Set in the 28th century, seven pilgrims journey to the planet Hyperion on the eve of an interstellar war, each carrying a desperate hope and a terrible secret. Structured as a frame narrative inspired by Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, the pilgrims take turns telling the stories that brought them to seek the Shrike, a mysterious and deadly creature guarding the Time Tombs—enigmatic structures moving backward through time. A landmark of science fiction that weaves together themes of faith, parenthood, artificial intelligence, and the fate of humanity.

On the eve of Armageddon, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives.