Back in May, I read Hyperion, the first book in a renowned 4-part sci-fi series from Dan Simmons (official site).

This weekend, I finished The Fall of Hyperion. This book continues the story of the Shrike pilgrims from the first book and a few other characters, including the John Keats cybrid, as the interstellar war escalates and the universe goes to hell in a handbasket.

This book doesn’t have the pilgrim stories of the first; it’s more linear, if you can call it that. There are lots of parallel stories, farcasting, worlds within worlds, and time travel to make it plenty interesting. Most of the mysteries of the first book get explained though some of the explanations are so mind-bending, that you will probably have a bunch of new questions. Luckily, there are two more books…

Speaking of the other two books, not wanting to forget too much and lose momentum, I picked up the next book in the series, Endymion, at a book store in Santa Cruz today. I already have the fourth book, The Rise of Endymion, as a friend of mine dug his hardcover version out of his garage and lent it to me.

Interestingly, I noticed that Dan Simmons has a web site and he mentions that a movie is in the works:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Hyperion movie in the works. It has been optioned by a top-notch studio, is slated to be directed by a top-name director, and already has the involvement of a top-flight movie star. Screenwriters have been attached to the project and a first draft screenplay is expected soon.

I’m looking forward to that!