Sol Weintraub

Lore & Background

In the broader context of the Hyperion Cantos, Sol Weintraub's story is told in the Scholar's Tale: 'The River Lethe's Taste Is Bitter.' His narrative is rooted in the personal tragedy of his daughter Rachel, who aged backwards after encountering the Shrike while mapping one of the Time Tombs. Weintraub's recurring dreams echo the biblical Binding of Isaac, commanding him to sacrifice Rachel. His journey to Hyperion is driven by the hope that the Shrike will grant a cure, not by any political or religious agenda. Unlike other pilgrims, his motivation is purely familial and deeply personal, grounded in the love for his daughter and the torment of his dreams.

In Their Own Story

Sol Weintraub sat in the pilgrim's circle, his infant daughter Rachel sleeping in his arms. Twenty years ago, she had been a brilliant archaeologist, mapping the Time Tombs on Hyperion. Then the Shrike appeared, and Rachel began to age backwards—a day younger each day. Now she was a baby again, and Sol had been haunted by dreams: a voice commanding him to bring her to Hyperion and sacrifice her, just as Abraham was commanded to sacrifice Isaac. He had resisted for years, but the dreams grew stronger. Now he was here, on the eve of an Ouster invasion, hoping the Shrike would grant his wish for a cure. After hearing the other tales, the party retired outside to gaze at the stars. There, they saw the Templar treeship which carried them to Hyperion destroyed by Ousters. The ship's captain, Het Masteen, did not react and retired to his room without speaking. In the morning, Masteen was missing and his room was found full of blood, despite a watch that had been kept all night.

Reader's Guide

Sol Weintraub is introduced in the framing narrative as one of the seven pilgrims journeying to the Time Tombs. His tale, 'The River Lethe's Taste Is Bitter,' is the fourth told, following the Poet's Tale. The source describes his daughter Rachel as having been an adult archaeologist twenty years prior to the pilgrimage, who contracted a disease causing her to age backwards after encountering the Shrike while mapping one of the Tombs. Weintraub's dreams command him to sacrifice Rachel in a replay of the Binding of Isaac. He decides to become a pilgrim to implore the Shrike for a cure. After his tale, the party sees the Templar treeship destroyed by Ousters, and Het Masteen goes missing, his room found full of blood.

Did You Know?

• Sol Weintraub is a Jewish professor whose daughter Rachel aged backwards after encountering the Shrike while mapping one of the Time Tombs.
• Weintraub's dreams command him to sacrifice Rachel in a replay of the Binding of Isaac from the Bible.
• His tale is titled 'The River Lethe's Taste Is Bitter' and is the fourth pilgrim's tale in the novel.
• After Weintraub finishes his tale, the pilgrims see the Templar treeship destroyed by Ousters, and Het Masteen goes missing.