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astrolegal's review against another edition
5.0
An instant favorite.
Where the movie was abstract, incomprehensible, and unapproachable, this book is its total inversion: technical, detailed, and suprisingly easy to read.
An exceptional work of hard science fiction, with a spaceship (more scientifically accurate than the movie's) that has set the standard for nearly all interplanetary spaceships since.
The ending is still very weird, but at least you know what's going on. It's just as much a work of art as the movie, but not nearly as abstract.
Where the movie was abstract, incomprehensible, and unapproachable, this book is its total inversion: technical, detailed, and suprisingly easy to read.
An exceptional work of hard science fiction, with a spaceship (more scientifically accurate than the movie's) that has set the standard for nearly all interplanetary spaceships since.
The ending is still very weird, but at least you know what's going on. It's just as much a work of art as the movie, but not nearly as abstract.
nevets4255's review against another edition
5.0
Amazing book written over 40 years ago, but has some of the technology that we are just starting to use (ie: IPAD). Really a 3 part book with every one of them tying together indirectly and keeps you wondering the whole time. Interesting how the author points out that ALL of this technology could have been produced for the same cost of the Vietnam war... I wonder if the same could be said about the "other" 2 wars that have taken place since and de-railed the space program indefinitely....
Overall, a great short read that will challenge your current thinking of human nature, space travel, and... are we alone?
Overall, a great short read that will challenge your current thinking of human nature, space travel, and... are we alone?
mysteriousnorse's review against another edition
4.0
My first reaction up finishing was: "Oh! That's what that movie's about." So then I proceeded to watch Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey and while it made a lot more sense, it was also a little disappointing. True the visuals were stunning and it still retained much of its mystery (due to differences between the book and the film). However, Many of the best moments of the novel were gone or glossed over in favor of sweeping slow motion visuals. The monolith, which I found a bit more silly than menacing actually had menace (and description to back it up). In the film... it was still silly with only horror music to back it up. The final sequence of the film becomes a big let down as the novel delved into what was actually going on versus the 60s horror visuals of the film. I realize they could only do so much, but after all the impressive work in the other three sections a laser show and recolored landscapes don't really cut it. The two were made together and I feel the novel is superior.
Okay, obligatory movie comparison out of the way. I can get down to analyzing it as a novel. As another example hard science fiction there was a lot of description about the technology. I would say a bit too much and, much like the slow motion visuals of the film, it causes parts two through four to drag a bit. That having been said, I really enjoyed it. We actually got interesting characters who had feelings about the madness that was occurring around them. I could feel the awe and power of the monolith as it guided destiny for better or worse. Hal was presented as a much more cunning and threatening mastermind and I think his motives were far better than the film leads you to believe. It is not the best I've ever read, but it is a great novel.
Okay, obligatory movie comparison out of the way. I can get down to analyzing it as a novel. As another example hard science fiction there was a lot of description about the technology. I would say a bit too much and, much like the slow motion visuals of the film, it causes parts two through four to drag a bit. That having been said, I really enjoyed it. We actually got interesting characters who had feelings about the madness that was occurring around them. I could feel the awe and power of the monolith as it guided destiny for better or worse. Hal was presented as a much more cunning and threatening mastermind and I think his motives were far better than the film leads you to believe. It is not the best I've ever read, but it is a great novel.
anoblesoul's review against another edition
3.0
Hmm. I'm not sure what to think about this one. I probably did it a disservice using this book as my "read while falling asleep if I go to bed before my wife" book. That means it was read occasionally, in small pieces, sometimes while struggling to keep my eyes open, until I finished it one day while waiting to apply for a passport and reading the final 80 pages or so.
I've probably seen the movie, but don't remember much about it except the iconic scenes. I do want to have the voice of HAL for a GPS and for my voice mail. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the book for me was the Forward to the Millennial Edition. That was pretty riveting.
As for the book itself, although I only rated it three stars, it will likely go up over time. I appreciate the seminal nature of the book, the unique process by which it came to be, and the impact on society. I feel I missed a lot by not giving it the attention I think it needs, because I missed a lot. I am, however, now spending a lot of time watching reviews, videos on the difference between the book and the movie, and generally picking up many of the things I missed. I'll definitely be rereading it.
Knowing the great swaths of information that was left out of the movie I have little desire to try to see it again as a way to understand the book better, but I am interested in watching it for its artistic merit and the amount of controversy it spawns from people who "just don't get it."
I don't think Arthur C. Clarke is just destined to disappoint me. I did quite enjoy Rendezvous with Rama, and I do look forward to reading Childhood's End, but I don't have a driving desire to read more of the Rama series or the Space Odyssey series. Am I missing out? Am I not "getting" Clarke and his writing? Perhaps I need to focus more on the ideas than the execution. In the meantime, when I put a book down and I'm spending my time thinking about it instead of running to grab the next one, then there is definitely something to be said for the book. Perhaps that reread will be sooner rather than later.
I've probably seen the movie, but don't remember much about it except the iconic scenes. I do want to have the voice of HAL for a GPS and for my voice mail. Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the book for me was the Forward to the Millennial Edition. That was pretty riveting.
As for the book itself, although I only rated it three stars, it will likely go up over time. I appreciate the seminal nature of the book, the unique process by which it came to be, and the impact on society. I feel I missed a lot by not giving it the attention I think it needs, because I missed a lot. I am, however, now spending a lot of time watching reviews, videos on the difference between the book and the movie, and generally picking up many of the things I missed. I'll definitely be rereading it.
Knowing the great swaths of information that was left out of the movie I have little desire to try to see it again as a way to understand the book better, but I am interested in watching it for its artistic merit and the amount of controversy it spawns from people who "just don't get it."
I don't think Arthur C. Clarke is just destined to disappoint me. I did quite enjoy Rendezvous with Rama, and I do look forward to reading Childhood's End, but I don't have a driving desire to read more of the Rama series or the Space Odyssey series. Am I missing out? Am I not "getting" Clarke and his writing? Perhaps I need to focus more on the ideas than the execution. In the meantime, when I put a book down and I'm spending my time thinking about it instead of running to grab the next one, then there is definitely something to be said for the book. Perhaps that reread will be sooner rather than later.
yourpalmal's review against another edition
4.0
It really had me going in that middle part. But the end threw me.... I guess you had to have grown up in a cold war state to understand the ending.
sabs3501's review against another edition
3.0
I’ve never been into space of Sci-fi but I wanted to read this book since it’s such a classic. I’ve never seen the movie and didn’t know what it was about really and I was pleasantly surprised. I definitely got lost on some of the space jargon and whatnot but I enjoyed the book
tafeeeeee's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
Very fascinating. I may have to listen to it again someday
siobhanaisling's review against another edition
4.0
This was a fine read, kind of lost me at the end because I feel like so much science fiction has used these ideas as a template now that sadly it just felt like I’ve heard it all before.
I also took a star off for Arthur C. Clarke’s random outbursts of subtle sexism that I didn’t appreciate. But I should expect it from a science fiction novel written in the 1960’s!
Review is more of a 3.5 out of 5
I also took a star off for Arthur C. Clarke’s random outbursts of subtle sexism that I didn’t appreciate. But I should expect it from a science fiction novel written in the 1960’s!
Review is more of a 3.5 out of 5