by Dan Simmons
ISBN: 0-553-28368-5
First published 1989
482 pages
Publisher: Bantam / Spectra
Cover illustration by Garry Ruddell
8 / 5 Stars
The highest rated book so far on this site. 8 out of 5 stars.
Any review will necessarily fall short of describing just how good this book is. From a literary perspective, a science fiction perspective, a story-telling perspective, a thriller, a horror story. Themes of good and evil, world building on a magnificent scale, with minute attention to detail. A villain who make other villains look amateurish in comparison.
Perhaps only Sauron could compare with the Shrike, but then the Shrike is arbitrary in its use of violence. Sauron is known, the Shrike is unknown.
So how then do we describe this festival of delights that Dan Simmons has conjured up for us?
Perhaps the best way is not to describe it at all but let the visuals shine through, with no spoilers, just scene setting for what is a stupendous story.
Where else for our pilgrims to meet but in a grotty down town bar.
The below, the trees of the Flame Forest, and the horror of our first pilgrim’s story.
And how do we travel to the planet Hyperion? By Tree Ship of course, on the majestic Yggdrasill.
Derived from Norse mythology where Yggdrasill is the immense, sacred World Tree that connects the nine realms of the cosmos and stands forever green
And the government is centred at Tau Ceti. Think of Coruscant or Trantor.
Chronos Keep below. The last ‘safe’ place before the Time Tombs ahead.
Here is a typical house of the rich. Rooms on different planets, all thanks for Farcaster technology. One house, many worlds.
And our nemesis, our villain, our horror, our unspeakable death. Who or why or how is the Shriek?
It is the Pilgrim’s stories that reveal all …
