Hyperion

By: Dan Simmons

Narrated by: Marc Vietor, Allyson Johnson, Kevin Pariseau, Jay Snyder, Victor Bevine

Length: 20 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

©1989 Dan Simmons (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1990
Locus Award, Best Novel, 1990
"Dan Simmons has the Midas touch: Every genre he writes - whether SF, horror, mystery, historical, or thriller - he turns to gold. Hyperion and The Fall Of Hyperion set a new standard for grand-scale science fiction." (Kevin J. Anderson, author of The Saga of Seven Suns)
"Dan Simmons was a star from the outset. It was the Hyperion books that made him a superstar. The man, quite simply, is what we in the trade call a writer's writer." (Mike Resnick, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author)
Each of [the pilgrim's] stories would make a superb novella on its own. ( The New York Times Book Review, Gerald Jonas)

Unique fiction

A very strange book, set in a very strange world. There are plenty of loose ends, that the other books in the series presumably address. The book is longer than it has to be. It is a fun read, even if a bit toilsome.

Incredible

Incredible it was probably one of the best sci-fi books that I've ever listen to slash read whatever you want to call it

Space opera on the grandest scale

This is what sci fi is about. the future presented seems eerily real. must listen

All paths lead to Hyperion

Really enjoyed the story having an over arching world story on top of having each individual tell thier own story. All the cast is voiced and has a different enough voices that you can tell them a part. its hard to say which individual story I liked the most they each had thier own twists and turns. all of them helped to build the image of what you expected this world to be. they do a good job at feeling seperate but helping to add details that can provide context to events or items refrenced in past or future stories. Overall a must own for sci fi readers/listeners

great story

everything was perfect except the voice actor who did Brawne Lamia's parts was absolutely terrible. her voice was nasal, monotone, and wreaked of down syndrome. The book was incredible, but I barely made it past her parts. I won't get the next book if she does the voice acting... just can't do it.

good idea and potential for the story

so boring and slow. I had a real hard time with the reading narrative. I know I couldn't do any better.

Engaging read

It plays out almost like a series of short stories within an overarching story. throughly enjoyed this book!

an entertaining story, if a little outdated

it was a really cool story, but some of the "love" stories are most characters having sex with women and describing how attractive the women are. I just find that trope to be so tired. aside from that, a very captivating listen

Hate the Poet

Maybe by design but I can't stand the poet and his section was almost painful but stay with great story

one of the best scifi books brought to life

Hyperion is a seminal book and this reading or perfomance rather really makes it come to life