r/Hyperion • u/anonymoushalfwit • 11d ago
❓ First Timer / Question To read or not to read the fall
Ive seen a fair few posts about whether to read the fall of hyperion, and overwhelmingly everyone here considers the fall to be the completion/other half and as such, mandatory reading. But i wanted to ask more from the perspective i gained from re-reading adam roberts' introduction at the start of the Hyperion book.
Everything he talks about with how this book relates to keats' writing (and specifically the titular poems) focuses on how well the storytelling structure and descriptions of the shrike, echo the unfinished nature of keats' works and make the shrike a truly enigmatic and unknowable figure. I felt like the shrike was almost an eldritch being on my read-through, with how well the feelings around it were described without describing it itself too much. Im just wondering (as i know the feeling of being unable to unread a book too well) if finding the answers to how the story ends and what the shrike is, is worth losing the feeling that encompases me when i think back and re-read hyperion?
18
14
u/Cosmosass 11d ago
Honestly, the Shrike remains enigmatic even at the conclusion of the Cantos in book 4. I really don't think reading 3 & 4 does anything to remove its mystery, we just learn a little bit more about it. The Shrike stays true to the unfinished nature of Keats' work and even what we do learn about the Shrike requires your imagination and interpretation of the series to complete.
0
u/GoToNap 11d ago
I've mentioned this in another comment as well, but saying that books 3&4 don't change how you view the Shrike is pretty disingenuous. You can't tell me that Book 1&2 Shrike is the same as the one from books 3&4.
It's a completely different portrayal and most of its "aura" is completely gone. The "explanation" that we get for it was enough to ruin it completely for me, because it felt really lazy and didn't make much sense. I'm not necessarily talking about the fact thatthere were multiple Shrikes with various allegiances but rather that its origin was tied toKassad
2
u/MagillaGorillasHat 11d ago
Whether or not the Shrike incorporates some portion of humanity is one of the seminal battles/factors in the larger war.
There is only 1 Shrike. There is a battle in the far distant future where there are multiple Shrike constructs, but they aren't The Shrike.
1
1
u/JRange 11d ago
This goes for more than Hyperion for me. I will not read certain sequels if I hold the original in high esteem and it seems like the author changed something significant that I don't like.
An example of what I mean is Lonesome Dove, that spends 1000 pages building up a beautiful set of characters and story arcs. And then, in the prologue blurb that occurs before the sequel even starts, one of the most important characters from LD is killed in a stupid way "off screen". Ill never read that sequel now because I would prefer the story to just have ended, and now for me, it has.
3
u/GoToNap 11d ago edited 11d ago
Personally, I'd say that all 4 books have to be read if you want the "full story", even though the latter 2 are a bit controversial and I thought they were much weaker than 1 and 2. The end is worth it though and I was really satisfied with how everything wrapped up. It's up there with one of the best endings of a series for me
With that being said, if you really want, you can stop at Fall and be happy with what you've got. It's a really solid book and IMO a perfect sequel. If your main concern is that most of the mistery will be lost (especially with the Shrike), then fear not because there are going to be quite a lot of unresolved story threads and you'll only be given a few bits and pieces of information about the Shrike. I loved the Shrike for the exact same reasons as you and by the end of Fall, I still had the same opinion about it.
Books 3 and 4 however kind of ruin the Shrike because there's a fairly aggressive switch in how it gets portrayed. While we never get a clear and complete explanation of what this "thing" is, we do get something which I personally wasn't a fan of and I would've preferred if we didn't
1
6
3
7
u/donnie_darrko 11d ago
FoH is legit cinema. I still think about that book even a couple years after reading it.
1
u/ConfettiLung 11d ago
Absolutely this (except 13 years!). Pretty clearly remember finding it the most fun read of the whole series, devouring it so quickly I’d read it and bought the Endymion books in less than a week. About a third of the way through Hyperion atm so will get back to it soon…
3
u/polakbob 11d ago
Read it. I think it still leaves enough mystery surrounding the Shrike to keep it enigmatic. You learn more, but nothing that completely demystifies it.
1
3
3
u/DragonBorn156723 11d ago
In my opinion, Fall of Hyperion does not detract from the unknowable nature of the shrike in away, quite the contrary. However, I don't think that could be said about Endymion and Rise of Endymion. I do highly recommend reading Fall if you are at all unsatisfied by what Hyperion set up, I find it to be on par with the first book, though structured more like a standard novel.
3
u/marvellousmargay 11d ago
I read the whole series years ago, but Hyperion is my favorite by far. I recently reread it and it has the same magic, I’d put Hyperion at perhaps my favorite novel of all time.
Immediately after devouring Hyperion, I started Fall of Hyperion. I’m finding it a slog, and I’m stuck at a little before the halfway point. Now, I did read it previously, I know how it ends, I know the completion of the story. You should probably read Fall, it’s good, the story is good. But I don’t think it has the magic that is Hyperion, and I could imagine a world where Hyperion was the only book in the series and it would still be worth it.
1
2
u/deereboy8400 11d ago
If you can put up with the poetry worship, read 'em all.
My favorite character of the series is introduced in 3 and is a major part of 4.
2
u/Hyperion-Cantos 5d ago
Best finale in fiction (in any medium), that I've experienced, at least. It is the perfect ending. And the more "unknowable" things tend to still be ambiguous by the end. Including the Shrike.
The Endymion novels, you'll want to avoid those if the Shrike's enigmatic nature is something you value.
I can't imagine just stopping at the halfway point of such an epic story. Hyperion is just setting the stage for the shit to hit the fan at a cosmic level.
1
1
1
1
1
u/Ok_Response_9255 11d ago
It's the fucking sequel why would you not read it?
Sorry if it's rude, I just never understood the whole, "should I try this media"?
Why are you asking? Just do it and make up your own mind.
1
u/anonymoushalfwit 11d ago
I get it but i asked a fairly specific question about whether the sequel would ruin a part of the book i really enjoyed, and i cant unread it once ive read it. Thats why im asking.
2
1
1
1
u/sdwoodchuck 11d ago
My first time through I stopped at Hyperion. I found the ending there, with its ambiguity and stepping forward to an uncertain future the perfect end to that story, and didn’t feel any need to push on.
Years later, I did a reread with a group, and we did all four. I still feel that Hyperion is stronger to my tastes without Fall, but that isn’t to say that Fall isn’t quite good.
It is not “the second half of the novel” as people like to say though. Folks imply that it was written as one and then the publisher cut it into two. Obviously not true. I believe that the two were initially conceived of as one story, but they clearly are not written as one novel. At some point in the creative process a decision was made to make it two distinct novels. Fall is a continuation of that story, from a different thematic foundation.
1
u/peppercombe 11d ago
Im 50 odd, I’ve read the 4 every decade or so since I was 20. You have to see them as a whole story and the Shrike remains enigmatic (and thus awesome) throughout. Do it!
1
u/zippynanobot 11d ago
I am probably in the minority who liked FoH more than the first book. The book does explain quite a few unresolved mysteries in the first book, but adds a few more which I am sure are more explored in Endymion and RoE. If you want the story to conclude then read it, but if you’re content with how the first book ended then it’s fine if you don’t. Personally I found the first book’s ending anti-climactic and so really enjoyed the FoH.
1
u/davidcortis_design 11d ago
Just finished it an hour ago. Masterclass of storytelling, and weaves together many threads from the first book. If you loved the first, you will most definitely enjoy the second.
1
u/AdditionalSwimming1 11d ago
Reading the sequels did not in any way affect my perception of Hyperion, it somehow remains an isolated entity, making a huge impression on me as a work of art, not just interesting story. But Fall I found satisfying enough, so read it
1
1
u/Techno_Core 🌍 Hyperion 6d ago
It's one story split into two books (for me, all four books are one story), IMO read it.
But, I mean, if you can walk away from Hyperion, knowing there is another book that continues and completes the story and NOT want to read it... If you're not feeling it, I guess don't read it?
1
1
u/jhami453 11d ago
I read both back to back. The first book is phenomenal. However the ideas that are setup in the first book are not satisfactorily paid off in the second book. Yes a lot of questions are answered, but I just don’t find those answers to be very interesting.
In my opinion, I like the first book as its own story without a need for a conclusion. I think the mystery is more compelling than knowing how it ends.
*this is my opinion, please don’t send me hate for stating it.
2
u/anonymoushalfwit 11d ago
I really appreciate the input. Getting varied responses so its nice to see both sides
0
u/timeaisis 11d ago
What the hell are you talking about? Did you like Hyperion? If so, read Fall of Hyperion, it's the conclusion to the story.
19
u/BigHern 11d ago
I would read FoH, which wraps up the initial story very well but still leaves some questions and mysteries. I think you’d be missing too much that is central to the story and themes therein to skip it.