Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)

Jan 24, 2016 Patrick rated it it was amazing

It's odd to think that this book was published 40 years ago. I don't know why that strikes me as strange, but it does....

It's tempting for me to call this book "Traditional Science Fiction." Or "Classic Science Fiction" or something along those lines. But what I really mean to say is that this is a story where the science is one of the central aspects of the story.

The basic premise of the story is: In the future, humanity finds a alien spacecraft and investigates it.

A lot of the joy of explor It's odd to think that this book was published 40 years ago. I don't know why that strikes me as strange, but it does....

It's tempting for me to call this book "Traditional Science Fiction." Or "Classic Science Fiction" or something along those lines. But what I really mean to say is that this is a story where the science is one of the central aspects of the story.

The basic premise of the story is: In the future, humanity finds a alien spacecraft and investigates it.

A lot of the joy of exploration comes from the theory of how a spaceship might really work in terms of physics. How could you generate gravity on a spaceship? How would it travel? What would the aliens be like? What would the purpose of these various pieces of the ships be? (Such as, for example, a large body of water, or featureless buildings on an island?

It's an interesting story, but probably *mostly* interesting for people interested in the genuine science of interstellar/interplanetary travel.

For example, if you enjoyed The Martian, you have a good chance of liking this book. (But be warned, the pacing is much different than The Martian. It's not First Person. It's not conversational. It's not painfully technical, but it was written in a different age.

Of particular interest to me was the fact that many of the smaller plot arcs of the books were very short. By which I mean to say that when a problem arises in the story, the resolution comes very soon afterwards. That limits the tension of the story somewhat, as you don't have time to get too worried over anything before it's fixed.

Lastly, it's important to note that this book ends with many questions unanswered. But the good news is that there are two more books in the series that will explore those questions further, and I trust Clarke to pay me off with good answers by the end of the series.

***

Later edit: I read the sequel, and I have to retract my previous statement. The follow-up book severely damaged my opinion of this book to the point where I don't know if I would reccomend it any more.

So if you were considering reading this book based on my review, you might want to read this first in order to get the whole story...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... ...more

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Mar 31, 2016 Lyn rated it really liked it

Mysterious and engaging, classic science fiction.

I first read this back in high school, we'll just say a LONG time ago. Since then the concepts, ideas and themes surrounding this archetypal work of science fiction have been a huge influence on works in this genre. Clarke first published this Hugo and Nebula award winner in 1972. The first works that I think of that was influenced by RWR is John Varley's excellent Titan series, first coming out in 1979. His influence on Ridley Scott's Alien, also ...more

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Jan 24, 2014 Dan Schwent rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sf, list-of-shame, oldies, 2014

An enormous alien structure enters our solar system and a team is dispatched to explore it before it drifts away and is lost forever. What will humanity discover after its Rendezvous with Rama?

Years ago, I decided I needed to read more hard science fiction. Then I read Ringworld and was so uninterested that I quit my hard sf quest before it began. Months ago, a copy of Rendezvous with Rama fell into my clutches. I decided to give it a try, despite my fears that it would be another Ringworld, a b ...more

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Sep 07, 2010 Cassy rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-scifi-fantasy-paranormal, award-hugo, physical-own, 2010

Ladies, have you ever heard the advice that the more you cover up, the sexier you are? Forgo the plunging neckline for the small keyhole. Let the boys use their imagination. Hint, but don’t show.

Clarke evidently had. He dressed this book in a turtleneck, elbow-length gloves, trousers, work boots, and one of those hats with ear flaps. There is barely any flesh showing. What does show is intriguing – a mysterious spaceship, a beautiful flower, an unknown destination, buildings with no doors or wi ...more

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Nov 07, 2011 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: futuristik-classik

i like world-building in science fiction and fantasy. in these modern times, extensive world-building is commonly derided... it is often seen as a lazy way to create a world, telling not showing, an author so in love with something they've built that they just want to describe instead of allowing the reader to slowly experience. i understand that point of view; world-building can often be seen as a glorified, masturbatory info-dump. but for some reason, it just doesn't bother me too much. i thin i like world-building in science fiction and fantasy. in these modern times, extensive world-building is commonly derided... it is often seen as a lazy way to create a world, telling not showing, an author so in love with something they've built that they just want to describe instead of allowing the reader to slowly experience. i understand that point of view; world-building can often be seen as a glorified, masturbatory info-dump. but for some reason, it just doesn't bother me too much. i think this is because with good world-building, i feel like i am looking at a kind of work of art created by the author - a rather nerdy work of art, sure - but still something that a person has put a lot of thought, energy, and passion into. i really respond to all those details that the author is in love with sharing. but maybe i just have a high threshold for these kinds of things, as i'm also the kind of person who likes to hear all the details in a person's dreams.

Rendezvous takes world-building to a different sort of place: Clarke is artifact-building. the amazing alien spaceship Rama is indeed amazing; almost the entire novel is devoted to exploring this gigantic vessel. most of the narrative is in service to purely descriptive passages of Rama; everything else is either minimal characterization or political discussions from various scientists & ambassador types about how to respond to Rama. all of this very focused world-building has the potential for much boredom and irritation. but i never felt that; the author's love for his creation is too clear, his details are too meticulous, his sense of wonder and his ability to concretely illustrate the almost-unknowable are too skilled, too palpable. despite my feeling that this novel essentially functions as a prologue to the 'real' action to come, i got caught up in Clarke's passion and enjoyed it all.

for such a man of science and large-scale concepts, Clarke is a surprisingly warm writer. his characters are pleasant - and real. there are no grand villains, at least not in this initial volume of the series. and he has a sense of humor - particularly around sex (one character is described as having no interest in anything outside of work, except for sports and sex - preferably combined; a high-level scholar is described as originally making his reputation through researching "puberty rites in late-twentieth-century Beverly Hills"). for all of the high-falutin' ideas on display, there is zero pretension present in Rendezvous.

although the novel ends before anything actually happens, there does seem to be interesting directions that the series could go. the slight mining of sexuality and gender roles could lead somewhere. and politics - particularly around how government responds to the unknown - are clearly an intriguing next step. i'm looking forward to seeing how this series pans out.

all that said, as far as Giant Mysterious Alien Artifacts go, right now my favorite is still Greg Bear's Eon - which in many ways appears to be an homage to Rama. ...more

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Jan 02, 2009 Scurra rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction

For heaven's sake, don't expect great writing from this book. For all his talent, Clarke wasn't a wordsmith (heck, even Asimov could write better!)
Instead, simply glory in one of the cleverest conceits you will ever read - an encounter with an alien civilisation in which the aliens are absent and there is no convenient "universal translator" to explain things. Slowly you can begin to piece things together, keeping maybe one step ahead of the astronauts, but you become aware that trying to under ...more

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Sep 06, 2015 Apatt rated it it was amazing

Rendezvous With Rama starts off where lesser books would climax. To begin with parts of Italy are wiped out by an asteroid leading to the creation of the Spaceguard system for detecting future asteroids well in advance of collision so that preventative measures can be taken. Along comes another huge object initially mistaken for another asteroid but as it draws nearer turns out to be a ginormous spaceship with no apparent mean of propulsion. The ship is given the named Rama and the crew of Earth Rendezvous With Rama starts off where lesser books would climax. To begin with parts of Italy are wiped out by an asteroid leading to the creation of the Spaceguard system for detecting future asteroids well in advance of collision so that preventative measures can be taken. Along comes another huge object initially mistaken for another asteroid but as it draws nearer turns out to be a ginormous spaceship with no apparent mean of propulsion. The ship is given the named Rama and the crew of Earth's survey ship Endeavour land on it and enter to investigate.

This is the father of the popular Big Dumb Object sci-fi trope which features humongous alien artifacts befuddling humanity when they are discovered or unexpectedly show up. I just reread this book immediately after finishing another BDO classic Gateway by Frederik Pohl. Gateway totally confounded my expectation because while it features a BDO the focus of the book is on the impact of this object on the life of the protagonist. Being confounded in this case is not too unpleasant as Gateway is a good though provoking read. However, it still left me with a hankering for some BDO adventure and Rendezvous With Rama provided this in spades. This book really is what it says on the tin and if you are in the market for some jaw dropping sense of wonder this is the one to pick up.

Arthur C. Clarke was a stupendous writer of sf, unlike a lot of scientist sf authors he could write with excellent transparency and clarity of vision. He is particularly brilliant at describing the minutiae of space voyages; just the simple act of walking up and down stairs in near zero gravity can become a vivid and fascinating adventure in his stories. Certainly with "Rama" Clarke gets a lot of millage from the cylindrical shape of Rama, the gravitational and centrifugal effects, the weather, the visual impact of the north and south poles, the sea as a cylindrical band etc. That said it is worth noting that this is a novel of exploration, not essentially a pulse pounding action adventure on a dangerous planet, although there is an element of that also. The emphasis is more on the sense of wonder than sense of danger. There are many vividly imagined scenes in this book so clearly described that if you do an image search for "Rendezvous With Rama" on on Google you will find quite a few excellent artworks inspired by this book, a similar search on Youtube will also yield quite a few fan made videos (this short student film is my favrorite).

As usual Clarke did not write with literary flourishes and characterization was clearly not a priority for him. I find the central characters of this book almost interchangeable in their blandness. However I am not sure this is a weakness of Clarke's writing because his books are generally not very long and by not allocating many pages on developing the characters he is able to do a lot of world building, describing the minutiae and implications of his settings, and a spring a few surprises on his readers from his plotting.

I feel that Rendezvous With Rama complements Phol's Gateway very nicely, one is about the BDO, the other is about the psychological impact of a BDO. I recommend reading both. ...more

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Jan 29, 2010 Stephen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, award-nominee-british-sf, award-nominee-campbell, award-nominee-hugo, award-nominee-nebula, award-nominee-locus, multiple-award-winners, multiple-award-nominee, award-winner-hugo, award-winner-nebula, award-winner-britsh-sf, award-winner-campbell, award-winner-locus, easton-press, audiobook, mystery, first-contact, bdo

5.0 stars. One of the best first contact novels ever. The ability of Clarke to bring a high level of detail regarding the mechanics of the expedition without having the story get bogged down is a rare thing. This novel succeeds brilliantly. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Winner: Hugo Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner: Nebula Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner: Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner: (tie) John W. Campbell Award for Best Science Fiction Novel
Winner: British Scienc ...more

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Mar 20, 2008 Caitlin rated it really liked it

This book was my introduction to Arthur C. Clarke, and I happened to read it just before he died. I wasn't sure what to expect. My friend lent me his copy, which was printed in the early 90's and looked pretty pulpy. And the title? But I really enjoyed it. Written in the 70's, but the science wasn't painfully outdated, except he hadn't foreseen just how small and complicated our computers would become even in a few years. Not badly written for a scientist, and he passes my sexism test. (I frowne ...more

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Jul 22, 2013 El rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 20th-centurylit-late, science-fictiony, library-borrow, biddles

I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a scientific person. I didn't do so great in science classes in high school (fuck you, Chemistry!) outside of Biology because that biology makes sense and because, I dunno, that whole science thing can be so boring to me. There's a lot of numbers, and I remember something about a mole bridge, and most things are pretty black and white and I'm the kind of kid that likes gray areas. It's a wonder that my boyfriend and I were even friends, ever, let alone in a relatio I wouldn't necessarily say I'm a scientific person. I didn't do so great in science classes in high school (fuck you, Chemistry!) outside of Biology because that biology makes sense and because, I dunno, that whole science thing can be so boring to me. There's a lot of numbers, and I remember something about a mole bridge, and most things are pretty black and white and I'm the kind of kid that likes gray areas. It's a wonder that my boyfriend and I were even friends, ever, let alone in a relationship - he's all about black and white and I'm all snoooze.

I've read a few things by Clarke over the years, usually at the suggestion of the boyfriend, because apparently Clarke was one of those authors he read a lot as a kid because he was never quite a kid, I'm pretty sure. So, to be a team player, I've read Clarke but I'm always left feeling like there's going to be an exam at the end of the reading.

Clarke can be dry and not very exciting to those of us who aren't into math and science and like a little color in our lives. I can see the appeal of Clarke, to some people. The premise of this book even sounds interesting, and even starts out promisingly. Scientists observe an asteroid and give it a numerical name as scientists are apt to do, but it turns out that it's not an asteroid! It's an alien spaceship!

Ancient Aliens. I'm all over that. I watch that show. It cracks me up. Giorgio Tsoukalos is one of my favorite people ever because he's freaking nuts. Clarke would like Giorgio too. Clarke was into that ancient aliens stuff, so I think we would get along smashingly for that reason alone.

But then it's like Clarke didn't want to blow his wad too much too soon, so he kept pulling away from the fun stuff and continued with his dry, rather uninteresting, very scientific text and I never felt I made another connection with the story again.

Because I like color. And this book lacked color.

This was chosen for the July book in my real life book club because someone suggested wanting to read something "light" because the summer makes some people not want to read? I guess? I'm not familiar with this concept, but people say things like that and I just smile and nod. So that's how we read this. I'll be curious to talk with the others and see how they felt - I thought for a "summer read" this was terribly dry and I wish we had read something a bit more entertaining.

Ultimately I just feel that a story about first contact should be more fascinating than this. Giorgio tells me aliens are more fun than this.

I'm going back and forth between 2 and 3 stars - the text is really a 2-star read for me, but the fact that I plan on reading the other books in the series means that it wasn't all lost on me. So 3 it is. ...more

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Jan 17, 2008 Eric rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: Sci-Fi fans, those interested in space tech/travel

Rather than do a synoptic review of "Rama", I'll just go ahead and rave about my absolute favorite part of this book: There are no spoilers to reveal! I suppose that's a spoiler in and of itself, but without going too far over the line, I love how much remains a mystery. This is a sci-fi masterpiece because it retains so much of the science while remaining purely fiction. The professional team that investigate Rama have no clues, they have to make theories and guesses as they go along, and thing ...more

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Apr 21, 2009 Brad rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, personal-mythology

Rendezvous with Rama is one of those strange cases (which seem to happen to me a lot), where I remember more about my life while I was reading a book than the about the book itself.

I remember liking it, and I have vague recollections of the Raman robot beings and the weirdness of Rama's interior, but that's about all I can conjure from the book.

But everything surrounding my reading of the book is vivid.

I was on my way to Stratford, Ontario to see The Three Musketeers, Hamlet, The Importance of B ...more

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Trevor This is a fantastic review, thank you. I listen to talking books, particularly when I drive. Sometimes I have listened to them a second time and can r ...more
Apr 21, 2009 12:08PM

Brad I knew I couldn't be the only one whose memory is jogged by books. Do you find the books you remember in this way are mostly the ones connected to big ...more
Apr 21, 2009 12:54PM

Trevor I think there are hooks everywhere, but I can't think of any at the moment that drag up nearly as much as this book has for you. When I was reading Wh ...more
Apr 21, 2009 01:56PM

Jan 26, 2011 Desclian rated it did not like it

Shelves: science-fiction

"Rendezvous with Rama" is the perfect example of a great idea executed in the worst possible way. The concept behind the plot really captured my attention and had me dreaming of possibilities, but the plot itself, as well as Clarke's writing style, was not even anti-climactic: it was the height of boring. First, Clarke should be noted as having a particular style, something that (unfortunately) not many sci-fi writers have. He has his own voice, his own turns of phrase and, if I had to look at a "Rendezvous with Rama" is the perfect example of a great idea executed in the worst possible way. The concept behind the plot really captured my attention and had me dreaming of possibilities, but the plot itself, as well as Clarke's writing style, was not even anti-climactic: it was the height of boring. First, Clarke should be noted as having a particular style, something that (unfortunately) not many sci-fi writers have. He has his own voice, his own turns of phrase and, if I had to look at a paragraph of his a year from now, I could probably attribute it to him. The problem is that his style is terrible. Much of the time it felt like I was reading a textbook, though often enough Clarke's style was worse. It was as if a robot had gained the ability to write novels and idly typed this one out. Characters "cautiously increase their mutual separation," for example, and everything seems to be described with a cold distance. Perhaps this'd be fine in another book, but this is supposed to be an -adventure story-. Where's the excitement? Where's the sense of discovery? No where. Anything resembling "discovery" is muddled behind a thick mist of technical, misplaced vocabulary. People often wonder why things like "poetic diction" came about, and this book answers the question rather nicely: science-y, exact writing doesn't make for very good narration.

I could have looked past the style issues had the plot or the characters had been (in any sense of the word) strong, but unfortunately they were worse. Each character proceeds through Rama (and the plot) as if they were machines. Every now and again they talk of a bit of fear or strange feelings, though these are destroyed by the poor style, pushed away with some sort of scientific "stoicism" or else explained as purely natural phenomenon (once a character had an eerie sense of 'doom,' but realized it was just simple build up of electricity). I've known a few scientists and am friends with one or two, and I doubt that they would act so dispassionate. Most I know are excited, interested and creative people who love their work and (like everyone else) can get swept away in the moment. People don't, and wouldn't, act like this.

So I'm left with the feeling of having read 250 pages of a story about robots "exploring" a world where very little happens that is written by a robot. How could this story have been boring? How could so little have happened? How could there be not a single memorable character? Where is the mystery, the joy of exploration? If the future is filled with such dead explorers and so little to explore than I pity the future generations. ...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Space rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites

Boy, this was a great book. If you think of all the sci-fi story templates and formulas, you could find this story done a hundred thousand ways. But not like Clarke does it.

He breaks every mold, and this ends up being a very unpredictable - even to your disappointment - book. Let me explain. You find yourself as a reader wanting something to happen so badly, that you scarcely think that it's probably better that it didn't. Just like every romance movie where the guy gets the girl at the end, you ...more

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Jan 24, 2014 Paul Bryant rated it liked it

Shelves: sf-novels-aaargh

It was only after I’d read Rendezvous with Rama that I found out it was a Big Dumb Object story. I mean, I knew Rama, the mysterious alien spaceshippy thing which appears in our solar system, was an object, and was dumb too – it doesn’t say a word to a soul, not one word – and yes, it was big too, really big. Bigger than a whale! Ten whales! But I didn’t put it all together. However, some critics did, and unkindly pointed out that quite a bit of science fiction is about Big Dumb Objects which hu ...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Samantha Glasser rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pulps, fiction

I read this book because my dad and I played the Commodore 64 game by the same title when I was a kid, and we never beat it. Now that I have read the book, I don't feel any closer to beating the game (but I haven't yet read the sequels), but I did quite enjoy my reading.

The story is set in the future, when men have settled Mars, Mercury, and the moon, and asteroids are a major issue, so men patrol the skies for their safety. That is when they spot Rama, a cylindrical structure so smooth it coul ...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Darryl Knickrehm rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites

Now this is science fiction. A story which is all about the science. No action, no adventure, just a realistic 'what if' scenario that keeps you glued to the page. Awesome.

Rama is a first contact story, but without all the fear and Hollywood elements. It is a thoughtful, educated look at what might happen if mankind actually met an alien race. And it is by no means the standard 'they-land-on-earth-and-they-try-to-destroy-it.' The idea of Rama is novel. The way the story unravels is intriguing. E Now this is science fiction. A story which is all about the science. No action, no adventure, just a realistic 'what if' scenario that keeps you glued to the page. Awesome.

Rama is a first contact story, but without all the fear and Hollywood elements. It is a thoughtful, educated look at what might happen if mankind actually met an alien race. And it is by no means the standard 'they-land-on-earth-and-they-try-to-destroy-it.' The idea of Rama is novel. The way the story unravels is intriguing. Everything about the story has a great deal of interest naturally built into it.

That isn't to say Rama is perfect, because it's not. The writing itself is very gray, often clunking when read aloud. It is also lacking many characteristics of good writing. For one, it doesn't evoke the senses, or emotional states. It also doesn't have a tone to the narration (the word choice is extremely academic, as if written by a scientist). There is almost no characterization to any characters (we never get to know or understand them really. They feel a lot like the 'biots' of Rama -- bland constructs to serve a single purpose). And it does a poor job describing things (it tells us measurements and academic details, but I still don't have a clear idea what many things look like.) Basically the writing is a sterile, scientific view of a phenomenon.

But all this is easy to forgive. And that's because the story is so good. It is constructed in short, concise chapters, and in each of these something major happens. Each of these events build upon the last, developing the situation, answering enough questions, but asking two more for each one answered. And ironically, while there is almost little conflict (the Helian rocket seemed like a poor attempt to ratcheted up the tension; this side-plot could be cut out completely, and the story wouldn't change), there is an immense intrigue built into the mystery of Rama. While this curiosity might not be present for those not interested in science, for those that are, man, oh man, will this ever grip you. Because it's all about unraveling the secrets. There is very little inner monologue, there is very little 'telling,' there is, however, a lot of plot and action. That makes a great story.

Clarke might not be the best 'writer' in the world' but brother he is an amazing 'story teller.' The ending especially was satisfying and thought-provoking, and the entire journey was interesting and fun. I enjoyed reading this. It is stories like these that made sci-fi the genre it is today. ...more

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May 16, 2008 George rated it it was amazing

I first read this book in high school years ago. What sticks with me most about this book is that by revealing very little about the culture who built the giant artifact/ship know as Rama, Arthur C. Clarke was able to tell a story filled with awe. Mr. Clarke never reveals the intentions, functions, or meaning of any of the artifacts which his characters encounter on the vast spaceship. In doing so he conveys the idea that the purpose of Rama is beyond human understanding and reason. The seemingl ...more

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May 14, 2009 Manny rated it liked it

Shelves: science-fiction

Giant alien spaceship is sighted. People go and check it out. It's full of cool stuff.

Clarke adds some sex to show that he isn't just a holdout from the Golden Age, but his heart's not in it. As soon as they've finished, he wants to go out and explore the spaceship again. I can see his girlfriend rolling her eyes.

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Nov 16, 2015 Liam rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, npr-top-100-sff, owned-books, 2015, bought-2015

Sort of weird in that undefinable Arthur C. Clarke/old sci-fi way, I enjoyed this. No conclusion which was sort of expected, again for aforementioned reasons.

The idea of finding, or being visited by, an alien artefact with no life is sort of confusingly disturbing. It's a bit of a paradox - aliens are creepy in and of themselves, so surely them not being there should be less so. That's the main thing that drew me to this book, the idea of the aliens just being completely absent.

I was a little di ...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Henry Avila rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A large object, is discovered entering a remote part of the Solar System,in 2131.Thirty miles long and heading in the direction of Earth.Causing nervousness back on our world.Everyone knows what happened in 2077.A large fireball hit the Earth,killing hundreds of thousand of people.Destroying cities and untold trillions of dollars in damages.At last ,in Project Spaceguard,an early warning system, was established.A kind of shield, can later be formed,that protects Terra from being smashed again, b A large object, is discovered entering a remote part of the Solar System,in 2131.Thirty miles long and heading in the direction of Earth.Causing nervousness back on our world.Everyone knows what happened in 2077.A large fireball hit the Earth,killing hundreds of thousand of people.Destroying cities and untold trillions of dollars in damages.At last ,in Project Spaceguard,an early warning system, was established.A kind of shield, can later be formed,that protects Terra from being smashed again, by an asteroid.They also tract the 500,000 space boulders found ,so far,between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.Now more than fifty years later,a new crises.Can Spaceguard save us? .If it collides with the third planet,Earth will be no more.Quickly acquiring the name Rama,the large rock,from a Hindu God. The object keeps surprising us,after a space probe takes pictures.It's not an asteroid but an alien spaceship of tremendous size.The long feared aliens have arrived .Peaceful or otherwise,that is the question?Computer analysis show the trajectory of Rama, will miss Earth and go around the back side of the Sun.Out into the uncharted, deep Space.Never to return here again.Problem solved,right ? But humans are not very trusting.So the spaceship Endeavour is sent to investigate, in command is Captain Norton.When the crew of the Endeavour, finally get inside Rama.They are amazed.The alien spacecraft, is really a new ,vast, strange world.The only way down to the bottom of Rama,are stairways,many miles in length, in the darkness.So they go.Try that folks! Even in low gravity.Creatures seen below ,are half animal and half robot. "Biot", as they're named by the invaders,and look peaceful.But where are the Ramans?A large calm Sea,but who believes their eyes here,is also discovered.Great "cities",weird blue lights and exotic structures,unexplained atmospheric storms,electrical discharges,this Noah's Ark has it all.The crew of the Endeavour ,will they ever be able to solve the mystery of Rama?The alien craft is getting hotter and hotter, as it nears the Sun.Time is limited,so the explorers must work fast. If the crew could somehow get over the high cliff,blocking them. And into the unknown, south pole area of Rama .Maybe all the secrets will be explained.... ...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Crystal Starr Light rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, audiobook

Good hard science fiction for the physics and math junkies

It is the year 2153. Humans now inhabit the moon, Mars, Mercury, and the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Suddenly, from the depths of deep space, comes an artifact called "Rama". Commander Norton and his team of space men and women (and chimps) head out on the spaceship, Endeavor, to explore this world before it heads back out into space.

I'm familiar with Arthur C. Clarke, not just from the movie, 2001: A Space Odessy, but also his Good hard science fiction for the physics and math junkies

It is the year 2153. Humans now inhabit the moon, Mars, Mercury, and the moons of Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune. Suddenly, from the depths of deep space, comes an artifact called "Rama". Commander Norton and his team of space men and women (and chimps) head out on the spaceship, Endeavor, to explore this world before it heads back out into space.

I'm familiar with Arthur C. Clarke, not just from the movie, 2001: A Space Odessy, but also his book series of the same name (2001, 2010, 2065, and 3001). Clarke has made himself a formidable presence in the science fiction genre, and when a friend of mine recommended this series, I jumped on it.

The characters are as you would expect from a hard science fiction novel/70's scifi novel. They are pretty much interchangeable and bland. However, I did find a few interesting exceptions.

Commander Norton does have a polygamous relationship (which somewhat hints at some possible tension between his Earth and Mars families???), but men aren't the only ones in this society to be engaged in polyamory. Two of his crew (I think Mercer and Carter) share a wife. I bring this up because so much of science fiction (well, any fiction written by males) seems to focus on male fantasies: one guy having many wives. I thought the attempt at equality was admirable.

Also, there is a female doctor aboard the spaceship, Endeavor, along with a female doctor in the CNC board meetings, both of whom are highly respected in their fields. Sure, the medical doctor does have a history with Commander Norton, but in no way is she only defined by her sexual relations to him (past or present). And for that, kudos to Clarke for making female characters beyond the boinkable babes (see Niven's Ringworld for how to do this badly).

But this story is NOT about the characters; it is about Rama. And this is where it catapults itself head and shoulders above Ringworld, another novel about a mysterious object that some space farers are trying to explore. Commander Norton and his team do a lot of exploring of this world and TONS of science is tossed at the reader. We get the mechanics of descending onto a rapidly rotating cylinder, the gravity on such a surface, the awkwardness that humans have in dealing with strange surroundings, the examination of the surroundings (testing the water for contaminants), and MUCH MUCH MORE. This is truly a hard core science fiction novel; there are no fluffy "Faster than light" drives, no artificial gravity machines, nothing that isn't 100% explained by science. Even the alien species are described as very alien (no almost human races here!).

I have very little in the way of complaints. The book is VERY science dense, so if astronomy, geology, physics, math, and/or any other science bugged you in high school or college, you will probably want to avoid. The characters are also very transparent, interchangeable, and only present to show off Rama. Also, I found how utopic the United Planets were (there is ONLY one threat, though it is admirable to see even that, to the mission) somewhat strange.

When I first cracked open Ringworld, I was expecting this: an in-depth look at an alien world, with real world physics, and attention to detail. In fact, that book almost turned me off hard science fiction. Clarke has restored my faith in this subgenre. I'm definitely more interested in his works and in exploring more scifi (both hard and soft). Recommended to my fellow nerds and geeks. ...more

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Jul 01, 2013 Gregor Xane rated it liked it

Shelves: 2013

I found Clarke's journalistic writing style engaging. This, coupled with short, tight, chapters, made for a novel that moved along at a fast clip. Although, I found the premise intriguing, overall it seemed like a bit of a tease. Especially the last line of the novel. It seemed to indicate that there would be a trilogy of Rama stories. But it doesn't seem like this was ever really Clarke's intent. I know there were other Rama books penned a couple of decades later, but Clarke wasn't the author o ...more

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Dec 01, 2015 Molly Billygoat rated it it was amazing

Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama is an exciting and intelligent take on man’s first contact with alien life. Clarke’s prowess in the fields of physics and mathematics shines through in his writing from beginning to end. So does the fact he was an H.G. Wells fan. In fact, one character within the book expresses his love and admiration of Wells’ ideas in the third chapter.

Like Wells, Arthur C. Clarke poses these questions: If humankind came into contact with alien life, would the aliens be Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama is an exciting and intelligent take on man’s first contact with alien life. Clarke’s prowess in the fields of physics and mathematics shines through in his writing from beginning to end. So does the fact he was an H.G. Wells fan. In fact, one character within the book expresses his love and admiration of Wells’ ideas in the third chapter.

Like Wells, Arthur C. Clarke poses these questions: If humankind came into contact with alien life, would the aliens be benevolent or malevolent? More importantly, perhaps, is there any reason to assume they would even recognise our existence? Just as Wells compares humans to ants, Clarke compares humans to termites. His narrative communicates the fact that it can be equally dangerous to be overlooked as to be directly attacked.

This science fiction novel is set in a society that has spread across the solar system. Each planet, moon and satellite has developed a distinct culture, and there is much debate over what course of action to take when an alien body enters the solar system.

There is a race against time, for the alien body is following a trajectory that will end up too close to the sun for any material to survive. Therefore, a crew of astronauts and scientists in the most convenient proximity are ordered to approach and enter the object. Therein, the crew is confronted with terrifying, deeply fascinating and life-altering challenges. Despite the fact this book is fiction, even my sense of scientific curiosity was piqued. Clarke creates something so alien as to be unimaginable, yet manages to allow the reader to imagine. Because this “world” is utterly alien, the book also remains unpredictable throughout.

I would challenge those who believe Clarke’s work is dry. Although the story itself is reasonably simple, the questions he raises are complex, and the physics he presents reveals fierce intelligence. Moreover, Rendezvous with Rama is thrilling and, at times, even humorous. As for the latter, here is a snippet of evidence from chapter eleven:

“Some women, Commander Norton had decided long ago, should not be allowed aboard ship. Weightlessness did things to their breasts that were too damned distracting.”

This is now one of my favourite science fiction novels, and I look forward to reading a lot more of Arthur C. Clarke’s work. ...more

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Sep 07, 2015 Ubiqua rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, altre-forme-di-vita

Con Incontro con Rama, del 1973, Arthur C. Clarke immagina che il sistema solare sia attraversato da un'astronave aliena, apparentemente disabitata. Essa, chiamata Rama dai terrestri, è un vero e proprio micromondo cilindrico, che simula la forza di gravità grazie alla forza centrifuga ottenuta ruotando sul proprio asse. Il romanzo racconta l’avventurosissima esplorazione dell’interno di Rama da parte di un gruppo di scienziati.

Con loro il lettore entra nel mondo delle geometrie impossibili, del Con Incontro con Rama, del 1973, Arthur C. Clarke immagina che il sistema solare sia attraversato da un'astronave aliena, apparentemente disabitata. Essa, chiamata Rama dai terrestri, è un vero e proprio micromondo cilindrico, che simula la forza di gravità grazie alla forza centrifuga ottenuta ruotando sul proprio asse. Il romanzo racconta l’avventurosissima esplorazione dell’interno di Rama da parte di un gruppo di scienziati.

Con loro il lettore entra nel mondo delle geometrie impossibili, della fisica stravolta: le leggi sono le stesse che conosciamo, ma applicate a un mondo strutturato in modo talmente diverso da avere effetti che agli occhi di un terrestre sono mostruosi. La realtà cilindrica pensata da Clarke è simile a quella circolare di 2001 – Odissea nello spazio, ed oggi è la normalità nella rappresentazione della colonia spaziale nei film di fantascienza (si vedano le stazioni di Interstellar ed Elysium, solo negli ultimi anni).

Clarke è uno scrittore bravo in certe cose e meno in altre. Quello che gli riesce bene è dosare l’azione e le sorprese nelle trame dei suoi romanzi. Si intuisce sempre, però, che l’unico vero interesse di Clarke è per la parte scientifica, e che non vede l’ora di descrivere la simulazione delle leggi fisiche dentro al suo mondo artificiale. È un tipo di scrittura che si adatterebbe benissimo a una certa serialità televisiva, magari rimpolpandone la costruzione dei personaggi, sempre piattissima in Clarke. Essi sono infatti piccole cavie calate nel cosmo perverso di cui lo scrittore è demiurgo: Rama è come un plastico dove li sottopone ai suoi esperimenti fisici. Sembra quindi che i suoi personaggi siano lì per dimostrare un certo punto, una certa ipotesi fisica.

L’avventura, un ferreo senso dell’anticipazione che stimola la curiosità del lettore, il gusto per l’azione e per la svolta imprevedibile sono i suoi punti forti, che ne fanno uno dei capisaldi della fantascienza d’altri tempi, quella originata da Verne e Wells. Gli mancano la svisata acida o il lirismo di altri autori; ciò non di meno, Incontro con Rama è un vero viaggio al luna park della fantascienza, è una giostra di Escher delle leggi fisiche che deviano dalla normalità terrestre, perché quanto accade su Rama è scientificamente accurato, ma sembra assurdo a noi “terricoli”. E in questo senso è un libro visionario, anche se quello che racconta è basato su verità scientifiche più che su supposizioni. Sotto il punto di vista avventuroso e quello immaginativo, Rama è una pietra miliare del suo genere.

Un po’ migliorato rispetto ai romanzi dei decenni precedenti il punto di vista sul sesso femminile (in Rama le donne non sono solo casalinghe o hostess, come accadeva in Le guide del tramonto, 1953, e Polvere di luna, 1961, ma sono anche loro astronaute come i loro compari maschi). Nonostante ciò, Clarke riesce a scrivere una frase sessista come: «È un dato di fatto, Laura, che gli uomini, a differenza delle donne, sono capaci di seguire due corsi di pensieri». Chiaro. Comunque sia, meno bacchettone del solito Clarke inserisce anche la poligamia ambosesso (concessa cioè a maschi e femmine, non contemplando però l’omosessualità) nella società umana ai tempi dell’incontro con Rama.

SPOILER

Grandi assenti del libro i ramani, che non appariranno mai. Ed è proprio su questa assenza che si costruisce la vera tensione del romanzo; la ricerca degli scienziati è sempre silenziosamente protesa non solo a capire Rama, ma a trovare i ramani e soprattutto a comprendere i motivi del viaggio della loro arca. Ma il mistero resterà misterioso.

E comunque Rama si era fermato solo per fare benzina. ...more

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Sep 22, 2009 Tatiana rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: sci-fi fans

Recommended to Tatiana by: reading challenge

Shelves: 2009, sci-fi, nebula, locus, hugo

I used to be a huge sci-fi fan year ago and now I've almost forgotten how much fun these books were. Luckily, a reading challenge encouraged me to revisit this genre.

"Rendezvous with Rama" is one of the most well known and critically acclaimed Clarke's novels, and rightfully so. The story takes place in a not so distant future, when a strange cylindrical object, later christened Rama, enters the solar system and travels directly towards our sun. Very soon it is discovered that this object is def ...more

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Dec 10, 2014 Otherwyrld rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

Rereading a book you loved as a teenager but haven't read since is always a tricky prospect because it's just possible that you may end up hating that book now. The good news is that I didn't hate this book, but I had to take 1 star away from my original rating because it's not as perfect as I remember it being.

Set in a near future where human beings have colonised several planets and moons in our solar system, this book is the original great big mcguffin story. Rama is a gigantic spaceship that Rereading a book you loved as a teenager but haven't read since is always a tricky prospect because it's just possible that you may end up hating that book now. The good news is that I didn't hate this book, but I had to take 1 star away from my original rating because it's not as perfect as I remember it being.

Set in a near future where human beings have colonised several planets and moons in our solar system, this book is the original great big mcguffin story. Rama is a gigantic spaceship that is on a quick flyby through the solar system and there is just a brief opportunity to explore the vessel and learn it's secrets before it heads off back into deep space.

The only vessel within range is dispatched to do just that, even though the crew don't have the expertise to handle a possible first contact situation (though then again, who does?). And they do just that - explore the mysteries of the ship until it's time to leave, and that's pretty much the whole story. The crew do a lot of walking around, have a little boat trip, ride a person powered plane, pick a flower, fail to interact with bio-mechanical creatures that wake up as the ship revives, and cut into one building to have a look at their library catalogue. Told like this, the story is bland and almost boring but the sparse economical storytelling and low level characterisations of the crew simply let the wonder that is Rama stand out better than if more had happened.

I can just imagine what might happen if this story was being told for the first time today - there would be mutinies, gun battles, explosions, some of the crew would be kidnapped by the alien machines, a mysterious alien women that the captain falls in love with and then who dies mysteriously, and so on. Oh, and it would be three times longer with a lot more Earth bound stuff to clutter up the story.

So, I'm glad I read it again and I just hope that if the long-planned miniseries ever happens, they do it justice and stick to the story as it is told here (it's a forlorn hope I know but I live in hope). Then of course there is that final line to ponder ...The Ramans do everything in threes.

Oh and a final thought - I don't know if I want to applaud or murder the person who created the cover design of this edition. It's basically a rolled up piece of paper made to imitate Rama's shape, with the authors name and title typed on. It's either brilliant or horrible. ...more

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Aug 05, 2014 Greg Strandberg rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Hard Sci-Fi fans

Shelves: favorites, science-fiction

I really loved reading this book way back in middle school, oh...around 1994 or so.

It was the first of the Rama Series, and the only written by Clarke alone. Many think Gentry Lee ruined this book for many readers when he teamed up with Clarke, but I disagree; I think he helped continue the story line created here.

And it was a great story. People find some weird alien object floating in space. And then they decide to visit it.

I loved how Clarke did a lot of history and back story for his world. ...more

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Jun 24, 2008 Scott rated it it was amazing

Brilliant. Nothing short of brilliant. The first book in what would become a 4 book series may not have the same philosophical depth as the follow-up trilogy, but is, nonetheless, the seminal work of science fiction when it comes to sheer "what-if".

Clarke uses the vehicle (metaphorically and literally) of an abandoned (?) alien ship passing by Earth as a jumping off point for his thoughts on what civilization and technology may one day be capable of. Based in real science, but with Clarke's exce ...more

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Jul 03, 2010 NG rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to NG by: حسام محمد دياب

رواية جيدة فعلاً، ونهايتها نصف الحاسمة/ نصف المفتوحة، تترك المجال للأجزاء التالية مع الكثير من الترقب لمعرفة المزيد..
فهذه الرواية لم تكشف شيئاً تقريبا من أسرار راما، مما يعطي المجال للاجزاء التالية كي تشرح أكثر..
الرواية منطقية جدا كذلك، تعتمد على العلم والخيال معاً مما يجعلها "خيال علمي" حقيقي وليس تخريف محض كأغلب الكتبات في هذاالمجال.
الاحداث متسارعة وغير مملة، على الرغم من أن الوصف الدقيق لراما افقدني الاتجاه قليلاً وجعلني عاجزة في كثير من الأحيان عن تصور شكلها، إلا أن هذا لم يقف عائقاً أمام ا ...more

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