areaderheart's review against another edition
challenging
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.75
corymojojojo's review against another edition
2.0
This was barely a book—felt more like half a book, if that. There was basically no plot, conflict, or climax and it just kind of ends. It’s incredibly inconsequential to the rest of the series, basically just exploring what the solar system might look like after 2010. Definitely felt like he wrote this book for no reason whatsoever. That being said it was a super quick read and I didn’t hate reading it, but it’s weIrd how much of a non-story it was. The synopsis on the back of the book doesn’t happen until literally the last 5 pages and it’s just a quick conversation wrapping things up. Otherwise, there’s literally no relevance to the monolith, Bowman, or the aliens, which you’d think would be the whole point of this series.
flintrose's review
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
skoglundk's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
quillsand's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
good, think my second is still the favourite of the series but i enjoyed the two floyds even if it did get confusing when the POV switched yet they're still both referred to as Floyd. also the ending was a banger. do not know what 3001 is gonna be about
wafer's review
2.0
It's such a shame that a series that's started off so strong has gotten so weak. There are far too many characters for such a short book with many of them acting more as one-note gags than people to care about. In a way, I feel like this book acts as the bridge between the second and 3001.
I feel so bad for giving a Clarke novel such a low score, because he really was a tremendously talented writer. I'm hoping that the last book ends the series with a bang rather than a fizzle.
I feel so bad for giving a Clarke novel such a low score, because he really was a tremendously talented writer. I'm hoping that the last book ends the series with a bang rather than a fizzle.
essinink's review against another edition
4.0
It's hard to explain why I like this book as much as I do.
The specter of David Bowman and the iconic HAL don't make a direct appearance until nearly the end of the book, but their shadow--and those of previous events--weigh heavily on Heywood Floyd's mind.
Speaking of good old Heywood, whose character I have reluctantly come to not-dislike, his grandson is also in this book. He also goes by "Floyd." And, when I'm reading in the later hours of the evening, it's occasionally a tad confusing.
That's on me, though. Clarke gives plenty of cues.
But I do like it; I like it a great deal, even. It's a very smooth read, with some of Clarke's best descriptive writing, and--despite the slow pace and lack of forward plot movement for the series as a whole--is leaps and bounds ahead of [b:2010: Odyssey Two|117841|2010 Odyssey Two (Space Odyssey #2)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337455371s/117841.jpg|615175].
The sly humor he sneaks in--turns out Spaceship insurance is risky business--only added to my enjoyment.
And that ending, where everything finally came together. It took the post-reading notes I'd planned on writing and tossed them out the window.
As an interquel, it's just about perfect, setting the stage for what I expect will be an amazing finish in [b:3001: The Final Odyssey|63432|3001 The Final Odyssey (Space Odyssey, #4)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388271918s/63432.jpg|2118902].
The specter of David Bowman and the iconic HAL don't make a direct appearance until nearly the end of the book, but their shadow--and those of previous events--weigh heavily on Heywood Floyd's mind.
Speaking of good old Heywood, whose character I have reluctantly come to not-dislike, his grandson is also in this book. He also goes by "Floyd." And, when I'm reading in the later hours of the evening, it's occasionally a tad confusing.
That's on me, though. Clarke gives plenty of cues.
But I do like it; I like it a great deal, even. It's a very smooth read, with some of Clarke's best descriptive writing, and--despite the slow pace and lack of forward plot movement for the series as a whole--is leaps and bounds ahead of [b:2010: Odyssey Two|117841|2010 Odyssey Two (Space Odyssey #2)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1337455371s/117841.jpg|615175].
The sly humor he sneaks in--turns out Spaceship insurance is risky business--only added to my enjoyment.
And that ending, where everything finally came together. It took the post-reading notes I'd planned on writing and tossed them out the window.
As an interquel, it's just about perfect, setting the stage for what I expect will be an amazing finish in [b:3001: The Final Odyssey|63432|3001 The Final Odyssey (Space Odyssey, #4)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1388271918s/63432.jpg|2118902].