Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Ubik

Philip K. Dick
Doubleday, 1969 (my copy is from Vintage Books, 1991)
Size: Short (my copy has 216 pages)
Theme: Alternate reality
Narrative: third-person
Main character: Glen Runciter and Joe Chip
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



Ubik is a psychological thriller that takes place in an alternate reality where there are many people with powers, such as precognition, telepathy, etc. There are also people able to negate those with powers, who are called inertials. As one could expect, there are multiple business opportunities associated with both sides, and there are companies which employ either those with powers or those able to oppose them. In addition, technology enables communication with deceased who are cryogenically preserved, in what is called half-life.

The plot focuses on a security company, led by Glen Runciter and by his wife (who is in half-life), and a contract they just received. As one could expect, things do not go as expected and the team is soon struggling to understand what has just happened to them and why uncanny events start taking place around them, as they are faced with shifting reality and sudden death.

The plot is very interesting in its use of the half-life concept, and the powers and anti-powers concept was also innovative when the book was written. The action is fast paced and there is mystery surrounding what exactly is going on until the very end. It should also be said that the book ends in a cliffhanger. The characters are intriguing, although only a couple of them are even mildly explored. The less positive side of the story is that, being so short, it hardly has time to explore these concepts adequately. There could be so much more done with this basic plotline. Thus, it would have been great if the story was told in 3 times the size of this book. Still, I greatly enjoyed it and highly recommend it to any sci-fi fan.


Friday, January 21, 2011

Dune: The Battle of Corrin

Brian Hebert and Kevin J. Anderson
Bantam Spectra, 2004
Size: Long (my copy has 620 pages)
Theme: Futuristic space opera
Narrative: third-person
Main character: several (arguably Vorian Atreides)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



In the third and final book of the “Legends of Dune” trilogy, we will witness the end of the Butlerian Jihad, named after Serena Butler and kindled by the murder of her baby by the intelligent machines. In the previous books we witnessed the onset and the development of this holy crusade of humanity against the machines that had enslaved them. The trilogy also addresses how what transpired two millennia before the original Dune gave rise to the background framework on which the original novel (and the later sequels and prequels) develop, and explains the formation of the Guild, the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood, and many other of the Dune institutions. As expected, most of the advanced technological developments that are commonplace in the original Dune novel are explained in the trilogy, although almost all have been covered in the previous two books.

Here, more than half a century has gone by since the “Machine Crusade”, and Vorian Atreides is still alive (due to his genetic inheritance from a cymek) and fighting the machines. The humans have been able to destroy the machine armies everywhere except Omnius’ main planet of Corrin, the center of the Synchronized Worlds. Despite being cornered, Omnius continues to fight back, and through his minions, is able to deliver crippling blows to the human armies. At this point, I would usually say that the question hangs in the balance of whether humanity will be able to overcome the AIs, but the outcome of this battle is already well known to nearly any sci-fi fan. Despite this, watching events unfold and witnessing how things evolve is interesting and captivating. Simultaneously, the Free Men of Arrakis are shaping themselves into a trive of fierce warriors, one that will much later become pivotal for the events of Dune and the future of the universe.

This book was a fitting conclusion to a great series and I have much enjoyed learning about these precursor events of the fantastic Dune universe. It continues the fast-paced, multi-threaded, adventure-driven plot of the previous books in the trilogy and will fit nicely on the collection of any sci-fi fan.

Related work:

This trilogy was written after the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, which came long after the original “Dune” series. The authors later wrote sequels to the original Dune, wrapping up the unfinished plotline of “Chapterhouse: Dune” (the 6th book in the original series). After that they also wrote an interquel that takes place between the original first and second Dune books. Still, I think the books work extremely well if read in publishing chronologic order, meaning the original Dune series first, then the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, then the “Legends of Dune” trilogy.


Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Dune: The Machine Crusade

Brian Hebert and Kevin J. Anderson
Bantam Spectra, 2003
Size: Long (my copy has 695 pages)
Theme: Futuristic space opera
Narrative: third-person
Main character: several (arguably Serena Butler, Xavier Harkonnen, and Vorian Atreides)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This is book 2 of the “Legends of Dune” trilogy, which narrates the story of the old struggle between humanity and thinking machines, one of the fundamental aspects of the original Dune universe. More than that, it provides details on many of Dune’s more interesting and compelling aspects, such as the Guild, Arrakis, the Bene Gesserit, the Fremen tribes, the mentats, the swordmasters, the different Houses, and also the rivalries between them.

It should definitely be read after “Dune: The Butlerian Jihad”, since the story picks up events approximately two decades after its predecessor. After 20 years of war, and gains and losses on both sides, humanity is tired of the war and there is the need to find some creative way to push the human campaign forward. We witness the major scientific discoveries from Norma Cenva that will enable interstellar travel by folding space and the subsequent need for prescience to enable such travel. The cymeks continue to weave plans that should enable them to regain the control they lost to Omnius. But the main plot continues to be around Serena Butler, Xavier Harkonnen, and Vorian Atreides.

As expected, this book maintains multiple intertwined sub-plots, and very short and incisive chapters that shift the action continuously among the many characters. Unlike many comments I have seen on the book, it seems to me that character are adequately developed, and also that the lessened mystique compared to Frank Herbert’s stories is matched by the adventure thrills of this novel. I found the plot to be as enticing as the previous book, and it was difficult to put the book down. The short chapters enable picking it up even when there was only a short time for reading. There are space battles, assassination plots, power struggles and military campaign strategies. This is definitely an appropriate sequel to the previous book of the trilogy and an excellent sci-fi novel.

Related work:

This trilogy was written after the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, which came long after the original “Dune” series. The authors later wrote sequels to the original Dune, wrapping up the unfinished plotline of “Chapterhouse: Dune” (the 6th book in the original series). After that they also wrote an interquel that takes place between the original first and second Dune books. Still, I think the books work extremely well if read in publishing chronologic order, meaning the original Dune series first, then the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, then the “Legends of Dune” trilogy.


Sunday, January 16, 2011

Dune: The Butlerian Jihad

Brian Hebert and Kevin J. Anderson
Bantam Spectra, 2002
Size: Long (my copy has 612 pages)
Theme: Futuristic space opera
Narrative: third-person
Main character: several (arguably Serena Butler, Xavier Harkonnen, and Vorian Atreides)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



I have read this after I was very familiar with the Dune universe. I had already gone through the 6 original Dune novels, and also the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy (which predates the original books). In all those stories, there are innumerous references to the times of the Butlerian Jihad and the fight between humanity and the machine intelligences. The Dune universe is also full of interesting technologies and enhancements that were spawned in those early days. It was with considerable joy that I learned of yet another trilogy that would go back that far in time.

This book follows the events that led to the revolt of humanity against thinking machines and the setup of the basic background on which all the other Dune series take place. The story happens around ten thousand years before the original Dune novel, and thus, (nearly) all characters are new but, simultaneously, also familiar due to the reasons espoused above. As is usual, the story domain space is huge, with many interesting characters and multiple sub-plots. The story is rich with detail and fast paced. It has the same momentum and feel of the “Prelune to Dune”, and follows a similar narrative strategy. Chapters are as short as needed to provide a bit more information about what is happening to certain character(s) or location, and thus, action keeps moving around, which makes it impossible for the reader to feel bored.

In this first book of the “Legends of Dune” trilogy, we learn of the ascension to power by the group of titans (human overlords who realized the dependency of humans on machines, and took advantage of this to rule the entire universe), humans who moved their consciousness to cyborg bodies (termed cymeks) to achieve immortality, and their subsequent downfall as the artificial intelligence Omnius overtakes their rule and bonds them in its service. We witness the development We learn the preliminary work of Tio Holtzman that will lead to foldspace technology, the early inhabitants of Arrakis, the swordmasters of Ginaz, the growth of Vorian Atreides (a spawn of one of the cymeks), and the romance between the honorable and respected Xavier Harkonnen and Serena Butler.

This book is often portrayed as a bad literary piece of work. I might be biased as a Dune fan, but I felt all the relative lack of psychological depth, the somewhat predictable good vs evil of the human vs machine plot, as well as the fact that several additional threads could be explored, become completely irrelevant when compared to the powerful action narrative and extremely interesting perspective of these historical events. Although not superb as the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, this is still an excellent novel.

Related work:

This trilogy was written after the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, which came long after the original “Dune” series. The authors later wrote sequels to the original Dune, wrapping up the unfinished plotline of “Chapterhouse: Dune” (the 6th book in the original series). After that they also wrote an interquel that takes place between the original first and second Dune books. Still, I think the books work extremely well if read in publishing chronologic order, meaning the original Dune series first, then the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, then the “Legends of Dune” trilogy.


Friday, January 14, 2011

Dune: House Corrino

Brian Hebert and Kevin J. Anderson
Bantam Spectra, 2001 (my copy is from 2002)
Size: Long (my copy has 667 pages)
Theme: Futuristic space opera
Narrative: third-person
Main character: Leto Atreides
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This book ends the Prelude to Dune trilogy, following “House Atreides” and “House Harkonnen”. The trilogy takes place a couple of decades before the original Dune novel, and provides a description of the events that led to the birth of Paul Atreides and his later rise as the Muah’Dib. As the continuation of the other 2 books in the trilogy, this is a fitting end and an excellent novel. Being written almost back-to-back, these 3 volumes read nicely in sequence. There are no obvious plot holes (often found in sequels written with many years of real time span), and a huge attention has been given to consistency and detail by the authors.
However, the main thing going against the authors from the start is that the original Dune novel is so widely known. Therefore, there is little room for originality. We know from the start how things are going to ultimately end for the main characters. But this is a common feature of prequels, and (nearly) impossible to go around. Despite this, I found the book was able to keep an aura of mystery around many events, and always keep the reader on edge about how things were going to develop. The story is again full of action scenes, exciting adventures, and a lot of new and intriguing data on the Dune universe technology.

The plot of this book is focused on the attempt by House Atreides and Vernius to retake Ix and stop the Tleilaxu/Shaddam plan of creating artificial melange, putting everything that depended on melange at peril (space travel, mentat abilities, the sisterhood, etc). The Ixian revolt is not only the largest sub-plot but also the best. Other events we follow include the return of Rhombur, Jessica’s pregnancy and the havoc it can cause on the Sisterhood’s plans, the Fremen implementation of Kynes’ vision, and the developments that will eventually lead up to the end of the Harkonnen’s fiefdom in Arrakis.

As in previous books, chapters are very short, but not too much that it would seem you’re only peeking into each story. I have always found that one of the very positive features of this series. The characters are very well developed, and Dune fans have to be thrilled with learning so much new about these (more or less) familiar characters. I think this is not only a fitting end for this trilogy, but an excellent companion to other Dune universe series. In fact, I found these trilogy better than some of the original Dune series books, although it is always very difficult and subjective to compare novels with very different framework, structure, and pace.

Related work:

Note that these authors later released another Dune trilogy about the Butlerian Jihah, termed “Legends of Dune”, and thus predating this story by thousands of years. After that, they also wrote sequels to the original Dune, wrapping up the unfinished plotline of “Chapterhouse: Dune” (the 6th book in the original series). And even more recently, an interquel that takes place between the original first and second Dune books. Still, I think the books work extremely well if read in publishing chronologic order, meaning the original Dune series first, then the “Prelude to Dune” trilogy, and only then the “Legends of Dune” trilogy.

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Dune: House Harkonnen

Brian Hebert and Kevin J. Anderson
Bantam Spectra, 2000 (my copy is from 2001)
Size: Long (my copy has 733 pages)
Theme: Futuristic space opera
Narrative: third-person
Main character: Leto Atreides
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This book continues the plot of “Dune: House Atreides”. It is the second book of a trilogy that focuses on the events taking place a couple of decades before the original Dune novel storyline. As a prequel, this entire trilogy provides a very interesting and detail-rich past for the characters of the original Dune novel. Also, as the title suggests, both House Harkonnen and House Atreides have considerable protagonism in this second book.

The story again revolves around Duke Leto Atreides, now 26 years old, who has consolidated his role as the ruler of house Atreides and all of Caladan. Shaddam is experiencing the reality of dealing with the inherent burdens that come from sitting on the royal throne, with the multiple power-struggles of the multiple Houses and other major players (the Guild, CHOAM, etc). The Harkonnens continue to scheme and aim to increase their influence and wealth. Many new characters are introduced, most never having featured in the Dune novels, but all having their purpose and role to play in the grand scheme of things.

As in the previous book in this trilogy, there are multiple plots, which develop individually, but interface and overlap at multiple points of the book. Narration skips at every chapter between these individual threads. However, most of the events are in some way connected, and have considerable repercussions (often through the 3 books). Chapters are typically extremely short, which adds to the feeling of many different things going on. It is also very interesting how the authors plant some seeds for sub-plots which only become fulfilled in the original Dune novel.

I have found this book to be an excellent follow-up to the previous book and a worthwhile addition to the Dune series. Again, the plot is fast paced, packed with adventure, twists and turns, and occasionally some emotional moments. I could not put this book down. Since the 3 books follow the storyline almost back-to-back, you will be thankful if you are able to pick the next book right after finishing each of them.


Saturday, January 8, 2011

Rama Revealed

Arthur C. Clarke, Gentry Lee
Bantam Spectra, 1994 (my copy is from 1995)
Size: Long (my copy has 602 pages)
Theme: Interaction with alien civilizations
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Several (arguably Nicole Wakefield)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This is the thrilling conclusion to the Rama series. And you will not be disappointed as you witness the final events of the humans taken to a Raman central station for interstellar travel. In this fourth and final book, the mysteries surrounding the Rama spaceships, the node, and the purpose of the Raman intelligences are (mostly) unveiled.

The plot of this last book focuses on the conflict within the human population of the Rama spaceship and the oppressive regime that has taken claim of the group, eventually resulting in the direct intervention by the intelligences controlling Rama. There is much action right from the beginning of the book, which continues the plot of “Garden of Rama” right where it stopped. Aside from the conflict between the small community of humans, questions are raised regarding the role humanity may play in galactic events.

Interestingly, and thankfully, in this storyline Clarke verges away from the human-centered view of the universe that many authors attempt. Still, the story is able to explore some of the sociological aspects that the 2 previous books have brought up.

The level of detail and rigor of the scientific explanations continues at the high standard that the author usually graces us with. I very much enjoyed reading this book, and found the entire series to be excellent, even if not as mind-challenging as some other space sagas. Also, the book is just long enough in order to have a full story, without trying to cram an end in just a few pages. It left me perfectly content, without the feeling that there should be more books to the series.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Garden of Rama

Arthur C. Clarke, Gentry Lee
Bantam Spectra, 1991 (my copy is from 1992)
Size: Average (my copy has 518 pages)
Theme: Interaction with alien civilizations
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Several
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This book is the third in the Rama series. It continues the previous story about alien spaceships travelling the universe, picking up where “Rama II” has left off, namely, the three cosmonauts who are still inside one of the Rama spaceships and travelling to an unknown destination. Along the trip, these astronauts, Nicole, Michael, and Richard, sired 5 children. In “Garden of Rama”, we follow the developments inside the Rama spaceship and how this family of humans copes with their situation. At about a third of the book, and approximately 12 years after the events of “Rama II”, we witness the arrival of the spacecraft at a large central station for interstellar travel, called a node.

The book plot focuses on the purpose of these Raman space crafts, and how that might affect the human race. In the node, the humans are asked to help retrieve a larger population from Earth to be humanity representatives in the grand schemes of the Raman intelligences, and are sent back to Earth for that purpose. However, this will not be a trivial task, even because the Earth leaders have their own perspective on how to select this group in order to best serve their interests. On the way back, we witness the struggle of the small original group of cosmonauts to keep their family united.

The book keeps a veil of secrecy over several of the fundamental reasons for the Raman actions and their purpose in the universe, but at the arrival to the node, several things are explained. By slowly unveiling these mysteries, the author keeps us hooked to the story. The interactions with different types of alien species along the book are also interesting and adequately employed to reinforce our bond with the pivotal small family of humans.

As is frequent in series, you will want to read this book only after “Rendezvous with Rama” and “Rama II”. And, as in the previous book of the series, this one ends in a way that makes you go out and grab the last installment. It also continues to explore sensitive issues about the human nature, social stratification and xenophobia. I found it as good as book #2, even though the framework changed considerably.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

My take on series

Today I was thinking about the concept of series/sagas and the advantages/drawbacks compared to single novels. So I've decided to put down in writing some considerations about this topic. Hopefully, this will foster some discussions. Please feel free to share your opinion/comments, to suggest an entirely different perspective, or simply to criticize my arguments!

- Story Length

One of the nice things about series is that if you enjoy the first book, you can follow up on it. How often do we read a story that is becoming extremely interesting as the plot develops, and then even when a good ending is provided, we are left eager for more? But are series that different from single novels in terms of length? Unquestionably, some series would be hard to match by a single book. Examples I can think of are the Reality Dysfunction, Dune, and Area 51. Or the longest one I can remember, Mission Earth. But many single novels are quite extensive on their own. Off the top of my head, I remember Battlefield Earth and Cryptonomicon.
There are also series that have later been printed as a single novel, compiling several individual books. The Great Book of Amber is a compilation of the 10 original individual novels (in fact, 2 main story arcs of 5 books each). This was an excellent book to read, though I took a break of a few months between the story arcs. 
In general, after I have invested some time in a story, as long as it continues being enticing and exciting, I like being able to read more on it. There is a sense of familiarity that I, personally, enjoy. So I tend to favor series and long single novels.

- Availability

Obviously, single novels offer a great advantage. If you can find it on a bookstore (physical or online), you do not have to worry about whether volume 3 is already out of print. And nothing worse for your collection than having an incomplete series just due to a single missing book...

- Usability

Handling a shorter novel is easier and more comfortable than a very long, thick, bible-sized book. We could get also into the hardcover vs paperback vs TPB issue, but I will leave that for another time. Still, having a story broken over a couple of books might make the reading easier and will also usually damage the books less after you go through them.

- Publication time

Here, having shorter novels will allow you to get your hands on them faster. While the author is still scribbling down the next arc of the story, you will already be devouring the published part. So definitely having stories published as series will speed up the time it takes for the story to reach you.

- Series vs sagas

I tend to think of series when they are sequential but each book could be read almost independently. This is the case of Area 51. Ender's Game is somewhat like that, though you will definitely want to read it straight through. And I think of sagas when you have a story that was meant to be published in several individual volumes; thus, when each book, since the first one, clearly shows that the author has further story to tell.

- When to buy the series

- Costs

Almost invariantly, will pay much less for a large story than if it is printed in 2 volumes. The same goes for compilations; they will be cheaper than the single original books. But if it is a good enough story, you probably do not weight the cost of the books as a key factor.

- Conclusions

So... Do I prefer series or single novels? Hard to say. Some of my favorites of all times are single novels, for which the author almost certainly has never planned a sequel. However, most of my favorites are series. And, in fact, the books I remember in more detail are series. In some cases, I spent so long reading about that particular universe and characters, that many years after I can remember very fine details of the plot. At the end of the day, excellence is what you want, whether it's in the form of a single large novel, or a multiple-book series that took 10 years to be entirely published.

Your feedback is much appreciated.

Cheers!
-SFB-



Rama II

Arthur C. Clarke, Gentry Lee
Bantam Spectra, 1989 (my copy is from 1990)
Size: Average (my copy has 466 pages)
Theme: Interaction with alien civilizations
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Several (Nicole, Michael, and Richard)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



“Rama II” is the sequel of “Rendezvous with Rama”, and continues the story about alien spaceships travelling the universe. In this second book of the series, another Rama spaceship has been discovered entering our solar system and, again, plans are put in motion in order to intercept and study it as it passes near our planet. Written many years after the first book, and with the plot taking place also almost a century after the first book, the Human society on Earth has changed considerably, and the motivations for exploring Rama as well as the difficulties of setting up a successful mission are very different.
We follow the crew of 12 astronauts that are selected to explore Rama, and who are supposedly better prepared than those in the original book. However, the meet new challenges and find that Rama is much more that meets the eye.

This book answers some of the mysteries of the previous one, but raises new ones about the alien society and its culture. However, the reader can be secure in the knowledge that (almost) all the questions raised will be answered in the later 2 books. There is considerable action going on in this story, and adrenaline-paced moments. Most of the story revolves around the exploration of the Rama spacecraft. The book ends with an unexpected twist that makes you immediately want to jump to the next book in the series.

Unlike the first book, which I found to lack depth or to challenge beliefs and moral attitudes, this book tackles sensitive aspects about contemporary society and some of its challenges. It is definitely a very good sequel, in my opinion exceeding the first book in several aspects.


Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Rendezvous with Rama

Arthur C. Clarke
Bantam Spectra, 1973 (my copy is from 1990)
Size: Short (my copy has 243 pages)
Theme: Interaction with alien civilizations
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Several (Endeavour crew)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



Rendezvous with Rama is considered a classic in space sci-fi. The level of scientific detail and rigor is very high, as is the author’s concern with describing the science behind all the technology and events, which creates a very realistic scenario for the reader. Everything about it is familiar enough for readers to understand, while exploring the possibilities that alien civilizations allow.

This is the first of a series of 4 books, and it sets very well the story for the others. However, according to the author, only this first book was initially planned. In that setting, it leaves many questions unanswered and the mysteries of Rama unrevealed, reason why you will definitely want to follow it up with the sequels. Along each book, more explanations are provided, and there is a definite crescendo along the series.

This first book describes the story of a crew of astronauts tasked with traveling to an alien spacecraft, Rama, which is believed to be travelling across the universe, and which was identified in space as it passed near Earth. The astronauts are to travel aboard the Endeavour, a solar vessel, and the only manned vehicle which can reach Rama in time to meet it before it leaves our solar system. We follow the astronauts as they attempt to get inside Rama, explore its immense size and its possible inhabitants, and survive through their stay.

The story is captivating and rich with details and wondrous discoveries. Nevertheless, the book is relatively short and thus the characters end up slightly superficial. There are no deep and complex sociological or psychological layers, and it is essentially a space adventure. As a stand-alone, it is quite good, but it works much better when framed in the series, in which case it becomes excellent.


Monday, January 3, 2011

3001: The Final Odyssey

Arthur C. Clarke
Del Rey, 1997 (my copy is from 1998)
Size: Short (my copy has 246 pages)
Theme: Space exploration
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Frank Poole
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This is the fourth (and final) book of the “2001” saga. Written about 10 years after “2061”, and about 30 years after “2001”, it continues to follow the events surrounding the alien monolith devices and its role in the evolution of sentient life in our solar system. However, as the title surmises, time has passed and it is now almost a thousand years after the events described in the previous book.
In “3001”, we witness as Frank Poole, who had drifted off into to space in the first book of the series, is rescued a thousand years later. Having spent that time frozen to near absolute zero, his body was sufficiently preserved for resurrection to be performed with the present technological capabilities. We will follow Poole as he is reintegrated in this future society, and his role in dealing with new actions undertaken by the monolithic devices, which this time threaten humanity.

Although this is a good novel, in my opinion it did not match the previous three books. The end also felt less than innovative, particularly since I had huge expectations, and as soon as information was revealed about what would be attempted by Poole and his colleagues, I immediately knew that everything would deploy as expected. Still, it was sufficiently complex and enticing to keep me entertained while reading the details of those events. At least a third of the book is a very bland narration of Poole’s time adjusting to a future society, something he copes with very easily. The description of the future is, as expected from Clarke, very interesting and imaginative, but the time shift is so large that we bond less with the story and characters than we had in the previous 3 books. Still, this is a good book which provides an end to an excellent series.

2061: Odyssey Three

Arthur C. Clarke
Del Rey, 1987 (my copy is from 1997)
Size: Average (my copy has 276 pages)
Theme: Space exploration
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Heywood Floyd
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This is the third installment of the “2001” saga. In this book, Heywood Floyd, now 103 years old (or 65, depending on either of two interpretations offered in the story), will embark on the spaceship Universe to meet comet Halley in its passage through our solar system. Simultaneously, the spaceship Galaxy (which includes Chris Floyd in its crew) will attempt to explore the former moon Europa (which we have witnessed in the second book having intelligent life). However, complications arise and as the Galaxy crew becomes stranded in Europa, the spaceship Universe will have to attempt to rescue them.

In this book further information is unveiled about the purpose of the monoliths, what exactly is taking place in Europa, and how all the events taking place might shape and affect the future of humanity. As in the two previous books, there is rich technical detail in the narrative, an accurate description of celestial events, and several adrenaline-filled moments. In comparison to previous books, this one is the first that ends with a clear “to be continued”, as it opens up room for a sequel (promised by Clarke to be the last of the series). There are also some interesting theories presented about what the conditions in Jupiter’s core might have produced.

This is a worthwhile sequel to “2011”, and continues to explore the interesting characters of Dave Bowman, the prototype astronaut, and Heywood Floyd, the emblematic scientist. But now the description of these characters become even deeper: Floyd’s attempt to maintain some of his family ties, even when temporally displaced, and Bowman’s attempt to keep his human emotion and perspective on things.

2010: Odyssey two

Arthur C. Clarke
Del Rey, 1982 (my copy is from 1982)
Size: Average (my copy has 288 pages)
Theme: Space exploration
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: Heywood Floyd
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



This is the second book of the 2001 series, which is heralded by many as one of the best sci-fi novels of all times. Analogously to what happened to the first book of the series, “2010: A space Odyssey”, the book “2010” was also portrayed as a motion picture. However, that movie did not have the success of its predecessor (although I enjoyed it very much). The last 2 books of the series have analogous names, namely, “2061” and “3001”. By author prerogative, these books are not linear sequels of each other, meaning, some basic facts actually change each book, in part due to the fact that recent advances in science (particularly astronomy) were always taken into consideration as each book was written.

In “2010”, events pick up years after Bowman disappeared into the monolith. The empty vessel Discovery lies in orbit of Jupiter (“Jupiter?!?”, you ask? Yes, the book and the movie chose different scenarios for the final moments of “2001”, and in “2010”, Clarke decided to follow the theatrical plot version). A new spaceship is sent to retrieve the information inside Discovery and to verify whether they could further study the monolith anomaly. However, events will unfold (as expected) in unexpected ways and humanity will be forced to review its assumptions of the universe.

This book should be read after “2001”. As in the previous book, a veil of mystery surrounds the monoliths and their creators. However, in this book, several aspects will be unveiled and explained, including the reasons behind the erratic behavior of HAL in the previous book. The purpose of the monoliths will also be described. I found this book as good as the previous one, with the same technological rigor and immersive plot. It is a casebook definition of what a sequel should be.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

2001: A space Odyssey

Arthur C. Clarke
Roc, 1968 (my copy is from 2000)
Size: Average (my copy has 297 pages)
Theme: Space exploration
Narrative: Third-person
Main character: David Bowman (Heywood Floyd in the first third of the book)
Recommended minimum age: Teenager
Would purchase as a gift to any sci-fi reader: YES



The 2001 series is one of the most renowned in sci-fi. It also inspired the movie by the same name which became a landmark in sci-fi movie history. And this is one of those cases where the movie is (arguably) as good as the book, in its own way. “2001 – A space Odyssey” is book 1 of 4, all with analogous names, namely, “2010”, “2061”, “3001”. As is usual for Clarke, the books are written with scientific rigor and with considerable technical detail, which creates a very realistic setting. Every equipment and piece of technology which exists in reality, and any phenomena for which there is a definite scientific explanation, have been accurately portrayed. And when imagining future technologies and celestial events, Clarke either provides good arguments, or does not even attempt a half-concocted tale, which sometimes is the downfall of other authors.

In “2001” a device found on the moon provides definite proof that an alien race has visited our solar system once (about 3 million years ago). Heywood Floyd is one of the advisors recruited to study it and provide suggestions for action. However, the device reacts when it is probed, and subsequently, that occurrence makes it necessary to dispatch a spaceship to the vicinity of Saturn. At one third of the book, action changes to the spaceship trip, and the focus shifts from the events witnessed by Heywood Floyd to those surrounding David Bowman, one of the astronauts, and a key character in the story. During the trip, the onboard computer, HAL, an emblematic figure in computer history along the last several decades, creates havoc. Questions arise regarding the future of the Discovery mission, the purpose of the alien devices, and how events will shape the future of humanity. Interestingly, Heywood Floyd will feature prominently in the other 3 books of the series. And, in a different way, so will David Bowman and HAL.

This story showcases the iconic and visionary imagination of Clarke, acclaimed as one of the greatest sci-fi writers in history. Still today, the plot is intriguing, exciting, and compelling. The book is easy to read, and is definitely a worthwhile addition to any sci-fi library. This first book does not reveal anything about the mysterious alien devices and the purpose behind them. However, all that will be explained in the other books of the series. Curiously, I read this book before watching the movie, but I saw the movie “2010” before I read the second book of the series. Nevertheless, I have to say I enjoyed all of them tremendously.