A syfy novel centered around a group of thought-to-be unbeatable alien creatures called the Shrike, that will one day destroy all of humanity. Which is doubly bad, because it will be able to travel to mulitple planets through portals that allow instantaneous transport to any of the settled worlds. The creature can alter time, so it moves faster than human reflexes, and it has knives for hands.
Seven humans have been selected by the Shrike Church, to undertake a pligramage to the planet Hyperion, where the creatures reside in a crypt called the Time Tombs. The novel essentially consists of stories told by each of the pilgrams, who are all connected in some way to Hyperion and the Shrike.
Each story is incredibly varied, and is a pretty good novella in itself. You’ll see some pretty gory interactions with the Shrike, but also imaginative visits with other civilizations, and mind bending thoughts about the nature of time.