Hyperion - A space epic with a classic literary twist

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Recorded30 Nov 2021

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Hyperion by Dan Simmons is one of the best sci fi books of all time, and won the Hugo and the Locus awards in 1990. We give it a 4.5 / 5. The book is a space epic in the form of Chaucer’s Canterbury tales. Hyperion is a colony world at the edge of Hegemony space, and home to some of the greatest mysteries of the galaxy. A network of giant labyrinths crisscrosses underground across the whole planet, the Time Tombs are surrounded by an anti-entropic field that makes time run backwards, and a fearsome, three-meter-tall metal monster with truly terrifying superpowers called the Shrike that emerges periodically to murder innocent passerby. 7 pilgrims travel to Hyperion from humanity’s various portal-connected “web worlds” to return to the strange planet in advance of an alien invasion. Like in Chaucer, the story largely consists of each pilgrims’ self-narrated back story, intercut with their return journey to Hyperion and hence, the Time Tombs. The book is a masterful mashup of both real-world literary history and science fiction tropes. The form of the novel engages you deeply in the overall mystery, and some of the pilgrim's stories will stick with you for years to come. As always, we also recommend a few similar books to check out if you loved Hyperion: Sirens of Titan by Vonnegut Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge Ancillary Justice by Anne Leckie

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