My big Birthday present from Mr. Jennsen, guys: a special edition of Hyperion from The Broken Binding. Pictures will never convey how absolutely stunning this book is. Gobsmackingly beautiful.
Time for a confession, and a bit of a ramble. I've been reading scifi since I was 13 years old and writing it for 15 years...and until this year, I'd never read Hyperion. YES, I know it's considered one of the greatest scifi books ever written. YES, I know it's beloved by millions, who rant about it at every opportunity. How do you know I know? Because I've owned a beaten-up mass market paperback of this book for 35 years. It's followed me across the country and through my many moves, and been shelved in every single one of my houses. I always intended to read it.
So why hadn't I? My excuse is that I always believed Dan Simmons to be just a horror writer, in the vein of King and Koontz; which is fine - I've read some King and a lot of Koontz in my time - but I just couldn't bring myself to believe that he could write great scifi, or not the kind of scifi that I love, anyway. If you read the book description, it's about a monster called the Shrike who's killing everyone - obviously it's horror! So I let it sit.
Then, in February, Mr. Simmons passed away, and the accolades poured across the internet in a tidal wave. I read so many impassioned testimonials about this book, I was blown away. So in honor of Mr. Simmons' laudable career, I decide I would read it.
Um, so...Hyperion is an INCREDIBLE book. It is literary (in the true sense of the word - the plot is structured as an homage to The Canterbury Tales, and this story-telling style absolutely elevates the novel in myriad ways). It IS science fiction - in fact, every page is jam-packed with scifi concepts. Far-future humanity spread out amongst the stars; FTL travel, rejuvenation therapies; hundreds of exocolonies. Advanced AI plays a large role in the story (seemingly benevolent, but with interests and goals beyond our comprehension). It explores the consequences of time dilation on relationships and the impact of a post-scarcity, abundance society.
And, yes, it IS horror. The Shrike IS a monster that kills people in violent ways (it may also be much more than that - TBD). As such, it's not what I would characterize as a "happy" book. The backstories of the main characters are often tragic, and they're facing a terrible trial.
But above all, it is simply beautifully written. Every sentence feels lovingly crafted. I loved almost every minute of it.
Now, it does end on a cliffhanger - and not a gentle one. Drops you straight off a sheer cliff. This is a 4-book series. I'm currently about halfway through book 2, and the story has taken a turn into areas I did not entirely see coming. I will say that so far Book 2 is not AS good as Hyperion, in large part due to the absence of the Canterbury Tales "pilgrims' stories" structure. But it's still excellent, and I am invested.
So here's my unqualified endorsement, 30+ years after I first acquired the book: read it if you haven't.
P.S.: Mr. Jennsen also wrapped all my presents in space- and book-themed wrapping paper, then set them on the counter 4 days early so I could enjoy it.
