Hyperion by Dan Simmons was published in 1989.
Rumors are that it will soon be a movie.
Maybe this will give it the attention it deserves.
There are 4 books in the series:
Hyperion, Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, Rise of Endymion.
The structure of the novel and it's influences are interesting.
It's composed of a series of tales told by a group of 7 travelers .. kind of like Chaucer's "Cantebury Tales" and Boccaccio's "Decameron".
The title, Hyperion is taken from one of John Keat's (unfinished) poems "Hyperion" which used as a source, the Titan wars of Greek Mythology.
The poet Keat's is really important. It's the name of one of the cities of the planet Hyperion and the second book "Fall of H" is a series of dreams of the poet.
There are 6 tales in the novel.
1. The Priest's tale
2. The Solder's tale
3. The Poet's tale.
4. The Scholar's tale
5. The Detective's tale.
6. The Consul's tale.
These travelers relate their interlocking tales while on a pilgrimage organized by the "Church of the final atonement" to the Time Tombs of Hyperion.
Each story relates to the the planet Hyperion and gives the opportunity to tell who they are and build
the Simmon's universe.
Their journey takes them to the evil creature known as the "Shrike".... The Lord of Pain.
Each pilgrim has their own unique reason for the journey and they all suspect they will probably never return.
The pilgrims are:
1. Father Lenar Hoyt - a Catholic Priest.
2. The Martian soldier Colonel Fedmahn Kassad (of Palestinian descent).
3. The poet Martin Silenus who was born on Earth (and wrote a book about Earth before it was destroyed).
4. Sol Weintraub, a Jewish professor, with his infant daughter Rachel.
5. The detective Brawne Lamia.
6. The Consul, Merin Aspic.
The story is set in the 29th century.
Old Earth has been destroyed, and humanity has colonized the stars forming the "Hegemony of Man".
Mankind is allied with the Technocore AIs. This alliance is not all that it seems and I suspect The Technocore doesn't have Mankind's best interests at heart.
The Technocore manages the "All Thing" ...the connection between all humans. Through this connection, humans can vote on legislation, communicate with each other, and access information instantaneously......reminds me of the internet. Remember, this book was published in 1989.
On the extremity of "Colonized Space" live the "Ousters". These are modified humans (who are at war with the Hegemony of Man).
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