Hyperion + The Fall of Hyperion (Hyperion Cantos #1 & 2 of 4) [MM0051]

1990 MMPBs clean text pages with minor cover wear. Hugo Award Winner. A stunning tour de force filled with transcendent awe and wonder, Hyperion is a masterwork of science fiction that resonates with excitement and invention, the first (and second) volume in a remarkable 4-part epic by the multiple-award-winning author of The Hollow Man. On the world called Hyperion, beyond the reach of galactic law, waits a creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all. On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope-and a terrible secret. And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands. And in The Fall of Hyperion: In the stunning continuation of the epic adventure begun in Hyperion, Simmons returns us to a far future resplendent with drama and invention. On the world of Hyperion, the mysterious Time Tombs are opening. And the secrets they contain mean that nothing--nothing anywhere in the universe--will ever be the same.

"Dan Simmons has brilliantly conceptualized a future 700 years distant. In sheer scope and complexity it matches, and perhaps even surpasses, those of Isaac Asimov and James Blish."-The Washington Post Book World "An unfailingly inventive narrative . . . generously conceived and stylistically sure-handed."-The New York Times Book Review. "Simmons's own genius transforms space opera into a new kind of poetry."-The Denver Post. "An essential part of any science fiction collection."-Booklist.

From the many recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "Very good sci-fi read and a very intriguing narrative structure. Had no idea The Canterbury Tales were structured like this and now I'm more interested in reading those. The six tales vary in style, prose, and quality. My favorites were the priest's, scholar's, and the consul's, followed by the soldier's. Definitely plan to read the sequel."; "Giga-banger. Not normally huge into Sci-Fi but this book is so fire. The way it is written makes it easy to read even if not in the mood to crush pages. Would make such a sick limited TV series."; "There are books that tell an incredible story, and then there are books that convince you an entire universe exists beyond the page. The Fall of Hyperion is the latter."; "One of the most unique sci-fi/fantasy books I've read, really enjoyed reading!!"; "Loved this book, it's a great sequel to Hyperion. Dan Simmons' ability to tell an entire story from multiple perspectives is next level. He makes each character feel personable. This book answered a lot of the questions I had lingering from Hyperion without the making the ending feel anticlimactic. I actually felt hopeful at the end of this book that the humans will eventually break free from the technological chains that bound them for so long. We'll see how that turns out . ."