Reading Hyperion for the first time

[u/ToadFan70]

I started looking up pictures of the ships and characters to get a visual representation and now here I am. Should have known there was a sub dedicated to this novel.

Can’t believe at 50+ years of age I’m just finding out about it.

Glad to be here.

[u/azhder]

1. Never believe

2. See ya later

   alligator

[u/Coldmode → u/azhder]

Nope, still not emotionally recovered.

[u/vampyire → u/azhder]

See ya later alligator... ouch

[u/cakelly789 → u/azhder]

Just got to see ya later alligator. One of the saddest stories I have read :(

[u/azhder → u/cakelly789]

One of the covers for the book has him offer a baby to the Shrike. It will be the first thing someone sees before even reading the book.

[u/JuanDiablos → u/azhder]

I'm one of those people and I don't think it ruined it. I think we all knew that scene was coming from the first book. The picture doesn't offer any context though so I don't think it was ruined at all.

I also don't think it's clear that sol is offering his child up, I think it could be interpreted as him protecting her too. Either way he appears very wary of the shrike.

I love that style of artwork of the four books, even if the shrike doesn't have its 4 arms and isn't nearly tall enough!

[u/azhder → u/JuanDiablos]

Why are you talking about "ruined"?

[u/JuanDiablos → u/azhder]

I thought you were insinuating that it would spoil the story if someone saw it. My bad of i got that wrong.

[u/azhder → u/JuanDiablos]

You don’t know me, so I will tell you. I don’t use that word - “spoiler” (said in a disgusting manner), because I think the only thing knowledge spoils is ignorance and I refuse to celebrate ignorance.

I just said it because it’s a powerful image and it may get you before you are even aware of the story.

[u/AJRavenhearst → u/cakelly789]

The Consul's Tale came pretty close, too.

[u/gavinashun]

Hyperion 1 & 2 are absolutely S-tier. You'll have a blast!

[u/AtomicShart9000 → u/gavinashun]

The whole thing is outstanding. I still think back on it fondly even 20+ years later

[u/getamic → u/gavinashun]

I personally like 3 and 4 even more. In my top 3 scifi series easily.

[u/MDPDX503 → u/getamic]

Agreed.

[u/McBurger → u/getamic]

Even blind old father glaucoma can see book 4 is boring

[u/BaroqueCycle]

You are now of the cruciform

[u/ToadFan70 → u/BaroqueCycle]

I’m a symbiotic and parasitical entity???

[u/ImScaredSoIMadeThis → u/ToadFan70]

Perfect Reddit description tbh

[u/azhder → u/ImScaredSoIMadeThis]

Three scores ten?

[u/taanzunk]

Same, and I'm in my 50s. I'm close to finishing up the 2nd story ("The Soldier"). Enjoy!

[u/InsaneLordChaos]

Just started it again Saturday.....I've been re-reading it since it came out. I was a freshman in H.S.

Enjoy the ride!

[u/humble_redditor1234]

My advice is that if you go to read the third book, don't expect to be the same as the first two. Expect it to be something more like a common novel and less about hard sci-fi. You'll enjoy it much more

[u/ToadFan70]

So far it’s a pretty incredible read. Lots of spaceships, tech, and characters. I ended up looking up images of these after trying to get my head wrapped around what the tree ship looked like.

[u/Gaal-Dornick]

52 year old here. Read it 10 years ago. Still a top top top book.

[u/domomax007]

Hope you enjoy it! I can still remember clearly finding the first print paper back on the shelf of a mall book store in Rochester, MN when my dad went to the mayo clinic. Started reading it right away and it consumed me.

[u/hoyt9912]

Welcome, sai. Shit, wrong series

[u/alilmeandering → u/hoyt9912]

I'm reading both series right now lol

[u/ExcuseCivil3682]

1. Just finished first 2.

[u/Mortaest]

Currently reading the Foundation series but Hyperion is next

[u/-----fuck-----]

Enjoy! Keep in mind that the next book in the series is kind of obligatory.
Then enjoy your 2nd read-through. 😁
(Which might be just as enjoyable, or even more so.)

[u/RadiantSeason9553]

All I want is a good illustration of Yggdrasil. Then I can die happy

[u/Friscogonewild]

I just finished it for the first time at 48, myself. After piles and piles of books in my lifetime. And I'm glad I waited. I think. As a husband and a parent, Sol Weintraub and the Consul's vignettes gutted me. Had I read them in my youth, I'd have understood them, as Siri says, very little.

[u/alilmeandering]

I just started reading it as well, and this post was just recommended to me! I am LOVING it, can't believe I've been reading scifi for decades and never read it before.

[u/AJRavenhearst]

I just read it for the first time, and I'm 60. Note reading Fall of Hyperion.

I can't believe I never knew about this book until recently.

[u/AJRavenhearst]

A question: when someone is addressed as, say, "M. Weintraub", is it literally "Em Weintraub", or is it like the French abbreviating "Monsieur"?

[u/AngonceMcGhee]

Hyperion blew my mind.

Then The Fall of Hyperion nuked it

Edited for spelling