Verdict:

Hyperion is one of those rare pieces of fiction that transcends mere storytelling. It is epically crafted and its ensemble cast of characters are wonderfully deep, complex people who bare their souls through the journey. It is a saga stretched over space and time yet incredibly personal and intimate.

The future represented in this book is shaped through the personal experiences and histories of the seven main characters (and a fantastic supporting cast), and it’s very effective. We learn about the galaxy through their eyes and it’s easy to digest facts about an alien future and at the same time to care about where each person ends up. And the future is not so very different than the present – humans have taken their same hopes, dreams and fears out into the cosmos. And the book attempts to deal with the repercussions of our actions as a society. We killed earth, do we get a second chance?

But the story leaves many cliffhangers that make you want to jump immediately to the next book, which I’ve heard described as the second part to Hyperion rather than a sequel. The space saga that is the Hyperion universe demands to be expanded (even if the cliffhanger makes you want to scream). After that initial shock you realize you can’t wait to see what happens next. Let the journey continue.

Rating: 5/5 stars

I’m having a little bit of withdrawal already. I miss my fellow travelers and their stories of planet hopping, space battles, the search for eternal life, and the burning forest and sea of grass on Hyperion. I felt like I came a long way with them on this journey. This is one of those stories that rises above the rest and really nails it when it comes to describing the human condition and connects with you in strong and unexpected ways. Hyperion is part of my sci-fi lexicon now and in my opinion some of the characters are as memorable as any in Middle Earth, Star Trek or Star Wars. Hyperion hyperbole? I don’t think so. It’s that good.

SPOILERS: My favorite parts. Peter Dure’s trek through the flaming forest, subsequent discovery of the cruciform and the labyrinths, and his gut-wrenching fate. Colonel Kassad’s many simulated and real military campaigns and the insane survival instinct that lets him outfight the Ousters in zero-gravity. Martin Silenus and his centuries-long story including the Dying Earth, fame, and true literary obsession in the City of Poets. Sol Weintraub’s emotional powerhouse of a tale in watching his daughter become younger and lose her skills and essentially her life. Brawne Lamia’s classic noir tale ripped from Blade Runner and which exposes the true nature of the Technocore. The Consul’s tale of his world of Maui-Covenant being crushed and later his role in keeping the Hegemony secret of the systematic genocide of other species so that mankind would not be challenged. And then he became a double agent many times over, conspiring with the Ousters and potentially destroying mankind by unleashing the Shrike. The whole book makes you think hard about morality, destiny and our choices in life.

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The Hyperion Cantos

It was not about the planet but about the passing of the self-styled Titans called humans. It was about the unthinking hubris of a race which dared to murder its homeworld through sheer carelessness and then carried that dangerous arrogance to the stars, only to meet the wrath of a god which humanity had helped to sire.

The middle part of Hyperion raises the bar significantly. It’s a very strong middle section that delivers some jaw-dropping revelations.

The many layers of mystery wrapped up in this space saga draw you in deeper as the history of the Dying Earth and the colonization of Hyperion are retold by a living witness of these century old events. We see another personal encounter with the Shrike that shows the power of the time energy at the Time Tombs and the resulting devastation that reverberates through the years.  Below the surface of these stories are deep issues of faith, obsession and destiny. Hang on, this is gonna get good.

News in this Episode:

Zola’s Bookish Recommendation Engine Goes to Work for Libraries

Web Fiction, Serialized and Social

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Hyperion is insanely good. It’s thought provoking, fast paced, mysterious and engrossing from page one. Don’t miss this ride if you are a true scifi fan. Dan Simmons‘ Hugo Award-Winning Novel is a masterful read that reminds me of Games of Thrones with its raw brutality of human conflict but with the unyielding conviction of hope and deliverance. We dissect the first third of the book in this podcast. Here’s my synopsis on the first part of this unforgettable tale:

Hyperion is a science fiction drama set in the distant future when man has conquered the stars and is the dominant sentient lifeform in the known galaxy. But our sins and fears have followed us into space. Hyperion starts off as an interstellar mystery where the ruling empire – called the Hegemony of Men – is on the edge of potentially their biggest war with space barbarians known as the Ousters. But the heart of the story is a group of seven who converge on the planet Hyperion where the coming war in space is preceded by martial law on the surface and a population on edge waiting for evacuation. And there is another danger that lurks on the planet – thousands have been killed by a mythical creature, called the Shrike, which is now venturing further from its northern hiding place, the mysterious Time Tombs. The seven characters are fascinating and flawed and they each keep secrets of why they accepted to come on this perilous journey. It’s a fascinating read so far and a compelling look at a fictional future for mankind.

The story unfolds through the characters’ experiences in this world. There is some very entertaining dialogue by group members, who are forced together and would never socialize or be in the same world or place otherwise. We’re pulled right into their environment and come to care about these characters, or at least have a strong need to know what happens to them. All of them have a connection to Hyperion and reasons for returning. As far fetched as it seems that each would invite probable death by going to the Shrike’s domain where few have returned, we see in the first part of the book, the motives for each pilgrim is powerful and will leave you reeling after they are revealed.

News headlines in episode:

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Verdict:

If you like great action and inventive alternate realities, you get an appetizer in this book, but outside some fun battles, there is no resolution to major plot points, which are pushed off to a second book. With no payoff, it’s harder to care what happens to the characters.

Rating: 3.25/5

We conclude our World War I alternate reality Young Adult novel “Leviathan” by Scott Westerfield. The last third of the book saves the best part of the war for last, that is the actual parts of the war we see. The Clankers and the Darwinists join forces and cultures to survive their frozen prison. And the inevitable attack by the Germans puts our heroes in real life-and-death danger.

We find out what happens when giant hydrogen-filled airships don’t pay attention to fire safety 101, it seems Deryn is either crazy or just young and impulsive, and secrets that have been building up throughout the book are saved until…. the…. very…. next… book. At least we can hope.

So even without a payoff to some big questions – the eggs anyone? – it’s an action-packed finale with more talking lizards, eight-legged giant robots and a hollywood worthy finale.

Thanks for joining us on the REIGN of Books.

NEWS in this episode:

• Serial Novels: Modern Torture or the Best Way to Read Fiction?
• Twitter Fiction Fest tells stories one tweet at a time
• George Saunders becomes first winner of UK’s newest literary prize

PART 1

PART 2

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Things get tricky on the war front!

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Scott Westerfield creates a revisionist history of World War I with robots versus genetically engineered beasties. Things get crazy as our two title characters, on the opposite side of the conflict, are thrown into new roles that put them in real danger. Enjoy the spoilercast and watch out for talking geckos.

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The Ocean comes and makes a lasting impression; we get a glimpse of a marvelously different world, and a tragedy has lasting consequences.

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A family implodes when a father commits an unforgivable act, a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse unfolds in the countryside, and the unbelievable rise and fall of the arch villian is shockingly emotional and poetic. The middle part of TOATEOTL has it all – listen to the rundown on the REIGN of Books podcast, where the written word rules supreme.

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So it begins. The REIGN of Books Podcast ep. 1  explores an atypical story of a boy and girl, fighting against an ancient evil that pays a visit to the English countryside. Unlikely events bring them together and the boy discovers a new reality on the edges of our own. What lies there follows him back to our world.