“Hyperion,” a science fiction novel by Dan Simmons, is structured as a modern retelling of Chaucer’s “The Canterbury Tales.” Set in a distant future, the story follows seven pilgrims traveling to the distant world of Hyperion to seek an audience with the enigmatic entity known as the Shrike. Each character, hailing from diverse backgrounds, shares their personal tale during the journey, revealing their motivations for making the perilous pilgrimage. Themes of time, love, sacrifice, and the nature of humanity are woven into their narratives. The pilgrims include a priest, a soldier, a poet, and a scholar, each facing their own struggles and deep connections to the Shrike, a creature associated with death and suffering.