I absolutely loved it. My review is here: http://moosplace.blogspot.com/2009/05... ( )

Centered on the last chance pilgrimage of seven people and their personal stories, “Hyperion” by Dan Simmons is a cerebral wonder colored with beautiful vistas on foreign worlds, far future science fiction and significant insight into the human condition. Each character’s reason for being on this final pilgrimage is annotated and presented by Mr. Simmons in turn, giving the reader a feeling of separate stories within an overall thematic arc. And while the entertaining dénouement left me a bit saddened with not having resolved key issues and story-lines, the overall sense was extremely pleasing. ( )

First of four novels that have an odd connection to the poetry of John Keats. Fabulous work -- literate, dense, beautiful imagery and well-realized characters. Hugo Award winner, and well-deserved. ( )

This is one of the best science fiction novels written in the last 20 years. It is set in the far future of humanity, where powerful AI's control much of what goes on. Humans travel quickly from world to world via portals, or via very fast spaceships where there are no portals. Even in this advanced time, there are still mysteries, including the old Church, and the strange cruciform lifeform on Hyperion. Also on Hyperion is the strange alien Shrike, which no human has been able to communicate with or attack. People keep making pilgrimages to appeal to it. Somehow these things are all related, though it takes several books to sort it all out.
Very, very good science fiction. ( )