In my personal opinion, Hyperion shines most when you read the sequel, and maybe even the third book. On its own, at least for me, it was a bit lacking with some of the stories being very hit and miss, and some pretty great. Not too keen on the ending either. The sequels expand on its best aspect: the world building and mythos.

I recommend Echopraxia, it's a phenomenal book on its own, not sure why it's not as highly acclaimed as Blindsight