Okay, it’s taken me a while to get round to reading Hyperion (it was published in 1989).  My excuse is that I got Dan Simmons mixed up with another author who was absolutely awful.  My son said I was wrong, and when I produced Hyperion at the Glasgow SF Writer’s Circle, they all said it was one of the greatest SF  books of the century.  Last century, I suppose.
   They are probably right.  It’s well-written, constantly inventive, complex without being hard to follow, and is chock-full of references to Olde English – in particular the poetry of John Keats and Chaucer’s Pilgrims’ Progress.  The characters are quite well drawn, and each gets plenty of space as Simmons uses Chaucer’s technique of allowing each of them to tell their story.  I became thoroughly engrossed and was disappointed to find that Hyperion was only the first volume so I haven’t got to the end of the story yet.  On the other hand, I have another volume to look forward to!
   I strongly recommend Hyperion.  On of the best books I’ve read for a long time.