Arthur C Clarke - 2001: A Space Odyssey

[I, Brian]

Most people will be familiar with the film - which in itself was one of the most ground-breaking sci-fi's ever made. It was also one of the most confusing. Despite the powerful imagery of developing apes and ancient black monoliths - and not forgetting HAL - the ending of the film always appeared mysterious. When you read the book, you have a perfect idea of what is going.


This, simply put, is one of the foundations of modern science-fiction. It's also a superb book.


That's if you don't mind the lack of character, that is. Arthur C Clarke simply gets on with the plot and tells it with great pace, the whole novel only being a couple of hundred pages short. What that means is that any character you meet is ultimately an incidental concern to the story-telling. In fact, the famously "psychotic" computer - HAL - is actually the best developed character of the entire work!


However, if you can forgive the lack of character, you're in for rich reward. This is where Arthur C Clarke tells a future of earth decades before it happens - we see satellites here, long before they were even considered...but, unfortuntely, Clarkes vision of a space station remains superior to the ISS. We also follow an ancient mystery to an astonishing conclusion, and discover the secret of those now almost archetypal black monoliths.


At the end of the day, this work is not primarily about space or space travel - but about the development of humanity - past, persent, and future. It speculates not only on our origins of thought, but on our conscious future, and does so by rushing us from early hominids to Clarke's vision of what 2001 would be like, decades before it happened. And it's his vision here - his ideas - and his ultimate conclusions, that make this such a compelling - and dominating read.


If ever science-fiction had to compile a list of its best few works, there would surely be room for the writings of Arthur C clarke. And somewhere in that list, you should find "2001: A Space Odyssey" has particular prominence.

[Steve Jordan]

Great review of a great book! I agree, this should be in everybody's library of SF, especially for concept.

Clarke's writing can be dry to some readers... I've often described his writing style to "sitting in the drawing room, listning to the old Brigadier General telling his stories from the Boar War." But what it lacks in bright and lively banter, it always makes up for in content. Best of all, Clarke never feels like he has to berate you with deep scientific details, he just presents the material in such a way that anyone could understand it... then he runs with it. As such, his is some of the most approachable SF out there. He's always been one of my favorites, and (dry narrative aside) someone I would love to emulate as a writer.

[Ice fyre]

The visual style of the film is startling to me. It was a shock to realise that this film was made in the sixties (wasnt it?) way before the visual leap made by Star Wars. I remmber watching it in my Grandmas when I was about ten or so and it stuck with me. I didnt know what was going on but I loved space ships. It was only when I read the book years later it all fell into place. Quite enjoyed the subsequent sequels as well.

[Steve Jordan]

Originally Posted by Ice fyre

The visual style of the film is startling to me. It was a shock to realise that this film was made in the sixties (wasnt it?) way before the visual leap made by Star Wars.

Yes, it was made in the sixties, close to the same time the original Star Trek was being produced!

Trivia Moment: John Dykstra, Director of SFX for Star Wars, worked on Silent Running under 2001's SFX director Douglas Trumbull. Dykstra used the same basic photography tricks Trumbull pioneered for 2001 and Silent Running, and added computer motion control for 3-d movement to get Star Wars' groundbreaking effects.

Add'l Trivia: Dykstra's shop, Industrial Light & Magic, later had to bail out Trumbull's SFX shop when they could not complete the effects for Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

[AE35Unit]

Great review Brian,and I would put it,and the film,at the top of the list.

[steve12553]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Most people will be familiar with the film - which in itself was one of the most ground-breaking sci-fi's ever made. It was also one of the most confusing. Despite the powerful imagery of developing apes and ancient black monoliths - and not forgetting HAL - the ending of the film always appeared mysterious. When you read the book, you have a perfect idea of what is going.

I saw the film a couple years after it came out and was totaly floored. But I was miles away from understanding it. I read the book a couple years later (I still have that same paperback copy) and it was as if I achieved Nirvana, it all made sense and amybe even the universe was explained. Then I saw the movie again and I was both dazzled and baffled, again. I think the third reading of the book finally cleared my head. A book able to explain and clear up the mysteries in such a powerful, visually stunning, motion picture and still being an excellent, independent work in its own right is amazing.