On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of human hegemony, waits the being known as the Shrike. There are those who worship it, those who fear it, and those who have sworn to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where massive, dark structures move backward through time, the Shrike awaits them all. On the eve of Armageddon, as the entire galaxy is at war, seven pilgrims embark on a final journey to Hyperion to seek answers to the unresolved mysteries of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope – and a terrible secret. One may hold the fate of humanity in their hands.