The Rise of Endymion (Hyperion) [Mass Market Paperback] Simmons, Dan

Review "One of the finest achievements of modern science fiction." --The New York Times Book Review "The Rise Of Endymion, like its predecessors, is a full-blooded action novel...distinguished from formulaic space opera by the magnitude of what is at stake--which is nothing less than the salvation of the human soul." --The New York Times Book Review "A novel rich with power and passion, and an enormously satisfying conclusion to one of the major works of modern science fiction." --Locus Product Description The magnificent conclusion to one of the greatest science fiction sagas of our time The time of reckoning has arrived. As a final genocidal Crusade threatens to enslave humanity forever, a new messiah has come of age. She is Aenea and she has undergone a strange apprenticeship to those known as the Others. Now her protector, Raul Endymion, one-time shepherd and convicted murderer, must help her deliver her startling message to her growing army of disciples. But first they must embark on a final spectacular mission to discover the underlying meaning of the universe itself. They have been followed on their journey by the mysterious Shrike--monster, angel, killing machine--who is about to reveal the long-held secret of its origin and purpose. And on the planet of Hyperion, where the story first began, the final revelation will be delivered--an apocalyptic message that unlocks the secrets of existence and the fate of humankind in the galaxy. From the Publisher "One of the finest achievements of modern science fiction." --The New York Times Book Review "The Rise Of Endymion, like its predecessors, is a full-blooded action novel...distinguished from formulaic space opera by the magnitude of what is at stake--which is nothing less than the salvation of the human soul." --The New York Times Book Review "A novel rich with power and passion, and an enormously satisfying conclusion to one of the major works of modern science fiction." --Locus From the Back Cover The magnificent conclusion to one of the greatest science fiction sagas of our time The time of reckoning has arrived. As a final genocidal Crusade threatens to enslave humanity forever, a new messiah has come of age. She is Aenea and she has undergone a strange apprenticeship to those known as the Others. Now her protector, Raul Endymion, one-time shepherd and convicted murderer, must help her deliver her startling message to her growing army of disciples. But first they must embark on a final spectacular mission to discover the underlying meaning of the universe itself. They have been followed on their journey by the mysterious Shrike--monster, angel, killing machine--who is about to reveal the long-held secret of its origin and purpose. And on the planet of Hyperion, where the story first began, the final revelation will be delivered--an apocalyptic message that unlocks the secrets of existence and the fate of humankind in the galaxy. About the Author Dan Simmons, a full-time public school teacher until 1987, is one of the few writers who consistently work across genres, producing novels described as science fiction, horror, fantasy, and mainstream fiction, while winning major awards in all these fields. His first novel, Song of Kali, won the World Fantasy Award; his first science fiction novel, Hyperion, won the Hugo Award. His other novels and short fiction have been honored with numerous awards, including nine Locus Awards, four Bram Stoker Awards, the French Prix Cosmos 2000, the British SF Association Award, and the Theodore Sturgeon Award. In 1995, Wabash College presented Simmons with an honorary doctorate in humane letters for his work in fiction and education. He lives in Colorado along the Front Range of the Rockies. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. "The Pope is dead! Long live the Pope!" The cry reverberated in and around the Vatican courtyard of San Damaso where the body of Pope Julius XIV had just been discovered in his pa