The Fall of Hyperion
by Dan Simmons
★ Top 25 book of 1990 · #21 on Best Books of 1990
On the distant world of Hyperion, a feared and worshipped creature called the Shrike awaits near strange structures drifting backward through time. With the galaxy at war, seven pilgrims journey there, each hiding a secret and hoping for answers.
Best for: Readers who enjoy sprawling galactic stories about pilgrims, secrets, and humanity's fate
The Fall of Hyperion is #21 on BookWard's Best Books of 1990, out of 39 1990 books that cleared our data bar.
What The Fall of Hyperion is about
Seven pilgrims are bound for the planet Hyperion, each hoping the Shrike, a metallic creature said to grant one wish to a pilgrimage, will answer them. The Valley of the Time Tombs is where it waits. Each traveler also carries a terrible secret, and the galaxy around them is edging toward catastrophe.
The story is set in the 29th century. The Hegemony of Man and the AI TechnoCore, which runs the farcaster portals linking most human worlds, both try to steer the journey. Meanwhile the Ousters, genetically modified humans who oppose the Hegemony, are preparing to invade Hyperion. A second John Keats persona, Joseph Severn, dreams of the pilgrims and reports to Hegemony CEO Meina Gladstone, while a reincarnation of Keats narrates. It is epic and melancholic, and it asks about war, sacrifice, time and what becomes of humanity.
The Fall of Hyperion on the Best Books of 1990
The Fall of Hyperion came out in 1990. Of the 39 books first published in 1990 that met BookWard's data bar, it ranks #21 on our Best Books of 1990 list.
Why it made the list: 196 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (60 ratings). The list ranks each year’s books on how many readers have picked them up, how highly readers rate them, and how many are reading them right now.
Nearby on the 1990 list
- Stormy Surrender Patricia Wilson, #19
- Almost Heaven Judith McNaught, #20
- Brida Paulo Coelho, #22
See all Best Books of 1990 Best books by year
More years: Best Books of 1991.
The numbers behind it
- Readers: 101 want to read it, 3 are reading it now and 92 have read it, according to Open Library.
- Ratings: 4.1 out of 5 from 60 Open Library ratings.
| Signal | This book (0 to 100) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Reach | 41 | 55% |
| Reader love | 67 | 25% |
| Being read right now | 8 | 20% |
Questions about The Fall of Hyperion
When was The Fall of Hyperion published?
The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons was first published in 1990.
Was The Fall of Hyperion one of the best books of 1990?
The Fall of Hyperion is #21 on BookWard's Best Books of 1990, out of 39 1990 books that cleared our data bar. 196 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (60 ratings).
Why is The Fall of Hyperion on the Best Books of 1990 list?
196 readers have shelved it on Open Library; readers rate it 4.1 out of 5 (60 ratings).
More of the best books of 1990
- Good Omens Terry Pratchett, #1
- Jurassic Park Michael Crichton, #2
- The Eye of the World Robert Jordan, #3
- The Witching Hour Anne Rice, #4
- Flow Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, #5
- The Things They Carried Tim O'Brien, #6
See the full Best Books of 1990, the Top 100, or new books on Rising.
How we know
This page uses public data: Open Library reader counts and ratings, and Wikipedia page views for recent years. The description is paraphrased from real source text. Rankings reflect reading interest, not quality or sales, and can be affected by data gaps. Lists update monthly.
Find your own best books
Add what you have read, rate it, and BookWard will recommend what to read next.
Free while in beta. No credit card needed.