Me encanta la pluma de Simmons... Este es sin duda uno de mis libros favoritos de todos los tiempos.

La premisa es sencilla, un grupo de personas viaja al planeta Hiperión al encuentro del acaudalón, una especie de dios. En el transcurso del viaje iremos conociendo las historias y motivos de cada uno de estos peregrinos que nos ayudará a armar una especie de rompecabezas de este universo y qué nos hará entender mejor la naturaleza del misterioso Dios.

A lo largo de estas historias hay acción, aventura, reflexión, algo de drama y una pizca de romance por lo que la novela se siente bastante completa. Y aunque hay cierto lenguaje tecnico propio de este universo, el autor lo utiliza de manera amena, perfecta, en su justa medida, entregandonos una historia muy consistente y muy bien narrada.

Como dato importante "Hyperion" fue escrita inicialmente como una duologia junto a "la caída de hyperion" por lo que termina en un "cliffhanger", no obstante, su cierre es perfecto, dejandote todos los ingredientes para el siguiente libro.

¡Recomendadisimo!

It's the 29th century through a little accident ( some people do not believe it was), Earth has been destroyed by scientists over 400 years before, the inhabitants have dispersed they struggle in two hundred different planets to survive, in the vast galaxy an Empire called Hegemony rises to protect or is it to exploit them ? But with civilizations growing and changing in desert planets, ocean worlds, jungle lands, mountains regions, the expanding universe goes on forever how can any rule ? On the world called Hyperion a strange, frightening looking being lives the Shrike, some hate it others love all fear, and many want to kill the creature animal or machine, no one knows in the valley of the Time Tombs, huge structures ( some kind of time travel device, quite incomprehensible) the evil thing kills without mercy or feeling, but a cult evolves from this ruthless entity, the bizarre "church" has many shrines around the empire ... Now war against merciless barbarians Ousters, descendants from Earthlings living outside the Hegemony is about to begin, faster than light speed transportation has been achieved, total destruction is now possible, billions can be slaughtered by unseen powerful weapons only dreamed of, by their ancestors. The Shrike by way of his followers invites seven humans on a pilgrimage to visit him (yes, this is a homage, to the Canterbury Tales). The priest Father Hoyt sick, tired, taking drugs losing his faith, the soldier Kassad who has seen too many deaths in too many battles, retired the boisterous poet Silenus famous for his first poem, now unable to finish one not liked by his companions, the scholar Weintraub, carrying, his infant daughter Rachel the one person he loves, medicine has failed she gets dangerously younger every day, he would do anything to save her, the Starship captain Masteen from the mysterious Templar Brotherhood, keeping secrets from the others the detective and only woman in this group Lamia, as tough as any man who still can weep, having lost her love and last but far from least the cynical, brooding consul ( name not stated) he has information from the top, the legendary Meina Gladstone she controls the empire, ( the omniscient computers, in reality) by unethical political maneuvers enemies would say, that a spy is among them maybe he knows more than anyone else, returning reluctantly to the planet he formerly governed and always enjoys looking at the nightly sky as the meteor showers light up the darkness . They go up endless rivers , stormy seas, remote lands in aerial trams high above the ground telling stories when the pilgrims stop to rest ... and finally walking slowly in the eerie valley of the Shrike to their doom , all believe still continue on holding hands one begins singing an obscure song from old Earth, everybody joins in ... " We're off to see the Wizard "... A brilliant novel that of course has a sequel, three in fact.

I don't use the word "epic" very often, but if ever there was a book deserving of that accolade then Dan Simmons Hyperion is it. I wouldn't consider myself a hardcore sci fi reader. In fact, I wouldn't consider myself a sci fi reader at all. But this book knocked me for six, blew me away and took me to a galaxy far, far away.

Be warned. The first thirty or so pages in this one are rough. Particularly if you're a sci-fi novice like moi. There's little or no explanation for a lot of new terms and I was left in a state of confusion, which is something I don't look for in a book. But I was doing this as part of a group read and pushed on. Baby am I glad I did. Once this story gets rolling it doesn't stop and the breadth of subject and expanse of the world the author creates is all encompassing and breath taking.

The novel centres around six stories that each has a different flavour but all intertwine and link to the main story. It's exceptionally done. Following a group of characters on a quest to a mysterious planet, the background and intrigue is delivered through each story in masterful fashion.

The story is part of a four book series and I'm in no doubt that I'll be continuing with the Fall of Hyperion. I am now, officially a sci fi nerd and proud!