Rating: Summary: A Laughable Waste of Time Review: There are so many flaws with this book it is difficult to know where to begin. First of all, it isn't a very good sci-fi book. It would make a better sermon, which is really what it is trying to be anyway. Second of all, it is difficult to get past all the dis-jointed story lines and obvious continuity flaws. I mean, if the folks who went into RAMA II had all this great medical equipment, then how come the folks in GARDEN, which takes place some 70 years LATER have such crappy medical equipment? Beyond the preaching, the confusing story lines and simple plot errors, this book reads like a studebaker: clunky and slow.
Rating: Summary: Stick to the first two. Review: After being entranced by the first two entries in this series, I was severely disappointed by the third. Except for the very beginning of the book, the traditional sci-fi aspects fly right out the window. Instead, you're left with a socio-economic lesson and subtle-as-a-jackhammer comparisons to our current society. This was a snore and a disappointment.
Rating: Summary: Far better than the previous books in this series!!! Review: I think it is just plain silly to see so many comments about the so-called 'smut factor' in this book. Are you people kidding? There must be a lot of prudish sci-fi fans out there... Some of the scenes depicted in this book are indeed sexual, but they are far from pornographic. Read a Brian Lumley novel and you'll see what smut is all about! In all, I think this is a brilliant book. The collaboration between Mr. Clarke and Mr. Gentry is masterful! And if you think this book is good, wait until you read Rama Revealed! It's even BETTER!
Rating: Summary: A real dissapointment compared to the first two. Review: The first book was fantastic, I really loved it. In the second book there was too much "character" stuff and too little "tech" stuff. Clarke cannot write good characters anyway, not Lee either. This book is crap compared to the first one. No tech stuff at all, only a lot of really boring moral stuff about the decline of human society and stuff. The only interesting part is when Richard is admitted to the avian/myrmicat/sessile lair.
Rating: Summary: Looking for More Rama-Like Books Review: This book (and the others in this series - especialy the first one) was excellent. If you enjoy semi-hard SF books that are, literally, stellar in scope and span many lives and stories you will enjoy the series. If anyone knows of books or series similar to these please send me mail at dcaldon@iforward.com.
Rating: Summary: I couldnt put the book down Review: I think I spent the whole day one labor day reading this book. It was great. The only thing i didnt like was the new colony. I wanted more Clarke science. Anyway How could you not like it.
Rating: Summary: GET THIS BOOK AWAY FROM ME, NOW!!!!! Review: How is Arthur C. Clarke capable of writing crap like this?!?!?!? Too much sex, too much violence, too much junk. Please, anyone who is reading this, let me spare you from this awful book. Rama II gets to the node than is sent back for a colony of 2000 people. The colony dies, all the avians on board are killed, except 2 Richard Wakfield rescues and takes to New York. Also, Katie becomes a drug addict and Nicole goes to jail. This is NOT Sci-Fi. This is politics. This is sex. This is intense violence. This is terrible
Rating: Summary: A grand improvement over Rama II! Review: While still plagued with the Clarke/Lee incompatibility syndrome, it turns out that this book makes up for the general mediocrity of its predecessor, "Rama II". The first 200 or so pages of this book are among the best science fiction I have ever read. Unfortunately, as some other reviewers have pointed out, the last half of the book has an over-density of smut (thank you so much, Gentry Lee) and ridiculousness.I would recommend it. If you suffered through Rama II, you shall find this third installment in the Rama books to be somewhat more rewarding.Plus, the cover's cool! The scene depicted on the cover actually occurs in the book, precisely. That's a nice change...so many books in this genre have cover art without any real application to the text.
Rating: Summary: Individuals Review: This is a brilliantly written book. All of the main carachters have personalities, they are not just storybook names. They are individuals. Each has their own personal problems, pet peeves and ways of expressing things. If you have read the other[first two], this tops them all. The mystery of not knowing the ultimate destination of the colonist's craft and the fact the the "New Eden" is falling into it's own moral hole, makes me anxious to find out what happens in "RAMA REVEALED"
Rating: Summary: Bring Me the Head of Gentry Lee!!! Review: Who told Arthur Clarke that Gentry Lee could write? Why was Lee allowed to come near the master of science fiction, much less co-author a book with him? This book was disappointing in the extreme and I advise all sci-fi fans to veer away from any book with the name Gentry Lee on the cover
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