 "Transcendent" | 2010-01-31 |
| - Reviewed By Zephyr |
Recently, I decided to catch up on some older, classic films. One of the first I tried was 2001: A Space Odyssey. While I admit that it gave a great sense of the chilling isolation of space, the ending was too much of a non-sequitur. The special effects (ape-men of the veldt, the final trip) did not age well. However, a friend I watched it with was intrigued enough to read the book. They were very much impressed and recommended it to me. I skeptically decided to check it out.
I'm so glad I did. This is possibly the most important book I have ever read. There is too much that goes on beneath the surface for a film, but it works as a novel perfectly. Many sci-fi books try to be spiritual, but this is the first that I have read, sci-fi or not, to actually pull it off in a profound way. One thing that really sets this book apart is how incredibly plausible it all seems. Yes there are aliens. Yes there are evil computers. But this book is the product of a clearly scientific mind. For as fantastic as the elements are, nothing seemed impossible.
Even knowing (sort of) how it ends, this book has changed my life. It is uplifting and spiritual, and there is simply nothing else like it.
As Clarke says in the forward, "Here is one possible answer to that very reasonable question... The truth, as always, will be stranger."
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 "Holds Up Well for a Forty-Year old SF novel" | 2010-01-22 |
| - Reviewed By Thriller Lover from Las Vegas, Nevada |
I enjoy reading science fiction, although it can be difficult reading some of the older novels, due to their dated quality. But I found 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY to be an exception to this rule.
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY is a relatively short novel, and effectively reads like three interconnected novellas. Each novella is filled with interesting information about space travel and Clarke's theories about the future. Clarke is an engaging writer who makes complicated ideas understandable, and I found this novel quite engrossing.
This novel was originally written in 1968, before humankind even landed on the moon. Unsurprisingly, Clarke gets many things wrong about life on Earth in 2001(for example, he assumes moon bases exist, as well as the USSR), but it doesn't undermine the power of the storyline.
The two major downsides of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY are the superficial characterization (this is a problem with all of Clarke's novels) and the surreal ending, which you will either love or hate. But in the end, this is a novel of ideas, and the ideas are quite fascinating to read about.
In short, while I personally don't consider this novel a classic, it's fun and thought-provoking and well worth your time. |
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| "Exploring what lays beyond" | 2009-12-24 |
| - Reviewed By cpt matt from tanktown, DE |
Sci- Fi doesnt get any better than this. Written in 1968 (concurrently with the movie), this book is about how man came to be, what might lie ahead. Written just before the US landed on the moon, this book stands the test of time and addresses man's quest for exploration, increasing understanding of the universe and extraterrestial life.
The history of man is one of finding things we do not yet understand. Imagine finding a huge monilith buried under the surface of the moon and then later another one near Jupiter. What do they mean, how did they get there, what threat if any, do they pose? What response should the government and scientific community take?
Arthur C Clark does a masterful job of exploring these questions. You may disagree with his conclusions, but his answers are certain to provoke thought and a new perspective on life as we know it now. Isn't that what good literature always does? |
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 "okay...until the poor ending" | 2009-12-17 |
| - Reviewed By hecatr from Baltimore, MD |
The writing is a little awkward and doesn't flow particularly well. Clarke would have done better speculating in a nonfiction book what the future of space exploration would be like, but in a novel where you have to include plot and character development, it's a failure. Not surprisingly, the mundane actions of the "major" characters are described in utmost detail to explain how things such as walking will be different. This is interesting, but not enough to sustain readers' interest.
Clarke sometimes goes out of his way to explain the physics of the future. His science is sound except for the human capability to survive in vacuum. The plot lacks depth and is slow to develop, and the only real exciting part of the novel is when HAL rebels against the crew of Discovery. You never develop a repoire with the major characters because they do not really matter in the story; they are just set pieces to Clarke's theme of the obelisk initiating evolution. The last part of the book, like the movie, is a complete waste, nothing more than a description of a changing vista before the astronaut's eyes. |
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| "Will never go out of style!" | 2009-12-17 |
| - Reviewed By Eugene Aronsky |
| Even though we are way past 2001 I believe that this book will never go out of style, and it will never be dated. |
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| "Based on a plausible big idea, this is one of the best science fiction stories of all time" | 2009-12-12 |
| - Reviewed By (cashbacher@yahoo.com) from Marion, Iowa United States(cashbacher@yahoo.com) |
This is one of the best all-time books in the area of science fiction as well as one of the most thought-provoking books of all time. Any being with the capability that would justify them being called a god by humans would need something extremely significant to do. Furthermore, given the age of the universe and the recent evolutionary appearance of humans, it is not unreasonable to think that "gods" arrived before humans. It would then be natural for those gods to perform experiments on the enormous number of planets in the universe. All that is necessary for this to happen is the ability to travel across the vast distances of space in a reasonable amount of time.
That is the initial premise of this book; a species of beings recognizes the potential on Earth and lands a device that subtly manipulates the thought processes of ape-like creatures to increase their intelligence. While the increase is small, it creates a significant evolutionary advantage and human intelligence is the result. The creatures then bury an obelisk on the far side of the moon where it will easily be found when humans begin exploring the moon. When uncovered, the obelisk sends a message out to a moon of Saturn, announcing that humans have developed the rudiments of space flight.
The best science fiction involves the use of a plausible big idea and that is the case here. It is a simple logical progression to believe that life on Earth is an experiment being carried out by advanced creatures, as it would explain many puzzling aspects of the universe as we see it. Clarke expresses this big idea in a manner that keeps you fixated, it is a book that you can read again and again, even though you know how it will turn out, the journey is so pleasant that it is one you love to repeat.
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