In The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons, The all-powerful time-travelling creature called the Shrike is released from the Time Tombs on Hyperion just as intergalactic war ravages the universe fueled by the civil war of the AIs, religious disputes, and the waring human factions.
What I liked ✅ epic galactic scope; a space opera but without the melodrama, filled with complex political machinations ✅ the lines blur between hero and villain — CEO Meina Gladstone is the most fearless, wise, flawed, badass female character to exist in sci-fi ✅ I can't fully express how much I loved the philosophical and religious themes in this book; the complexity is enhanced by the expert and seamless cross-references of Romantic-era poetry, bible stories, Greek and Roman mythology, and pop-culture ✅ can be read by an educated reader, and every subsequent reread will procure further enjoyment and reveal more depth to the narrative ✅ his pose is still delicious ✅ the future technology is everything I want in a sci-fi book
What I didn't like ✖ if I had a dollar for every time he describes "the lapis lazuli sky"... ✖ the book broke away from the campfire story format set out in Hyperion; to be honest, I don't even care ✖ a little sluggish in places; particularly the start chapters focusing on the second John Keats cybrid character ✖ minor inconsistencies in how John Keats is able to access the pilgrims' memories after the loop is destroyed and suddenly speak to them in their dreams
Rating 4.5/5 🌟 Genre: sci-fi Verdict: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ✅✅✅ QOTD: would you rather time traveling powers or the power to teleport?