Rendezvous with Rama is a science fiction novel by British writer Arthur C. Clarke first published in 1973. Set in the 2130s, the story involves a 50-by-20-kilometre (31 by 12 mi) cylindrical alien starship that enters the Solar System. The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its mysteries. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula awards upon its release, and is regarded as one of the cornerstones in Clarke's bibliography. The concept was later extended with several sequels, written by Clarke and Gentry Lee.
Very little sci fi is still talked about decades later. And often, that which is, how the author was a huge asshole/sexist/etc. is a part of that conversation.
I haven't heard any of that about Arthur C. Clarke. And the book is still solid both in it's sci fi and its politics. If anything, it's more optimistic than more modern fair.
I really enjoyed it, albeit that it took a bit to get though.
A promising opening of mysterious object and dry elder academic panel bickering.... oh don't let this be just a cool exploration of the physical properties of this space... in space... with bonus tangential misogyny... oh, the physical properties and some cold-war-commentary at least accelerate... pity for the futuristic anachronisms, 1973 feels closer to Jules Verne than to us.
I'd really go 3.5 on this one but it needs to be rounded up not down.
I liked how that despite having many dramatic things going on, it was written in a very non dramatic or over the top kind of way. It was more about regular people facing important and unusual challenges.
Review of 'Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)' on 'Storygraph'
3 stars
It was my first Arthur C. Clarke book. And even though it is a classic I didn't have any spoilers before I read it. The idea of finding an unknown object in the sky with extraterrestrial suspicions, and going there to actually explore it was very thrilling. And well, it is hard sci-fi, so I expected a lot of scientific explanations and musings on the laws of physics.
I had some hard time trying to imagine the interior of Rama. The scale and complexity of what was inside was very difficult for me to grasp. But I tried to imagine Rama like "The Citadel" of the video game "Mass Effect", at least to understand the cylinder design of the spacecraft.
I really expected there would be more answers in this book about the purpose of Rama and the "biots" inside. Of course, the author leaves a hint at the end …
It was my first Arthur C. Clarke book. And even though it is a classic I didn't have any spoilers before I read it. The idea of finding an unknown object in the sky with extraterrestrial suspicions, and going there to actually explore it was very thrilling. And well, it is hard sci-fi, so I expected a lot of scientific explanations and musings on the laws of physics.
I had some hard time trying to imagine the interior of Rama. The scale and complexity of what was inside was very difficult for me to grasp. But I tried to imagine Rama like "The Citadel" of the video game "Mass Effect", at least to understand the cylinder design of the spacecraft.
I really expected there would be more answers in this book about the purpose of Rama and the "biots" inside. Of course, the author leaves a hint at the end indicating that there is more to the mystery.
J’aime la Hard science, car dans un contexte scientifiquement plausible et réaliste, on nous entraîne dans des aventures incroyables mais possibles. Pas de facilité dans la SF Hard science, pas de téléportation intempestive ni rien de tout ces délires qui moi me gênent et me rebutent, en littérature du moins. L’humain reste à sa place de cloporte, si l’on y parle de colonisation de planète, c’est avec réalisme, cohérence et humilité. Chez Clarke l’Humanité est toujours soumise à plus grand qu’elle, à l’inconnu. L’homme y apparait comme ce qu’il est, un être pensant qui s’évertue à comprendre, à savoir ce qu’il peu y avoir plus loin, de si grand et de si supérieur. C’est à mes yeux LA question essentielle. Les mystiques se demanderont ce qu’il y a après la mort, je me demande ce qu’il y a après l’univers, au-délà de sa partie visible. Clarke pose la question, il …
J’aime la Hard science, car dans un contexte scientifiquement plausible et réaliste, on nous entraîne dans des aventures incroyables mais possibles. Pas de facilité dans la SF Hard science, pas de téléportation intempestive ni rien de tout ces délires qui moi me gênent et me rebutent, en littérature du moins. L’humain reste à sa place de cloporte, si l’on y parle de colonisation de planète, c’est avec réalisme, cohérence et humilité. Chez Clarke l’Humanité est toujours soumise à plus grand qu’elle, à l’inconnu. L’homme y apparait comme ce qu’il est, un être pensant qui s’évertue à comprendre, à savoir ce qu’il peu y avoir plus loin, de si grand et de si supérieur. C’est à mes yeux LA question essentielle. Les mystiques se demanderont ce qu’il y a après la mort, je me demande ce qu’il y a après l’univers, au-délà de sa partie visible. Clarke pose la question, il part avec l’idée qu’une autre forme de vie pourrait exister, et invente des situations, pousse le lecteur à se poser la même éternelle question, comment serait-il, cet autre, d’où viendrait-il et pourquoi ? La magie et la profondeur du propos vient de l’abscence de réponse satisfaisante, Clarke se contente de nous mettre sur des pistes mais se garde de donner trop de réponses. Il part d’une situation théorique dans la réalité, mais pratique dans ses romans, et traite le sujet avec un œil de scientifique. Le mystère est parfaitement entretenu, il n’y pas de réponse facile. J’adore ! Mon livre culte, si je devais en choisir un, ce serait 2001 odyssée de l’espace. Tout est dedans. Rendez-vous avec Rama est excellent, mais pour moi ça reste un clone de 2001, indétrônable.
