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Summary: Simply the best science fiction novel ever!!!
Review: The best sci-fi novel ever. I highly reccommend that you read the book right after watching the film(the best film ever made).
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: This book is a total masterpiece!
Review: I read this book at first because I did not completely understand the film. I did not expect much, because it was relatively thin. The book turned out to be great! It had everything from the movie and more! I finally was able to understand what happened as Dave Bowman was gliding through the brilliant light show of constellations and patterns. I finally understood the purpose of the giant fetal Star-Child at the end of the film. Afterward, I read all three of the book's sequels. This one was my favorite.
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Summary: Reprise of Oct 16, 1998 review.
Review: Not that it really matters, but, like the story itself, there has been much mystery and misunderstanding of which came first, the movie or the novel. The book "The Making of Kubrick's 2001" by Jerome Agel, if you can still find it, will clear up this question. The movie was based on Arthur C. Clarke's short story "The Sentinel", published around 1950. Kubrick and Clarke, together, expanded this short story into the screenplay for the movie, while Clarke wrote the novel based upon that screenplay. Matter-of-fact, I have the novel published by Signet Book (copyright 1968), and the cover states the following: "2001 a Space Odyssey. A novel by Arthur C. Clarke. Based on the screenplay of the MGM film by Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke".
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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!
Rating: 
Summary: superfluous
Review: There's no need to read this book. Stanley Kubrick's "2001" is one of the great films of the twentieth century. Arthur C. Clarke's "2001" is deeply ordinary. The things that make a film great a different from the things that make a book great, and a book that dumbly follows its parent film's lead cannot amount to much. I can think of one, and only one, (weak) reason to read this: if you are curious about all the weird stuff at the end of the movie, Clarke offers an explanation, of sorts. But I keep forgetting just what the explanation is. Kubrick's images are indelible.
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Summary: The Best Science Fiction Novel Ever!
Review: Arhtur C. Clarke writes sci-fi like no other author. His novel about a futuristic computer gone haywire tops them all! If you haven't read this book, you're missing out! Pick up a copy today and experience greatness!
Rating:
Summary: One of the best Science Fiction novels ever!
Review: A great book! Even though it can be slow sometimes, once you read the whole book you will see that it was worth it. The good thing about this book is that in the end it leaves you with more questions than answers. This book is a must read for science fiction fans. I can't wait to read the other 3 books in the series.
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Summary: Fact and fiction
Review: Throughout literature, there are expressions which have "stuck" and those which haven't. Hal stuck. Everybody remembers who Hal was, even those only slightly familiar with science fiction. 2001, the truth, didn't. Dispite the protests of those who know the Gregorian calander started with year 1, they are largely ignored. Clarke's brilliant work may help researchers to understand why some imaginary things stick in the masses minds while some true facts don't.
Rating:
Summary: A Brilliant and Stunning Masterpiece
Review: In my opinion, 2001: A Space Odyssey was perfect in every area. Arthur C. Clarke's ideas were amazing; it explores the whole ideas of alien life contacting us long ago and us just realizing it.The book's organization was also phenomenal, I grasped how every important date fit together, from man's dawning to the future. It's the kind of story that makes you think differently because of the points it raises. The book spanned more than three-million years in less than 250 pages, yet each sentence was jam-packed with description. This book is an example of how efficient, brilliant, amazing, stunning, descriptive, and concise an author can be. THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN BEFORE THE MOVIE, SIMPLY LOOK AT WHEN IT WAS PUBLISHED AND THEN COMPARE THAT DATE TO THE MOVIE'S IF YOU DON'T BELEIVE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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