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Shoegaze99 · 24th January 2005, 04:11 PM

“2001: A Space Odyssey” is a pretty good read. Not among Clarke’s best, and certainly not comparable to Kubrick’s incredible vision, yet full of ideas worth mulling over (especially the climax, which is more direct and understandable than the film). What 2001 does well is set up the 2001 universe, which is continued in the very worthy sequels 2010 and 2061. (We’ll pretend 3001 does not exist, thanks). Clarke makes among the very best cases in fiction for life within our own solar system in 2010 and 2061, explores the surface of a comet in 2061, and examines the impact of what a seemingly godlike alien race/being could have on life as we know it in both.

In all the works Clarke grapples with the idea of evolutionary leaps, alien technology, beings greater than us toying with our development, human nature, the birth of life in the universe, and very dramatically copes with the reality of space travel and all the solitude and danger that comes with it.

Because all three are relatively short books by today’s standards, it should be easy to fit then into any reading schedule.

24th January 2005, 04:11 PM	#16 (permalink)
Shoegaze99 Registered User Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 300	Re: "2001 - A Space Odessy" “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a pretty good read. Not among Clarke’s best, and certainly not comparable to Kubrick’s incredible vision, yet full of ideas worth mulling over (especially the climax, which is more direct and understandable than the film). What 2001 does well is set up the 2001 universe, which is continued in the very worthy sequels 2010 and 2061. (We’ll pretend 3001 does not exist, thanks). Clarke makes among the very best cases in fiction for life within our own solar system in 2010 and 2061, explores the surface of a comet in 2061, and examines the impact of what a seemingly godlike alien race/being could have on life as we know it in both. In all the works Clarke grapples with the idea of evolutionary leaps, alien technology, beings greater than us toying with our development, human nature, the birth of life in the universe, and very dramatically copes with the reality of space travel and all the solitude and danger that comes with it. Because all three are relatively short books by today’s standards, it should be easy to fit then into any reading schedule.