Hyperion

Dan Simmons

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is a groundbreaking science fiction novel first published in 1989, and it serves as the opening volume of the Hyperion Cantos series. Set in a far-future universe governed by the Hegemony of Man, the novel combines elements of space opera, speculative fiction, and literary homage. The story revolves around seven pilgrims journeying to the distant world of Hyperion, where mysterious Time Tombs and the enigmatic, godlike creature known as the Shrike await. As they travel, each pilgrim shares their personal history and the reasons they’ve undertaken the dangerous mission, creating a multi-layered narrative inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales.

The structure of Hyperion is one of its most distinctive features, with each pilgrim’s tale offering a unique perspective and genre. These stories delve into a wide range of themes, including love, faith, sacrifice, and the ethical implications of advanced technology. From a tragic love story to a harrowing exploration of religious devotion, each narrative enriches the novel’s overarching mysteries. Simmons skillfully weaves these disparate threads into a cohesive whole, creating a rich and immersive tapestry of interconnected lives and ideas. The Shrike, both a symbol of fear and a harbinger of destiny, looms large over the pilgrims’ tales, embodying the novel’s tension between human agency and inevitability.

A defining aspect of Hyperion is Simmons’s exploration of philosophical and existential questions. The novel grapples with humanity’s place in a vast and indifferent cosmos, the nature of progress, and the cost of interstellar expansion. Its richly imagined universe is filled with advanced AIs, interstellar politics, and cultural echoes of Earth’s history and literature, reflecting Simmons’s deep intellectual curiosity and literary sensibilities. While Hyperion leaves many questions unanswered, it sets the stage for the sequel, The Fall of Hyperion, and establishes itself as a modern science fiction masterpiece, lauded for its ambitious scope, emotional depth, and thought-provoking narrative.

author

Dan Simmons is an acclaimed American author whose works span multiple genres, including science fiction, fantasy, horror, and crime fiction. Born on April 4, 1948, in Peoria, Illinois, Simmons developed an early love for literature, often drawing inspiration from authors like Ray Bradbury and Edgar Allan Poe. After graduating from Wabash College with a degree in English, he earned a teaching certification from Washington University in St. Louis and spent nearly two decades as an elementary school teacher. His teaching career profoundly influenced his writing, as themes of education, mentorship, and the power of storytelling often appear in his work.

Simmons’s literary career began in earnest when his novella The River Styx Runs Upstream won a contest judged by Harlan Ellison and was published in Omni magazine in 1982. His breakthrough came in 1985 with the horror novel Song of Kali, which won the World Fantasy Award and showcased his ability to blend psychological depth with atmospheric horror. However, he is perhaps best known for his Hyperion Cantos, a science fiction series that began with Hyperion (1989), a work celebrated for its intricate narrative structure and rich themes of religion, art, and human evolution. The series earned Simmons a Hugo Award and solidified his reputation as a master of speculative fiction.

Throughout his career, Simmons has demonstrated remarkable versatility, seamlessly transitioning between genres. His historical horror novel The Terror (2007), which reimagines the doomed Arctic expedition of Sir John Franklin, combines meticulous historical research with supernatural elements. The novel was later adapted into a successful television series. In addition to his genre-defying novels, Simmons has written crime thrillers like Hardcase and Darwin’s Blade, further showcasing his narrative range. Known for his meticulous research and ability to craft compelling, multi-layered characters, Simmons remains a highly respected figure in contemporary literature, influencing countless writers and captivating readers worldwide.

art

Quickly becoming my favourite artist, Jaime Jones has been doing some phenomenal work on this project, and I’m very pleased to confirm him for the second book. The first arc spans the first two books, so it’s just right that Jaime carries this on.

Jaime’s pedigree is unrivalled. He has worked on Hollywood Movies like The Batman, Man of Steel and Star Wars; The Last Jedi. Not only that he has worked on AAA-rated games like Destiny, dabbled with Magic the Gathering and illustrated several books.

For this edition of Hyperion, Jaime is doing 8 full colour pieces and 23 B&W line drawings. The colour images are being oil painted by Jaime and the line drawings are indian ink with crow quill.

The feature image for this production is below and is not unique to a particular tier, it will be included someway with each one:

deluxe

edition

Limited to 300 copies. Printed two colour letterpress on Munken Soft Cream 120gsm over 448 pages by Nomad Letterpress of Cheltenham. The interior contains custom chapter headings and drop caps and is signed by both Author and Artist.

Fully bound in blue Nigerian Goatskin with all over “Labrynth” blind stamping design. The boards feature the “Sphinx” time tomb design with four colours of hot foil stamping and the spine has been rounded with a further 2 colour passes of foil stamping.

Head and tailbands are brown and the book comes with a gilded top edge and finished off with a black ribbon.

The book is contained within a clamshell enclosure. The clamshell comes with a two colour label in Munken and has further foil stamping on the front and spine. The final version will be covered in Metalium (a metal sheen style cloth) and trays covered in sumptuous Suedel.

The final production version will have a much deeper imprint of the blind Labrynth all-over stamping, and we will update the pictures when we have new prototypes.

Pre-order price – £650

Published price – £700

lettered

edition

Printed two colour letterpress on mouldmade paper Liber Charta 145gsm over 448 pages by Nomad Letterpress of Cheltenham. The interior contains custom chapter headings and drop caps and is signed by both Author and Artist.

Fully bound in finest black Harmatan leather with rounded spine and four raised bands. The boards have two beautifully marbled leather onlays of The Shrike and The Sphinx by Freya at Paperwilds, with a foil stamp outline. The book is finished with a further 3 colours of foil stamping to both covers and the spine.

Finished with gold gilding to all three sides as well as blue ribbon, and black and blue head and tailbands. This edition also comes with beautifully marbled endpapers by Freya from Paperwilds.

The enclosure is a rounded spine solander with four raised headbands fully covered in finest black Harmatan leather. There are two further marbled leather onlays of “Cruciforms” on both the front and the back, and the box is edged with another strip of the marbled leather to tie in the design completely.

Inside the box is lined with sumptuous black suedel with silhouetted gold stamped design of the pilgrims heading towards the time tombs. There is also a well included underneath the main book.

John Keats

The Lettered Edition also comes with another book. John Keats’ epic poem “Hyperion” hand set in Caslon 12pt monotype (a popular font from the era) by Nomad Letterpress. This book is printed on some of the few remaining pieces of Zerkell 8181 115gsm and is 48 pages long.

The book is the unfinished poem and contains all three Hyperion “books” written by John Keats. Bound in a Colorado Lined Cloth called “Chobi” the book has a two colour foil stamped design of John Keats himself, drawn by the amazing Jaime Jones.

Pre-order price £2,850

Published price £3,150