Baba's Reviews > Hyperion

SF Masterworks (2010- series) #21: This book was a very deserving winner of the Best Novel, 1990 Hugo Award. Seven pilgrims travel to the mysterious Time Tombs on Hyperion and share their stories of how they ended up being a pilgrim. Words escape me - immediately I had to start reading the sequel The Fall of Hyperion! On so many levels this book is a masterwork from a constructed reality that covers universes and eons, through to a cosmos wide legacy, mythology and strategic planning by numerous power bases centred around the legend/myth of the Shrike.

This is a meticulously amazingly well thought out reality, that sets out the myriad races, creeds, sexes, cultures, customs, religions, technological development, species diversification, power sources etc. etc. and just as essentially sets out how their existences, development and growth (or collapse) impacted on each other's worlds over centuries. Then there's the superb use of the pilgrim's story telling device, that not only pushes the main story on, but seamlessly provides the depth and vibrancy to lay out this reality to the reader in such a simple, yet compelling way. 10 out of 12 - A FIVE STAR READ!

Pilgrim artwork: fom the 'Hyperion Cantos' Tumblr account and Tumblr artist - davidswiftart