check out the first one or get the entire series of books.

 

[afternoon delight]

Soll Weintraub's story really fucked me up.

I won't lie, I thought the priest's story was going to be the crown jewel of horror but yes, the Scholar's story just stays with you. The way it's conveyed, his and her journey, they day to day accounting of it is so personal and raw and real it transcends the medium.

Unbelievable.

 

[Yonafunu]

Just finished Endymion like a week ago.

Yeah, Hyperion is amazing.

 

[Cikay]

Some parts of Endymion drag out for too long, but what an adventure ! I liked to see what the universe had become several years after the events of Hyperion and

Spoiler

the fall of the Hegemony and destruction of Farcaster network

.
Also the ending is so beautiful that it makes this sequel worth reading.


Anyway Hyperion is a must-read for any Xenosaga fan. I wonder if Takahashi ever read Hyperion, because there are some major concepts and events in Xenosaga that were already found in Hyperion several years before Xeno.

 

[Preezy]

Not familiar with this, but based on this and the recent thread I think I've found the latest book to read whilst having a poo.

Thanks

 

[Zelenogorsk]

I wasn't too hot on the rest of the book but The Priest's Tale is one of the best things I've ever read.

 

[Taruranto]

Hyperion and its sequel are great.

Endymion is trash and makes Hyperion worse.

 

[karmaforgotme]

Loved it, and I was thinking about re-reading it (a new paperback is being released next month), but it has become hard for me to separate the writer from his politics. Shame, he use to be one of my favorites.

 

[kswiston]

I won't lie, I thought the priest's story was going to be the crown jewel of horror but yes, the Scholar's story just stays with you. The way it's conveyed, his and her journey, they day to day accounting of it is so personal and raw and real it transcends the medium.

Unbelievable.

My first born daughter was maybe 6 months old when I read Hyperion. So the story had some extra punch for me at the time.

 

[Charles Brandon]

Fall of Hyperion is fine if you go in expecting a more straight forward novel. It isn't as good, but it does wrap up the dangling plot points.
.

I think this is fair. It's just disappointing that the structure of the first novel is jettisoned. Although the plot didn't develop in a way that I enjoyed, considering some of the themes of the first book.

 

[BumRush]

My first born daughter was maybe 6 months old when I read Hyperion. So the story had some extra punch for me at the time.

Samesies

Edit: autocorrected to samesies. Staying with it.

 

[thuGG_pl]

Loved all four books.

 

[Nollemaster]

Hyperion is one of the greatest scifi novels ever written but fair warning- I would avoid Simmons' other novels, particularly his more recent stuff. He's kind of a right-wing Islamophobic dude.

I thought his handling of all religions in the Hyperion Cantos was pretty respectful but I can't say I am completely surprised by that. Sometimes you pick up on certain stuff between the lines.

And for the people who say the sequels are bad, I guess they are if you were really into the narrative structure of the first book. If you're really into the fictional universe however, the rest of the books are also amazing and really imaginative. I'm currently reading The Rise of Endymion and I hate for it to end.

EDIT: Christ I just found the premise for his novel Flashback, I'll just pretend I didn't read that.

 

[ahoyhoy]

I think this is fair. It's just disappointing that the structure of the first novel is jettisoned. Although the plot didn't develop in a way that I enjoyed, considering some of the themes of the first book.

I don't see how they could continue the format of the first book when all the main characters have already relayed their stories to one another.

It felt pretty clear that book 1 is the setup and book 2 is the payoff. Book 1 is better sure but I think it would have felt a little cheap without book 2 to wrap it up.

 

[DarkChronic]

One of my favorite books ever. I was absolutely gripped from start to finish. It's been years since I've read it, and haven't found another book that grabbed me like this one did.

 

[Zackat]

A classic. I reread it every couple years.

 

[karmaforgotme]

That's up to the reader as yes he is crazy IRL but he has written some of the best horror novels in existence. Carrion Comfort, The Terror and The Song of Kali are all amazing works of horror fiction that can easily stand alongside the best from Stephen King and other horror greats.

Simmons' novel Summer of Night is on the level for King's IT.

 

[Chaozfly]

I read Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion. While I liked the setting and the innovative story I really had to drag myself through the books (especially the beginning with Duré). I found them often too abstract and too unreal (e.g. the Shrike or the crosses) and not good to read.

But I have to give it to those two books, they ooze a very special atmosphere. I cannot really remember the different story threads, but some scences stuck in my mind, because they were so different then other stories and very sad and heartbreaking moments.

 

[Camwi]

Soll Weintraub's story really fucked me up.

Same here. The end of Benjamin Button always makes me tear-up, and yet this story was just so much more personal and more heart-breaking.

 

[Kyougar]

Soll Weintraub's story really fucked me up.

I can cry on first readthroughs with powerfull storylines. But I never had cried on a reread on a book ever. Until I reread Hyperion came to Soll's storyline again. Man, what a tragic story.
See you later alligator.

 

[elrechazado]

All three sequels are great and complete the narrative arc. Don't listen to the cadre of haters who always show up.

 

[Charles Brandon]

And for the people who say the sequels are bad, I guess they are if you were really into the narrative structure of the first book.

I think that's fair to an extent because I really enjoyed the structure of the first book but my issue with the second book was

Spoiler

also that a lot of the religious overtones of the tales in the first book which hinted at some kind of reckoning with god turned out to instead be manifestations of an attack by the machines from the future. Whilst I enjoyed the plot twist of the baddies turning out to be the goodies somewhat, I found the whole sci-fi space opera, time travel, war against the machines developments prosaic compared to the what appeared to be religious aspects of the first book, which were intriguing and beautifully described.

 

[siddx]

I loved the book and was excited to read the sequel. But I got about a third of the way through it and just couldn't keep going, it was so painfully boring.

 

[ApharmdX]

I thought his handling of all religions in the Hyperion Cantos was pretty respectful but I can't say I am completely surprised by that. Sometimes you pick up on certain stuff between the lines.

And for the people who say the sequels are bad, I guess they are if you were really into the narrative structure of the first book. If you're really into the fictional universe however, the rest of the books are also amazing and really imaginative. I'm currently reading The Rise of Endymion and I hate for it to end.

EDIT: Christ I just found the premise for his novel Flashback, I'll just pretend I didn't read that.

He started that shit with Olympus/Illium saga. It's sad because as you say he did a good job of handling all religions with respect back in Hyperion. 9-11 and the last 16 years of war caused a lot of Americans to lose their shit, huh?

 

[Billy_Pilgrim]

Best villain/monster in sci fi imo.

Priests tale is wicked cool.

 

[mnannola]

My first born daughter was maybe 6 months old when I read Hyperion. So the story had some extra punch for me at the time.

Mine was about 18 months and that story hit me like a ton of bricks. The way it was presented to the reader was just incredible.

 

[Blue Ninja]

The Shrike is such a great monster, damn. And Simmons' descriptions of Hyperion, including the grass ocean, left me speechless at the time. Fantastic novel.

 

[Brerlappin]

The Terror is the best book ive read in decades. I must check out some of his other stuff

 

[Truant]

Got 1-2 hours left of the fantastic audiobook version of this. The detective's story was kind of a letdown, and also the most dated of them all. I guess you can't expect more from a novel written before the internet.

 

[Version 3.0]

All three sequels are great and complete the narrative arc. Don't listen to the cadre of haters who always show up.

Agreed. I actually loved the two Endymion books much more than Hyperion. Hyperion is a fun, inventive collection of short stories, but it's not a cohesive work.

On the other hand, do heed the warnings about his recent work. Flashback turned me off of Simmons forever.

 

[LucidMomentum]

I read the Hyperion portion of the Cantos a couple years ago and loved it.

I just love the way they described the AI, the webway, and the battle against the Shrike. Such a fun read.

Haven't read the next part, Endymion yet.