2001 A Space Odyssey

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Summary: 2001
Review: 2001: A space Odyssey by Aurthur C Clarke.

Sadly not having read any previous literature by Arthur C. Clarke I will not be able to tell you if 2001 is one of his better works or not but as far as science fiction it is definitely high on my list.

The book starts off with the main character being Moon watcher, an ape man in pre historic times. It follows a story line depicting how it was possible for this creature and his tribe to evolve into humans. You as the reader are only made to see the very beginnings of this and are promptly whizzed away to the future (approximately 1999 A.D.) where the rest of the story of man continues.

The dialogue in this book I found to be somewhat few and far between, which I happen to like. The author does not have his characters drone on and on towards each other but rather carries the story on a narrative. The descriptions in this novel are wondrous to the point that no movie could possibly portray.

Overall I would strongly recommend this book to nearly anyone I could get to read it. I also would like to point out that those of you who have seen the movie should definitely read this book, I myself saw the movie first and was surprised to se how differently this story was originally intended.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful science fiction novel
Review: A strange object is found on the moon, strange waves travel through space towards Saturn, a computer tries to take over the mission... These are just a few of the events that occur in Arthur Clark's "2001: A Space Odessey. A large piece of alien material is found buried deep inside the body of the moon. Scientists believed that it's age is around three million years. Its finding is kept very secret and governments from around the world try to keep it that way. A group of scientists is sent to study why the big, black object on the Moon sent waves towards Saturn. On the way, they run into many obstacles leading to an incredible climax.

In "2001: A Space Odyssey," setting is a very important part of Clark's book. Since it is set in the future, a lot of description is needed to establish an atmosphere that the reader has never seen. Clark describes the Discovery spaceship, it's shape, it's contents, it's feel; he writes about the space stations, and the planets using vivid metaphors and details. When the main character is describing the planet Saturn, you feel like you are there with him, looking out the space craft window. Although his writing is very rich and almost vibrant, his visions are so complex that it can be difficult to grasp his ideas and to really picture them in your mind. If you enjoy exciting science fiction, this is the book for you!

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Summary: Majestic, just like the movie
Review: A word to anyone who said the movie was more awe-inspiring; not only the book DID come out first, but sometimes I'm starting to think it's because it was in the end of the 60's and people were um... on some stuff, that's they were "awed". Hippies. ;P Seriously, the movie was great, but so was the book. Arthur C. Clarke is simply a genius, he gave us a great insight about possible explanations for the origins of mankind and so forth. He truly is the greatest author of science-fiction! HAL was pure genius, Bowman freaked me out when he took his last trip (no pun intended..^^;;;) through the stars, and Moonwatcher (or whatever the ape leader was named in the beginning... I can't be sure as I remember the translated and/or butchered version most, unfortunately) was a great idea. I liked how you could view the world through his eyes. Anyway, there are mighty good reasons as to why the 2001 saga will forever be remembered, and by all means read the sequels!

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Summary: Menacing Computers and Marvelous Planets: A Unique Adventure
Review: Do you like thrilling expeditions to other worlds? How about mysterious, cryptic occurences? If so, then you'll most likely love this awe-inspiring science fiction novel! The book starts out with an intriguing few chapters several million years ago, when apes still roamed the earth, creating a sort of background upon which many of the sometimes incomprehensible shadows of the story are thrown. The tale suddenly changes to what when it was written {1969} would be the future: 2001, when the universe has become a prime target for research and daring astronauts. Among these is Dr. Heywood Floyd, who embarks on a secretive mission to Earth's Moon in order to study a peculiar monolith recently dug up that is emitting strange radio waves towards Saturn. Eighteen years later, David Bowman and Frank Poole journey into space to check out Saturn onboard the advanced craft Discovery, which is run by the talking, terrifically, and dangerously, intelligent HAL 9000 computer. However, what the duo does not realize, which HAL guiltily does, is that the odyssey is really a quest for extraterrestrial life, hinted at by the Moon's compelling monolith, but all will not go as planned. When a horrible tragedy occurs, brought on by HAL losing all control of his mechanical emotions, and therefore, his sanity, only David Bowman is left to strategically continue on with the odyssey alone. Of course, his very survival lies in the hands of the universe, and he finds himself captured by an unrecognizable force which drags Dave into perhaps one of the greatest enigmas of all time...and then makes him a chilling part of it.

I must admit that when I finished Arthur C. Clarke's spellbinding novel, I was incredibly confused and a little shaken by the note it leaves off on, but the ingenious plot became clearer after some pondering. The hooking suspense and power of Clarke's masterful language alone make the book a great read, besides the unforgettable adventures to beautiful wonders in the universe and extremely thought-out, interrelated plot twists. Whether because of its astronomical appeal or undeniable brilliancy, this is one odyssey which will always remain, in my mind, an absolutely exhilarating tribute to the cosmos and the entire human race itself. The movie may be fairly enjoyable, but the actual book is a quintessential part of anyone's and everyone's bookshelf.

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Summary: The classic search for meaning...
Review: In the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, Arthur C. Clarke faces the same problem Stanley Kubrick did with the movie: how do you sum up human existance in a way so compact that it can be clearly comprehended? It may seem like an impossible problem, but thirty-four years ago there was born one very good answer.

The human species, as Clarke philosophizes, is a four million year experiment. Extraterrestrials are a key part of it, but ultimately 2001 is a story about the ways of humanity itself. Without spaceships and space pods we could not have navigated the heavens, but in order to truly capture the human spirit we have to look beyond anything than can be seen, or touched. The heart of it all is the human mind. It's that simple philosophy that drives this epitome of science fiction from the plains of Africa to the fires of that red sun, somewhere beyond our galaxy.

The book should be read before watching the movie, I wholeheartedly agree. I did the opposite; after watching the movie so many times, some of the book's effect was lost. Read the book first so you can take in the subtle genius of the movie with a fine-tuned eye. In any case, I loved both and they come very well recommended!

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Summary: Top drawer!
Review: The book that started many people reading science fiction in earnest and still probably Clarke's best known work. I have always thought it a good book, but certainly not one of Clarke's best. The beginning is still one of the best I have ever read as Clarke looks at primitive proto-humans and suggests that the monolith, representing an extra-terrestrial super-intelligence stimulates them into acquiring skills that appear basic but could mean the difference between survival and extinction at the hands of the less intelligent yet vastly more powerful beasts around them. The subsequent stages i.e. the discovery of the monolith on the moon, the voyage of the Discovery, the quirks of space travel, the showdown with the HAL computer and then the final denouement out by the moons of Saturn must have been awesome when the book was first written; today, many decades later, they are inevitably dulled. Yet having said that, the story itself is gripping: the struggle of humanity in the face of odds, with a kindly helping hand at the right time - almost in some ways an experiment in a vast laboratory. The story is humbling, suggesting as it does the sheer insignificance of earth in the universe (a Clarke specialty unlike Asimov who goes the opposite direction). As always, Clarke's writing style is top drawer - sparse to the point of terseness at times (this is a very short book for all its huge time horizon), yet filled with subtle humor and sly digs at ourselves.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing
Review: When I saw the movie 2001, I was completely confused. I understood the basic plot line but didn't understand any of the nuances. I found the end especially baffling.

Reading the book cleared up my confusion and answered my questions (and created a few more). The premise of the book is excellent. Instead of having a typical face-to-face run-in with aliens, the characters in the book come upon evidence of alien intelligence: a black monolith which pre-dates modern history. As they try to discover who left the monolith, questions are answered and many more questions arise. The storyline was unique, and although the characters were underdeveloped they were believable. The imagery in the book was wonderful: I could picture Jupiter, Saturn, and the moons of the planets as Clarke described them. I found it amazing how accurate his descriptions were considering what we know now about these heavenly bodies compared to what they knew at the time the book was written.

I would recommend this book to science fiction fans who aren't interested in violence. This doesn't have any of the wars or combat that many SF books have. I would also recommend it to technical-oriented people who have an interest in learning more about astronomy.