It is the 29th century & the universe of the Human Hegemony is under threat. Invasion by the warlike Ousters looms, & the mysterious schemes of the secessionist AI Techno Core bring chaos ever closer. On the eve of disaster, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set fourth on a final voyage to the legendary Time Tombs on Hyperion, home to the Shrike, a lethal creature, part god & part killing machine, whose powers transcend the limits of time & space. The pilgrims have resolved to die before discovering anything less than the secrets of the universe itself.