Rating: 
Summary: truly cheesy
Review: SPOILERS INCLUDEDi was incredibly disappointed with this book. it is essentially a giant pitch for the theory that diamond is found at the core of gaseous planets. the characters were all incredibly cheesy, especially the afrikaan character whose "south africa diamond mining heritage" compels him to hikjack a spacecraft and crash it into europa, violating the warning of an omnipotent intelligence in order to make sure that "mt. zeus" is really made of diamond..this is both very unbelievable and incredibly cheesy..And it is the central theme of the story - is Mt. Zeus really a giant diamond?!?! This is in some way supposed to be as profound as the concept that human intelligence is the result of an all-powerful alien intellgence shepharding us through the deep past? the only redeeming qualities of this book were its descriptions of alien life, some of which were directly transcribed from the book 2010. If you were a fan of the movie 2001 who was looking to read the books, i really would not bother to read any except for 2001, and would REALLY not bother reading 2061 or 3001, which are especially horrible.
Rating: 
Summary: A predictable future in 2061
Review: A Review by Phillippe
This is a story that's supposed to follow after 2010: Odyssey Two and 2001: Odyssey One. It tells the story of how a normal space explorer name Heywood Floyd, who was released from hibernation in 2001 & 2061, encountering his enemy, Dave Bowman. Bowman has faced Floyd twice, during the other two odysseys. But this time, Bowman will work with a mysterious alien race to push mankind into the evolution of the galaxy, even if they won't do it, When I read this book, it had some interesting conflicts like, the original conflict of Floyd vs. Bowman, and the new conflict of the crewmembers on the ship, Galaxy vs. the alien race. I liked how Mr. Clarke used different planets in the Solar System. For example, Floyd and his crew visit or pass by Jupiter, the sun, Mercury and some others. His language though was a little weird. Like on page 58, he says, " And suppose- just suppose- it was true?" You really can't start with, and, in a sentence or question. Even though I haven't read both odysseys, I feel the story is true to the other books, keeping the characters and conflicts the same. Just like the Floyd still trying to stop Dave Bowman. Since there's 264 pages, it won't take too long and won't make you bored. I gave this 5 stars because of the mysterious plot, along with parts of suspense and action. So, for all the science fiction fans, this is a must-read!
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: When I read the previous two books in this series, I was impressed by Clarke's imaginative use of real science and science theory. The key factor that made the books come alive for me was that it might have plausibly happened. This book just did not seem realistic at all. The science seemed to be speculative in the extreem. The general feel of this book was that of a cheap science fiction thriller, and not the artistic work of high science fiction. Many other parts of the book were dissapointing as well. The story was just another bland rescue mission with no sense of danger at all. The characters just seem to be cardboard cutouts of the various roles they played. The promise of developing relationships between characters like Floyd and his grandson or between HAL and Dave Bowman is almost completly neglected. The greatest tradgedy to me was the ending. It seemed to come out of nowhere and was completly unbelievable. Also, many lose threads are unresolved and just left hanging. From reading the RAMA series and the other Odyssey books, I have come to expect much more out of Clarke's work. I was sorely disappointed by this book and could only recomend it if you really must read everything he wrote.
Rating: 
Summary: It's OK
Review: This book is best read on its own merits and not as a continuation of the 2001 series. It has a fun little trip through Haley's comet, an interesting idea about what is at the center of Jupiter, and what should be done with it. However great an author Clarke is, there are many concepts which he plainly doesn't grasp - human nature, religion, and pop culture. His contention that the Beatles will be completely forgotten in a mere sixty years reveals him to be hopelessly square. It's not his fault, a man's just got to know his limitations.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic Arthur C. Clarke
Review: It's true that 2061 doesn't add much to the series in terms of learning about the monoliths or Bowman -- in fact, it would probably be LESS confusing to skip this book and read 3001 instead (the "Trinity" and "3001" chapters don't mesh well with what comes later). But if you truly appreciate Arthur C. Clarke's writing, you'll probably enjoy this book. Just like with 2001, 2010, 3001, and Rendezvous with Rama, Clarke takes you on a voyage into a world of his creation, giving you the chance to explore it and marvel at it. Although the voyage to Halley's comet is completely unnecessary in plot terms, it is a classic example of Clarke acting as a tour guide on a fascinating voyage through his world. Also, this book is another milestone in Clarke's progress as a character author -- a change that can be seen as you move through Clarke's 2001 saga. Don't expect any answers to questions you may have about 2001/2010, but if you enjoy Clarke touring you through the universe, it is definitely a worthy read.
Rating:
Summary: Wow! What a lousy book!
Review: This book is pretty bad. Halfway through, all I could think about is hurrying up and getting the torture over with so I could start 3001. In retrospect, this one book isn't even essential to the overall storyline - it's barely related. The book is basically a thought experiment for "I wonder how mankind could land on a comet someday? Hmm, I think it would go like this...." Clarke has an insufferable tendency to create a conflict in his stories and solve the issue immediately. All the corny dialogue doesn't help either. Honestly, I have read better stereo manuals. I recommend reading 2001 and 2010.
Rating:
Summary: Series Started With a Bang, Buts Dips Into Mediocrity
Review: When I read this book right after it came out, I remember thinking that it was well-written, coherent, followed a rational progression from its predecessor, and created vivid mental imagery. At that time, I would probably have given it four, or possibly even five, stars. So, how come I cannot remember any of it? I certainly remember 2001, but that might be because of the movie. However, I read, enjoyed, and clearly remember the entire "Rama" series. The only thing that I can think of is that this book is technically very good, but just has nothing wonderful or spectacular about it. The "Rama" series left me with indelible memories. Neither 2010 nor 2061 did so.
Rating:
Summary: Entertaining; but not as insightful as 2001
Review: 2061: Odyssey Three is a good book in its own right but it isn't nearly as good as 2001: A Space Odyssey. When I read 2001 I spent months pondering the various issues it raised; the conflict between man and machine; the nature of humanity; etc. I enjoyed reading 2061, but two days later when I sat down to write the review I couldn't remember anything about it. I would only recommend this book to someone who is a science fiction fan; it is a good story but it is not really very deep.
Rating:
Summary: Decent but has nothing to do with rest of series
Review: Odyssey Three is a very well-written and thought-provoking novel. The characters are well-developed, the ideas are intriguing and somewhat original, and the plot is intricate and well-planned. While 2061 is entertaining and stimulating to read, it has nothing to do with the remainder of the series. The monoliths are slightly involved and Heywood Floyd is one of the characters, but Odyssey Three has no connection to the central theme of the series. Read it, but do not expect it to contribute to the series.
Rating:
Summary: Not Great, Not Bad, Just Different
Review: When I say Odyssey 3 is different than the first 2 books, I mean different. This book reads more like a Mark Twain travel journal than another Space Odyssey. Honestly, Clarke has nailed this new style down completely, and 2061 is an old-fashioned romp through the solar system in a metal stagecoach. Space has become a playground for the rich and famous, as seen when mankind first lands on Halley's Comet - aboard a luxury liner full of actors and composers! They are subsequently forced into an emergency search and rescue mission on Europa, and the required encounter with the monolith jumps in. However, this time around the alien encounter seems like an afterthought, and the book ends right when it seems to get started. The startling discovery this time around just isn't that startling.
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