Challenging sci-fi requires patience and constant attention as you wait for all the pieces of Dan Simmons' complex narrative to connect. But they connect brilliantly. The premise -- seven pilgrims set off in search of a creature called the Shrike -- is a solid framework for a series of stories that brilliantly flesh out Simmons' elaborate universe, which includes the mysterious planet Hyperion. Thoughtful fiction includes nods to Chaucer, Keats and even The Wizard of Oz.
