Customer Reviews

The Fall of Hyperion

5 star:		(51)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(6)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

everyone on this page that has read hyperion will be buying this book regardless after the 100 foot high cliffhanger from the first novel along with all the loose threads so i dont need to convince anyone to purchase it.....that being said, fall of hyperion is an excellent follow up that ties in nicely in answering most of the questions raised in the hyperion. key word: MOST of the questions. far too much is left unexplained or maybe i was just too stupid to pick it up. overall, both books together create the greatest duology in sci-fi i've ever read. now its off to endymion and the rise of endymion.

After reading Hyperion, well....if you made your way through it, you likely won't be able to resist this second installment of Simmons' 4-book space saga. Fall continues the story of the Shrike pilgrims in a narrative format and many of the msyeries of the first novel are gradually explained. The unravelling of multiple subplots is handled well by Simmons and the ultimate conclusion comes out of relativistic left field at Hawking Drive velocities. Bit by bit, we find out that everything is not what it seems and some of the ideas that Hyperion engered in its readership are turned on their proverbial heads. Despite being long (like all the books in the series - where was the editor?!), I never felt bored and was all to eager to eat up the next chapter. Even if I didn't enjoy all the characters equally, the story is definitely imagination rich and well-layered. Simmons leaves us with some remaining sense of mystery at the very climactic end (what exactly is the damn Shrike?!) and this will probably move you to pick up the next book in the series. You'll have to see for yourself if you like how the story continues but I definitely loved the first two books - they really go hand in hand and feel more like one oversized story split into two.

Galaxy-spanning human civilisation the Hegemony is in crisis, facing immanent war with the nomadic Ousters over remote planet Hyperion. Behind the scenes, meanwhile, the very fabric of the Hegemony, the communications grid that allows instantaneous travel between the stars, is under threat. The Fall of Hyperion is science fiction on a heroic scale, yet is also intricate and tapestry-like, a complex narrative with many interwoven strands. This fine, imaginatively written novel is not so much a sequel as it is an immediate continuation of Hyperion, so I highly recommend acquiring both books and reading them straightaway one after the other!

Read Hyperion first, there is no other way to begin this roller coaster ride through time and space. Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion will lead you to one of the most unexpected conclusions I have ever read (at least after book two).

After reading this book I understood that the stories of the pilgrims of the first part, "Hyperion", work as a clever device to reveal to the reader the magnificent and intriguing universe that Simmons has created for this series. If you finished
the first book with a feeling of disconnection between the stories, like I did, this is the part where all is blended together. The different patches are stitched together and the whole plot is laid before your eyes in all its complexity.

The scope of the story suddenly expands and it deals now with nothing less than the surviving of the human race. Difficult decisions affecting the destinies of entire worlds have to be made by leaders on the basis of insufficient and unreliable information. War rages. What is the role of the planet Hyperion and the shrike on this grand scale drama? Who can you trust?

The story offers some very interesting and not so obvious twists at the end. It has a sense of closure, but not all the issues are resolved. Actually, I think that the main issue is merely postponed to a time deep in the future of which we are offered only glimpses.

At times the story is difficult to follow because the pilgrims are split. Then we follow one of them for a while, and when
something extremely important seems to be about to happen... we shift to another pilgrim or subplot and start accumulating tension again. This format has the advantage, though, that it adds some suspense, and I liked it.

I assume that if you are considering reading this book is because you have read the first one. Go ahead! It will answer some of the many questions you must have. In case you have not read the first part, I do not think this second part is a stand-alone book; you need the background of "Hyperion".

After I finished reading "Hyperion", it took me a while before I picked up this sequel. I'll admit that I didn't quite know what to think about the story. However, as time passed, I came to appreciate the rich imagery, plot intricacy, and beautiful writing that Simmons employed in the book, and I decided to give this second book a try. I think I ended up reading it in a single weekend.
The world that Simmons began to create in the first novel is expanded and enriched, drawing the reader further into its intricacies, and we see the characters introduced previously in increasing depth as they continue their pilgrimage to the Shrike and the Time Tombs. You could easily to go so far as to say that this is really the second half of the story that began in "Hyperion". If you were intrigued by the first book, or even if you were only mildly interested, go ahead and take the time to read the second half of the story. You'll probably be hooked, and if not, you'll at least have the satisfaction of having read the whole story, rather than just an abruptly terminated beginning.

This is a must read for anyone who appreciates both fine literature and Science Fiction. No cowboys in space here... Well maybe a little...
God, Monster, killer time traveling robot or all of the above... Every one should familiarize them selves with the Shrike!
Read the first two books and you'll be locked in.

I did not understand all of it, but I enjoyed its beauty. Hence, it must be art!

The best Sci-Fi ever, the whole series (Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion). The characters, the plot and the intensity make it a must read not just for Sci-Fi buffs but for any Fiction reader. Dan Simmons has as big of a surprise in the end as did Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. This series touches on all aspects of humanity in seven characters lifetimes through a plethora of worlds.

Dan Simmons continues the story of the 7 pilgrims sent to confront a monster. The story broadens from the perspective of the pilgrims to humanity as a whole, and does it well. Although "Fall of" does not shine like the "Hyperion" precursor in sheer writing genius, the storyline carries the novel with more points of view, surprising nuances and technological deception. It also brings faith and religion into the story, giving a hope for the salvation of humanity against incredible forces and a surprising enemy.

Again, the reader is left yearning for the conclusion, and running to purchase the next book in the series.