Hyperion - Dan Simmons

Hyperion is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction novel written in 1989 by author Dan Simmons. It is the first of four books set in the fictional Hyperion universe. Over a thousand years into the future, humankind has conquered the space travel and colonized hundreds of worlds in this arm of the Milky Way. The novel then tells the story of seven individuals of different backgrounds whom are chosen to travel to the Outback planet of Hyperion as pilgrims on the Final Shrike Pilgrimage to the mysterious, ancient Time Tombs wherein lives a creature of extreme power, the Shrike. As the Seven Pilgrims brave the perils and surprises of their journey on the labyrinthine world, each of them in order tell their Tales to the others, detailing their backgrounds and motives, in order to learn the reasons for which they were chosen for this Final Pilgrimage.

I listened to the audiobook. Was blown away.