Books like Hyperion by Dan Simmons

Set in the 29th century, the Hegemony of Man commands a sprawling interplanetary empire linked by farcaster portals. It maintains a precarious pact with the TechnoCore, a network of artificial intelligences, while modified humans known as Ousters dwell in star‑separated space stations and clash with the Hegemony’s forces. Some outlying worlds, called Outback planets, lack farcaster access and impose severe time dilation on travelers. Hyperion is one such world, notable for the Time Tombs—temporal structures moving backwards in time and protected by the fear‑some Shrike, a creature of both legend and terror. As an Ouster assault looms over Hyperion, a final pilgrimage is organized. The chosen pilgrims, hailing from diverse backgrounds, agree to each tell their story, revealing why they were personally selected to witness the mysterious Time Tombs and confront the Shrike.

First publish date: 1991