Reading List: Hyperion

I had been hearing about this book for quite some time, from friends, internet posts on forums and even reviews on other sites. I saw this book at my local used book store and decided to take a chance on it. Have you ever experienced a time when you bought something on a whim that really surprised you on how good it was? This was NOT one of those times. I hate this book so much I could scream. I wish I had done some research before buying this piece of crap and saved myself the anger and frustration that I am experiencing now. What's worse is that I was into this book all the way throughout the story until the very freaking end. First let me explain. Hyperion is about a group of 7 strangers brought together on the last pilgrimage to see the mysterious Shrike of the planet Hyperion. On the way to their destination, the pilgrims decide to each tell their tale, revealing what their goals are and their secrets. This hearkens many to compare this book the Canterbury Tales but set in space. This format actually works very well. You get to learn about the characters and their motives and more about Hyperion, its mysteries and the Shrike. Some of the stories I liked better than others but that's to be expected. In a story featuring several characters, there are always at least a few that just grate on your nerves and this book is no exception. Each of the stories reads more like separate novellas. The Priests tale and The Scholars tale both stand out as excellent and the Colonel's tale and especially the Poet's tale are just garbage. Still not bad enough to take me out of the over all story. There are also many extreme examples of technology that I don't think could have been imagined in any other tale. Worlds that feature rooms on different planets that are traveled to by teleportation and flying space trees are just two of such examples. Now here is my problem with this book. IT continually builds throughout the story. Always setting up the mysterious Shrike and the events surrounding it. Everything is leading up to this encounter. All the stories are told, almost all the wondering and secrets of the characters are now all out in the open. They are on the last leg of their journey merely walking distance of their final destination . Then they clasps arms and sing off to see the Wizard and then the end. That's it, it ENDS right there. All that build up and it just DROPS. Apparently the sequel continues the story and all the fans say that its really one big book separated into two. That's not good enough. Even if the story is to be continued, you have something accomplished. You just don't END THE BOOK! This pissed me off so bad when I read this that I totally lost all interest in this story, these characters and whatever is going to happen. I will most certainly not buy the second book in this series and I will soon be taking this piece of garbage back to the used book store to hopefully get at least a percentage of the money I spent on it back. If you re considering this book, please be informed that you will need to buy this one and the next as well. Maybe if I had known, I wouldn't feel so betrayed.