Customer Reviews (1)

A confusion of ideas.
I am totally confused by this book's title.Ordinarily, one might expect a book called "Arthur C. Clarke's Chronicles of the Strange and Mysterious" to have been written by Arthur C. Clarke!, but not so.It transpires, some years ago, Clarke hosted two hugely successful British television series' entitled Mysterious World and World of Strange Powers - the accompanying books for which went on to become best-sellers.Now, seemingly in an attempt to jump onto the bandwagon, these two authors have produced a book containing fresh mysteries and have invited Clarke to analyse them.Confusing or what?

And there hangs the problem as far as the subject matter is concerned.Clarke is a most distinguished scientist and engineer.For him, therefore, all paranormal events have a perfectly rational explanation - even if he does not actually have that explanation to hand.

We live in a world beset with mysteries and we like reading about them. As and when conclusive proof comes along to prove, discount or explain away this mystery or that, I personally do not want my reading of such matters spoilt by one who know best and by one who knows all the answers simply because he is a scientist.

Some interesting mysteries - but there are better books available.

NM

... Read more

Product Description

Her code name is Sparta. Her beauty veils a mysterious past and abilities of superhuman dimension -- the product of advanced biotechnology. Recovering from her mission on Mars in Venus Prime 3, Sparta finds herself the guest of the Space Board. But relaxation is short-lived as she sets out on an interplanetary investigation -- of the Space Board itself! Members of the Free Spirit, a religious cult intending to gain control of all the worlds of our galaxy, have infiltrated the Space Board. As the date of the manned mission into the clouds of Jupiter approaches, Sparta's suspicions grow. She is certain the mission has fallen into the hands of the cult, and she is determined to stop it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A low point in the Venus Prime series
I read the first three books in a matter of a few days, but this one took almost two weeks.I think Preuss was trying to setup alot of the series story arc in this book, but it just made for an extremely boring read.I actually feel asleep about midway through the book and it took me at least a week before I wanted to pick it back up.Unlike the other books this one does not work as a stand alone, too much information regarding Sparta's and Blakes's pasts is necessary to understand the plot twists and conspiracy theories that run throughout this book.

I only recommend this book if you've read the previous three books in the series.

Immenintly human after all
There are surprises galore in this latest in the Venus Prime series, among them revalations about the Commander, changes in Sparta's views on things, and the central surprise which would be rude to reveal.

As Preuss says in his notes after the novel's conclusion, this book is setting up more events in the future, while still being a good read when held alone.I'd read the first three Venus Prime books in one weekend, and then had to wait months for the fourth.Hopefully, the next books in the series will arrive more quickly, but if not, at least I know they will be well-written. ... Read more

Product Description
In the conclusion to Rendezvous with Rama, Rama II, and The Garden of Rama, a massive alien starship carries its human passengers to the end of a generations-long odyssey. 115,000 first printing. $115,000 ad/promo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A promise betrayed
This was a terrible disappointment. The cover promises "... the unforgettable revelation of the true identity of the beings behind this strange glittering trek across the cosmos". By the time it reaches the end we know nothing more about the "Eagle" then when it started. Who built Rama and the Nodes? What is the ultimate purpose? Never explained (perhaps he had none). Nicole's decision to commit suicide (partly because of the existence of a robot image that could have been removed) is entirely against character. She is a strong personality with much yet to give and see, but leaves with a pity party, all those who care about her without regard to their needs or wishes (which they conveniently surrender).

I have been reading SiFI since the 1950's and have never spent so much time reading so many pages in order to get to a sloppy, sentimental, uninformative ending. I regret that Clark is gone so there is no way to beg him to make a last second save of Nicole and carry on with a fourth book that would would answer the questions he promised to but never did. It seems obvious that Clark had a genuine hatred for the human race. The only creatures in the known universe that are worse are primitive lizards. And then Nicole talks about humans as "unique" as though that were a good thing. There is no argument about the actions of the humans on Rama, it is typical human history--the desire to conquer and destroy, and the inherent believe of "moral" and physical superiority despite the evidence all around them. To emphasize he starts a new dictatorship as soon as they get on the Node that concentrates on hating all other species.

(Aside--if you want to read the most prescient and frightening story ever written, get a copy of Jack Williamson's "With Folded Hands" {published in Astounding in '47 and available in collections).

Expecting more and receiving less.
That's pretty much how I felt after finishing the final installment of the Rama series.Sure, there were a lot of interesting ideas brought up in the end, but I was very disappointed with the theological aspect of the novel.As the character of Michael O'Toole had mentioned earlier, mankind cannot put restrictions on God, and yet that's exactly what happens.One would think that God doesn't need to experiment and tinker around before getting creation right.And why would nodes be required to collect his data?I was hoping the novel wouldn't end with the explanation being as it was.I was hoping for an alien face behind Rama, not the fantastical idea that stewed in Clarke's brain and seemed a little out of his grasp.I just believe that with such an emphasis on religion in the books, including the character of St. Michael, the theology aspect could have been handled better in the end.

As for Nicole's fate. . .I was disappointed.I kept feeling that there was something big about to happen in the end.A more plausible and yet astounding discovery that would explain Rama's purporse and origins.But that feeling was never satiated, and I was disappointed with Nicole's choice in the end.There were so many critical moments when Nicole had returned to the dreams of her grandfather, and yet that theme was never completed or touched upon in the end.Maybe I was hoping for the story to not end there, but for Nicole to go on and experience something after.Why pump so much into spirituality in the book if it doesn't pay off in the end?All what we're left with is a cold, machine-like termination.

A very poor conclusion to an otherwise magnificient series
In the foreword for Rama II, Clarke explains that-in spite of what clearly appeared to be a lead-in to a sequel ("the Ramans always do things in threes", suggesting that there would be two similar craft to follow)-he never intended for the story to go beyond "Rendezvous with Rama." That allowed Clarke to do what he does best, to conjure fantastic worlds, and present compelling questions-without ever having to answer them. As I discovered with "2061" and "3001", the mysteries Clarke weaves and the questions his stories pose, are far more compelling than any answers he can present for them. Like 3001, the conclusion to the Odyssey series, this ending is simply abysmal. I'd have been better off letting my own imagination fill in the gaps, and ponder the unanswerable questions. Instead, characters that I had come to truly know and care about-having followed their entire adult lives-are led through situations that are both tedious and implausible. It left me feeling that the lives of the characters had been an absolute waste, that the hardships, struggles, even the joys of their unique odyssey were utterly pointless. That, for me, was even harder to swallow than the absolutely ludicrous suggestion that God would need spacecraft to shuttle people around. If you were captivated by the Rama universe as I was, do yourself a favor and stop with the third book ("Garden of Rama"). Discovering what happens to Nicole is not worth it (and her fate is quite possibly worse than you might imagine).

A very telling tale about the human race
With messages of duty, responsibility and the value of family, it's likely that this book will apeal to a more mature reader.While this last installment of the RAMA tales holds all the magic of the past 3 books, it also holds some very real, if disapointing truths about mankind.We are not the creators chosen race, indeed, we are simply an eliment in one universe of many by which the creator seeks a simplicity only a god may aspire to.Some refreshing ideas on the origins, purpose and existance of the universe and our place in it.

Nice little parts but the most is s***
The parts with the octospiders are interesting and also the ending part about the cosmic philosophy. But there is too much soap opera again...Bulls*** again! Read the first Rama book! ... Read more

Product Description

the fifth volume in a series of science-fiction thrillers evolving from the works of arthur c. clarke, grandmaster of science fiction and author of 2001: a space odyssey.

Her code name is Sparta. Her beauty veils a mysterious past and abilities of superhuman dimension -- the product of advanced biotechnology.

Much excitement has arisen throughout the galaxy over the exploration mission to Jupiter's moon, Amalthea. Led by the renowned Professor J.Q.R. Forster, the dangerous expedition will lead its members to the surface of this strange moon -- and beyond. It is Sparta's mission to monitor the trip on the part of the Board of Space Control.

Her task becomes more threatening when Sir Randolph Mays, Forster's rival and nemesis, "accidentally" crash-lands on Amalthea's surface. Far from innocent, Mays has a plan for laying claim to Forster's discoveries, and only Sparta is able to prevent sabotage. But what is Mays really after? And how will they all react to the discovery of an alien life-form...?

This breathtaking adventure brings together the genius of Arthur C. Clarke and the talents of distinguished science-fiction writer Paul Preuss. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

And if you look out the window on your left you will see Amalthea
With this book, the series is starting to regain the momentum it had during the first two books.Sparta has reconciled with her feelings toward her biotechnical engineering and with those responsible.Preuss spends a good deal of time wrapping up a lot of loose ends from the fouth book.But, he also delves back into the plot of the entire series, reminding the reader why s/he finished the last book.The reader is pulled back into the mystery and intrigue of the alien culture called Culture X.We have reached the fuzzy edge of knowledge that will hopefully crystalize in the last book.

Top sci-fi mystery, interesting characters
Arthur C. Clarke's component in this series is the inclusion of a number of his interesting short stories as the subplots with very little alteration of the details. (The original book titles were actually the names of the stories, eg. Breaking Strain.) These stories are seamlessly incorporated into the whole work.

What is added by Preuss is the style and setting - Sparta, a fragile but superhuman woman who has lost her past, searches for the people who made her what she is. In doing so, she becomes involved in the situations created in Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction. The "Venus Prime" series maps out her journey (as well as serving up great stories by Clarke). Preuss peppers the books with nice details of life in the near future (like logical extensions, interesting-but-plausible technology, and so on).

If you're looking for the original short stories, several appeared in the out-of-print collection "The Sentinel ; masterworks of science fiction and fantasy" (the title story is also interesting as the origin of Clarke's novel "2001 a Space Odyssey").

Sparta Is My Hero!
I just finished The Diamond Moon.Thoroughly enjoyed this fifth volume. I have always been a huge fan of Arthur C. Clarke and was skeptical when realizing he was a co-author, but have been extremely pleased with themasterful blend of true science fiction with an involving story line usingmystery and engaging character development that I assume to be of PaulPreuss' design.This is not a book to be read on it's own, but to beenjoyed from the beginning and read through the end - (I'm going to getVolume 6 now).

I have been hooked right from the start - accolades toPaul Preuss and Arthur C. Clarke! ... Read more

Product Description
In A Fall of Moondust, time is running out for the passengers and crew of the tourist-cruiser "Selene," incarcerated in a sea of choking lunar dust. On the surface, her rescuers find their resources stretched to the limit by the pitiless and unpredictable conditions of a totally alien environment.

The Lion of Comarre presents the far-flung future where one city of extraordinary means was built on Earth—Comarre—and it is rumored to still exist. None but a few know of its location and they hold it a secret, afraid that the knowledge would subvert society. A young man with great prospects and no worries in the world gives them all up to hunt for the fabled city, and what he finds is something mankind has only dreamed of. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

ibooks needs to learn to EDIT!
Ok- I've always been a fan of Clarke's work, so when I found this collection I grabbed it-and was confronted by an average of 5-10 typing errors on every page. It's obvious that ibooks simply scanned the books from originals, ran them through a reader, used an automated spell checker, but made no effort to edit or even proofread the resulting text. As a result, the story has been rendered unreadable, and ibooks has lost a future customer.

Good Stories, Typos
I enjoyed the three short stories that made up this book.Nothing especially stellar or ground breaking but interesting little reads.

My only complaint and warning, the first story is replete with typos.It seems like the story was scanned from a source like a magazine, converted to text by a computer, and then never proof read.I found the typos so common and disruptive that I almost had to stop reading the story.If you're likely to be bothered by this, then definitely don't shell out the money for this collection. ... Read more

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Product Description
This book originally appeared in 1962, and was based on essays written during the period 1959 - 1961. Since it was concerned with ultimate possibilities, and not with achievements to be expected in the near future, even the remarkable events of the last decade have dated it very little. But Arthur Clarke has gone over the book making corrections and comments where necessary in order to bring it right up-to-date. The author, amongst many fascinating excursions into what the future may hold, discusses the fourth dimension and the obsolescence of the law of gravity, the exploration of the entire solar system and the colonisation of some of it; seas will mined for energy and minerals, and asteroids will be pulled to Earth to supply needed materials; men, already bigger than they need be, may be bred smaller to be more efficient on less food. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

More classic Clarke
This is a reissue of the original book which came out in 1962, containing essays by the author which were published in various other venues over the years, if I remember right. Although best known as a science fiction writer, Clarke wrote prodigiously in the field of nonfiction as well, was the inventor of the communications satellite concept, collaborated on several nature films on the Mediterannean with a friend, and was an invited commentator for the Apollo moon landing. Fans of his fiction may notice the similarity between the speculations contained in this book and two of his novels about the far future, Against the Fall of Night, and The City and the Stars (basically a later and rewritten version of the earlier book).

In these essays, Clarke engages in some of his most entertaining and far-reaching speculations on the future of science and technology and how that will affect man and society in the future. Very little of the science is dated despite it being over 40 years since the book came out. Various topics are covered, such as communications, computers, shipping and transport, and my favorite was the last chapter, The Obsolescence of Man. Clarke suspects humans will eventually be made "obsolete" by advances in science and medicine, with machines doing everything, better, faster, and cheaper, despite the extension of the human lifespan.

By the way, as of a few years ago when I visited his website once, Clarke was still travelling and speaking, despite being confined to a wheelchair because of a recent medical problem, and answering fan mail on his website. Truly one of the giants of science fiction, Clarke is most remembered for the movie, 2001, but his novel, Childhood's End, published about ten years earlier, would be my pick for the top sci-fi novel of all time. (Note: 2001 is actually based on the short story, The Sentinel, which Clarke published in 1948). In this poignant and captivating story, the human race comes to a bittersweet ending by evolving into a strange communal intelligence, thereby leaving the limitations of individual, corporeal minds behind. The Overlords, whose minds are perhaps a hundred times more powerful than a humans, are memorable characters. But I'll also remember him for this fascinating and vivid book about the future of science, technology, and man himself.

Don't take it too seriously.
f you are looking for a book with scientific facts, I don't think you will find much to your liking. But if you are interested in human imagination (more or less based upon facts), this might be something for you.

Arthur C.Clarke is an English scientist and Science-Fiction writer. 'Profiles of The Future' was first published in 1962. There are nineteen chapters each with a different subject. Arthur C.Clarke calls it 'An inquiry into the limits of the possible.'

One of the chapters is the future of transport. In the future cargo will be stowed in some kind of a submersible container. They could be linked together as the wagons of a train and pulled by a submarine. The idea is that ships are too heavy and loose too much time and energy during a storm. Up until now I'm wondering whether A.C.Clarke is joking or not.
In the chapter 'The Obsolescence of Man' he discusses the future of the Homo Sapiens. Much of this chapter is used for the film '2001: A Space Odyssey'.

At the end of the book there is a 'Chart of the Future'. It's a list of discoveries in the future as far as 2100. (Remember that 'Profiles of the Future' was first published in 1962). To name a few: in 2000, colonising planets (The optimism of the sixties !).In 21OO, immortality (!?).

As you can see, don't take this book too seriously. But it's a engrossing read.

An Interesting Collection of Essays
As Clarke says in the introduction to this book, he is not, in it, trying to predict the future per se, but rather defining the boundaries in which all possible futures must lie. Hence the subtitle, "An Inquiry Into The Limits of the Possible." Thus, even though the book was published in 1962 (with many of the articles written before that) subsequent advances in science (and indeed, in imagination itself) have dated it very little. On top of this, there is now a new Millennium Edition of the book out (although Amazon seems not to know of it's existence) in which ACC has updated his essays, making correction where necessary, and discussing when and where he went wrong, and mentioning when he was correct. On some topics, such as, unsurprisingly, satellite communications, he is almost dead-on accurate with the events that have occurred since the book was written. However, on the other end of the spectrum, on such subjects as future transportation methods, he was quite clearly off target. He is the first to admit this, and indeed, devotes two chapters of the book to "Hazards of Prophecy." Perhaps the most interesting chapter is "The Obolescence of Man" in which Clarke waxes thoughtful on the future relationship between Man and Machine. It leads to some rather startling conclusions that many of the more self-important among us may be reluctant to accept. There is also a chart in the back of the book where Arthur lays out the major scientific advances of the last 150 years, and his predictions up to the year 2100. In these are such seemingly optimistic predictions as weather control by 2010 and IMMORTALITY BY 2100. The more conservative among us may be keen to laugh at such statements, but remember, this is the man who talked of broadcasting satellite TV IN 1945. Arthur is not one to be taken lightly, and this book shows why.

A future undone
Glance at A.C.'s table in the back of what will happen then next 100 years!!! Profiles is important to any one thinking about thinking of the future. So much to go! Thanks A.C.C. ... Read more

Product Description

The second volume of the spectacular science-fiction thriller evolving from the works of Arthur C. Clarke, grandmaster of science fiction and author of 2001: a space odyssey..

Her code name is Sparta.Her beauty veils a mysterious past and abilities of superhuman dimension-the product of advanced biotech engineering.

When a team of scientists is trapped in the gaseous inferno of Venus, Sparta must risk her life to save them, unaware that her actions will help recover a mysterious artifact: irrefutable evidence of life on another planet. .

As the secrets of the artifact are revealed, Sparta uncovers a mystery which may lead her to the truth of her own destiny.

This gripping saga brings together the genius of Arthur C. Clarke and the talents of distinguished science-fiction writer Paul Preuss.

The book has an introduction by Arthur c. Clarke.

You can share your thoughts about Arthur c. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Sparta has to solve another crime, but this time its on the Moon.
Sparta is a biologically enhanced woman who is on a personal mission to find her parents or the man who killed them.In order to do this she takes on a new identity, Ellen Troy, and rises to the rank of investigator in the Board of Space Control.With the help of her childhood friend, Blake Redfield, she begins to unravel the mysteries behind her biological enhancements and the group that calls themselves the Free Spirits.

In this second volume, Preuss does an excellent job of continuing the suspense and drama that made the first book so intriguing.Not only does each book hold a mystery in and of itself, but the series as a whole is a mystery in which the reader picks up clues along the way.Quite an interesting concept that I've not seen in the mystery/suspense genre.However, this technique does seem to lend itself to sci-fi where the reader is used to stories that continue past a single book.

The perfect series for young adult girls
I love that Sparta's intelligence is what we see as her "super power" along with her technological "improvements".She is not a heroine who has "super strength" but rather super character.The plot is fast paced keeps you guessing and defineltly can hold even the video gamers attention.Only complaint; the book describes Sparta with blue eyes not hazel which is on the cover and her body is described not quite as thin and "top heavey" as on the cover.

A Great Story
I found this book to be a really excellent story.There were many places where I did not want to put the book down, so I made time to finish the section I was reading.Several times I exclaimed, "wow" aloud while reading on the Metro.It is easy to image-in what the author was writing, so I felt as though I was right there.I am looking forward to finding and reading venus prime 1 thru 5!

At first I felt put off by two things.First, the picture of the woman on the cover, while appealing, did cause me to refrain from leaving the book lying around for my 8-year old daughter to see.This book does not need sex to sell.Second, I was put off by the fact that Arthur Clarke was not authoring it.But I gave it a shot anyway, and I must say, I was very pleasantly surprised. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A really good, overlooked book
This book is significant as being the only non-science fiction fiction book that Arthur C. Clarke ever wrote. It was inspired by (and partially, I'm sure) based upon his experience in World War II as a member of the Royal Air Force, using the GCD (Ground Controlled Descent) system to "talk-down" pilots. This is the setting of the story. Though the technology described is not impressive by today's standards (almost 40 years after the book was written, and 60 after the events it fictionalizes), the radar system is gone into in a quite detailed way, and it's obvious that Clarke knows what he's talking about. However, aside from this, there is another reason that this book is significant. Here we actually have Clarke employing a main character (Alan Bishop) as a main character, and developing him. Perhaps this was spurned on by his own personal involvement with the setting of the story, but, whatever the reason for it, this is probably actually the most "human" story that Clarke has ever put out. Those who claim that they can't read Clarke because all of his stories are just complex scientific esoteria that nobody understands wrapped up in a science fiction premise with cardboard cutout carichatures of characters who act merely as set pieces must revise, at least partially, this view of the author after reading this book. We see Clarke develop the character of Bishop. This, indeed, is one of his relatively few books (including among them Imperial Earth, The Songs of Distant Earth, and perhaps The Fountains of Paradise), where a human being is actually the star of the show, and not a machine or an idea. This is a bit of a change of pace for the reader of ACC's fiction, and it is a pleasant diversion. While this is most assuredly not one of his major works, it is an enjoyable read, and an interesting contrast. It balances the technological and human elements of the story rather well. A nice, quick read as well. Pick it up if you can find it.

Imagination takes a back seat
Longtime fans of Arthur C. Clarke should be wary of Glide Path, a departure from his usually excellent science fiction fare.In this novel, Clarke looks back on the early days of World War II to recount the insidestory of the research team that developed a radar talk-down system forpilots called GCD - Ground Controlled Descent.The hero is Flying OfficerAlan Bishop, a trainer with experience in radio and radar, but not muchelse.Through Bishop's eyes we meet the scientists, engineers, and RAFofficers whose combined talents were responsible for this valuablelife-saving tool.The science is admittedly well out of date, but Clarke'sreal focus is not on the physics but on the human elements: Dr. Hatton, abiologist who sees the application that the physicists don't, ProfessorSchuster, the theoretical genius who designs the whole system but doesn'tunderstand a voltage adapter, Flight Lieutenant Collins, whose upper-classdress and manners inspire nothing but derision, and especially Bishop, whotalks down hundreds of pilots but has never flown himself.Clarke tries tofill out Bishop's story with scenes from his personal life, showing us hisrelationships with his father, his governess, and his lady friend, as wellas his fellow officers, but in the tradition of British reserve, thesechapters come off rather flat.He succeeds in fleshing out Bishop'scharacter, but generally fails to endear him to the reader.Perhaps thereal problem is that by focusing on Bishop the Everyman, he condemns hisstory to be equally mundane.Since so much of this book is about Bishop(it could be argued that this novel is his coming-of-age story), and onlytangentially about the technology, Clarke needed to make us interested inBishop's fate.By the novel's conclusion, though, we recognize thatrelatively little has actually happened to him.While clearly somecharacter development takes place over the course of the novel, there isnothing especially suspenseful or even interesting about Bishop's progressinto manhood.If the essence of a story is conflict, whom may we sayBishop is in conflict with?We get only the briefest of hints that there'sactually an enemy out there.The best moments are the talk-down landings,where Bishop defies Nature and himself trying to do what was once thoughtimpossible, but many more such moments would have been needed to make thisbook a real success. Instead this book is a pleasant piece of historicalfiction, but it isn't meaty enough to be taken as seriously as Clarkeperhaps intended it. ... Read more

Product Description
All of Arthur C. Clarke’s short stories collected in one volume, beginning with ‘Travel by Wire! ’, Clarke’s first ever published short story.A volume which showcases his range and variety, each story a classic example of the unique mixture of speculation and fiction which has made Clarke a household name.This edition is being published in 2001, the year that is synonymous with Clarke’s visions of the future. ... Read more

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For Baxter's part, the Light of Other Days develops another aspect of Manifold's notion that humanity might have to master the flow of time itself to avert a comparatively mundane disaster (yet another yawn-inducing big rock threatening to hit the earth); Clarke, just as he did with Trigger's anti-gun ray, speculates on how a revolutionary technology can change the world forever. --Paul Hughes ... Read more

Customer Reviews (101)

Big Clarke Fan; Big Disappointment
Simply put, this book was a struggle to read.Only curiosity kept me going.The basic idea was interesting, but I couldn't help feel there was a political slant to the book.It is no suprise (or unique) that a science fiction novel grounded in modern science would take a dim view of religion.But when one character refers to it as a "God virus", that is a little too much.But things don't stop there.We have a Muslim POW camp where American soldiers torture prisoners, wrongly accused victims of the death penalty, and Crusading Christians eating the flesh off the bones of the fallen.Even this I could live with (because it is after all fiction), but there is no balance.I, for one, hate politics because it's ONLY intent is to be divisive.And I can't enjoy any book that leans so far to either side of the spectrum.If the book focused more on character & story development and less on flashbacks of "truth" (used either as preaching or padding (don't know which)), I would give it a higher rating.There is a good story scattered inside the book.It just takes off on too many tangents that could have easily been left out.Maybe they got paid by the page like Dickens.

Grand concepts but very disappointing story - dreary book
I have always liked Clarke.But this one is a major disappointment. This book is long on concepts, but there isn't much story, and the characters never really come to life.The easiest indicator of this is that, in the last 10% or so of the book, not one of the characters does anything more than watch time scroll backwards millions of years.And then the book ends.Seriously.

Most stories have some type of problem that gets resolved, and the characters get caught up in the problem and its resolution.Not this book, really.

So, if you like concept and description, and can enjoy it despite relatively tedious action by not-too-interesting characters, then read this book.Otherwise, I suggest finding another book.

One of my favorite books
This is one of my favorite sci fi books.This book really makes you think about technology and privacy and the way things like the internet will change our lives in the future.

action-packed thriller
In the twenty-first century, Hidamani Patel had escaped the impoverished North Sea that has encroached on the fifty-second state England to make a fortune in the Forty-eight as Hiram Patterson.The successful multi-billionaire built his OurWorld campus on what was once Microsoft back before global warming changed the planet.Now Hiram explains his newest gizmo to journalist Kate Manzoni because of her article on Wormwood and the hit in the Pacific in the twenty-sixth century while Hiram's son Bobby stands by.

Hiram has invented a WormCam that uses wormhole technology to open a portal anywhere in the world instantly.Privacy is a thing of the past as a person can see anyone at anytime.The technology soon also applies to seeing what has been as secrets are no more.

The underlying premise is brilliant as history's mysteries are open for public consumption on a big humanity altering scale, but also on a personal individual relationship scale.When the story line focuses on the philosophy of what happens to mankind if basic beliefs are shattered, it is an intriguing tale.When the plot tries to turn inward to the impact on the characters, it loses steam ironically in spite of a lot more action as none of the cast matters especially compared to the historical possibilities.Fans of the two authors will enjoy their collaboration, but the prime what if question will be what if the cast felt remorse, guilt and shame for the lies they told their loved ones or for the lies their heroes told the world.Instead they become comic book action heroes who soar as an action-packed thriller; instead of short stories based on major historical events and legends through the ages that would have been enlightening.

Harriet Klausner

Reading Arthur Clarke for ideas
Context and purpose matter in effectively reading a book.You don't read Jane Austin for social and political details of the Napoleonic Wars; you read her for fine-grained and highly ironic character development.By the same token, you don't read Arthur Clarke for character or plot development; you read him for prophetic insights and ideas that solidly extrapolate frontier scientific thinking.Thus, to criticize him for flawed characters and plots is to miss the point and lose the opportunity to extend your point of view about the world and the implications of current technological trends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

what a disappointment
At least in these early works Clarke has tight nice prose but the story sucked. The ending was one big anticlimax. ... Read more

Product Description
Her code name is Sparta. Her beauty veils a mysterious past and abilities far surpassing those of a normal human, for she is more than human-she is the first product of advanced biotech engineering. But now she is little more than a cipher to herself, for crucial memories of the past three years are locked away in the dark recesses of her brain. Who is she, really? Why is she on Earth? What had she been doing in space? What was her job at Venus Station, and what did a crippled space freighter called the Star Queen have to do with her current condition? As Sparta desperately searches for answers, she realizes she must unlock the mystery of who she is before she can solve the greater mysteries of what she has done, what has been done to her-and why. . . . ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

captivating read
This book is the first of a six-part series written by paul preuss that is loosely based off of the work of arthur c. clarke.The main character, Sparta, is an unusually intelligent and gifted woman with severe memory problems.Her attempts to find out what happened to her family and what has been done to her make up the main plot of the book.I found it to be very action-packed and exciting, with likeable protagonists and just enough suspense.Paul Preuss, also a noted science author, writes intelligent prose but manages to keep everything interesting.As a way to further flesh out the novel, he even includes some technical diagrams of the book's machinery in the back.I highly recommend this science fiction and adventure novel, and I hope the rest of the series is also republished in this mass market paperback format (book two is currently, but none of the others yet)

JH_Teeters
It certainly got my attention.I've read a couple more of them.I am now after the rest of the series.

A Masterpiece of Drama, Technology, and Sci-Fi!
After 30 years experience in the Space Program, NASA, and deep Space probes, I have to say this is one of the more intellectuall accurate, and stimulating stories I have read. I am an Clarke fan, having read 2001 when it first came out in 1968, but the combination of Clarke's vision and Preuss's writing skills makes this Venus Prime Series a set of books you will not be able to put down!

Sparta Rocks!
Sparta is the name of a bio-enahnced young woman. She wakes everyday, knowing nothing of the day last past. Then one day Sparta's keen senses trip a deep mechanistic response to escape where she is. Only minutes later she finds herself in a mega-fast mega-powerful attack helicopter; somehow, she knows exactly how to fly it... From then on she will have to assume a new identity - hiding in the open as an elect officer. She knows only that she's looking for her true self - she will solve many other mysteries along the way. This is a fantastic trip and an excellent read! Also, it is difficult to get all six (6) in the series - if you find them (all) BUY THEM AT ONCE! It has taken me three years to collect them all.

Venus prime
The only thing good about this book is the cover. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Essential if you loved 2001
I highly reccommend this book to you if you enjoyed the novel 2001: A Space Odyssey (or the movie, for that matter, but read the book version of it before you read this.) It consists of chapters that were originally written for the book, but were not used. Also included are occasional musings by Clarke on the making of the book, and behind-the-scenes glimpses at the making of the movie. He kept a journal during the entire 4-year process of the making of the works, and some of them are excerpted here. It's interesting to see some of the ideas that were thought up, but abandoned. For instance, what became HAL was originally a walking robot; the initial "Dawn of Man" scenes involved an actual alien, and there are numerous alternate endings (all of them every bit as ornate as the one we're all familar with.) This is sort of the literary equivalent of the movie industry's "The Making of Kubrick's 2001" (which I also reccommend.) A highly worthy buy for the fan.

Sort of good-ish
The literary equivalent of an musical b-sides and rarities compilation, this is a collection of musings on, and extracts from, early versions of the novel of '2001' - Clarke directs the reader to Jerome Agel's then-forthcoming, now-equally-out-of-print 'The Making of Kubrick's 2001' for information on the making of the film. As such, your enjoyment of this is going to depend on your opinion of Clarke's novel (which, without the film, would probably be out-of-print too), and whether you want to read disjointed chapters from early drafts. As glimpses into an alternative '2001', one that Kubrick might have filmed, it's priceless; as entertainment, it's less interesting. Like the other 'hard sci-fi' writers, Clarke is best at the science bits, and a short segment from an alternative finale, one in which the four surviving Discovery crewmembers explore a deep hole in the side of Iapetus (although, oddly, it's only referred to as 'Jupiter V' - perhaps they hadn't named it yet), is fascinating. The talky bits were never his strong point, though, and the pre-flight glimpses at Earth in the year 2001 are full of people not so much conversing, as delivering little scientific monologues at each other. As with everything else Clarke has written, none of the characters have any actual character - although it's possible that this is hyper-realism as, let's face it, most people in the real world are bland, dull and interchangeable, especially when they're at work, and Clarke's characters are always at work. Disappointingly, HAL doesn't appear at all. The other main strand personifies the monolith in the form of Clindar, a tall, noble alien who comes across as an insufferably self-righteous riff on Klaatu from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'. One shudders to think how camp the film would have been if this had been filmed. And there are a couple of descriptions of alien landscapes and societies which are quite evocative but have a habit of repeating themselves.

There's a reprint of 'The Sentinel' as well, but if you're going to the trouble of ordering this from Amazon (it took about a month for them to find and post it to sodden, freezing, miserable London, which wasn't much slower than a normal order) you've probably read that already. In summary, then, if you're reading this you're either buzzing with curiosity or you're me, and if you're a fan of the film, the book, or Clarke it's essential. You'll probably buy it, read it once, and never read it again, though.

God Bless Amazon.Com
I have been looking for this out of print gem for almost 15 years!I placed my first order with Amazon.com eight weeks ago, and, as a lark, placed an order.And here it is in my hot little hands!

This is a great service -- I'm *sorry* about themom and pop bookshopes, but survival of the fittest and all that!

insightful look by the author into the movie "2001..."
In this approoximately 200-page paperback you can find interesting details about the making of the movie, and learn about the people behind the ideas presented in "2001." Clarke supplies many interesting anecdotesof the making of the movie, and fills-in the reader on what the origin ofsome of the ideas and technologies presented in the film.For example,"HAL" was a 'real' acronym (meaning Heuristically programmedALgorithmic computer), rather than a one-upsmanship game with IBM (theletters HAL are correspondingly 1 letter ahead of IBM, and many peopleasked Clarke about that). The historical perspective is interesting, too,since the Apollo Project and 2001 were happening at the same time--Kubrickand Clarke did not want to lose cinematic credibility to events in theso-called "space race."

Much better than the "modified for the movie" 2001.
This is the original version of what most people know as "2001: A space odyssey". The differences are small, but they help make sense out of the cropped version of the story sci fi fans are famillier with. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Truely classic sci-fi
This book contains twelve short stories from Arthur C. Clarke, one of the masters of science fiction.It was first published in 1956 and contains Clarke's earliest published work which first appeared in 1946.Some of these stories are haunting, some humorous and some intriguing, but all are imaginative and beautifully written in Clarke's hard-boiled style.The subjects covered include the mandatory aliens, space exploration and amazing technology, but also more unusual topics are included, such as psychic phenomena in and the discovery of new intelligent Earth species in .

Despite being 50 years old virtually none of these stories have dated. is the only exception.Due to space probe fly-bys we now know much more about Jupiter's satellites, at least, enough to know that this story could not be true; but this did not spoil the story for me and will not for you if you can suspend disbelief.

The humorous story is perhaps my favorite, but it is hard to choose as they are all of such good quality.The shortest story is perhaps the weakest, but can quickly be passed over.

The length of these stories range from three pages to thirty four pages so the book is ideal to dip into if you have an hour which needs filling.This volume is an oldie, but still very much a goodie and can truly be dub a classic.
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Customer Reviews (3)

5 Masterpieces!
This collection has 5 ACC stories, and among them 3 of the best science fiction stories of all-time. You will be hard-pressed to find an SF fan who will tell you that 2001: A Space Odyssey, Rendezvous With Rama, and TheCity & The Stars are not three of the best science fiction books everwritten. And the reason, is simply because they ARE three of the best! Eachone is a masterpiece in it's own right, the kind of future story that couldonly have come from Arthur C. Clarke. No one else could've written thesebooks. That's not to discount the other two stories in this collection: TheDeep Range (which is a good book about the sea (not space!) which a verypoetic ending), and A Fall of Moondust, another ACC classic. If Amazon evergets this book back, be sure to order it!

Great book, bad series
Unlike the other Rama books, with the possible exeption of number 2, this was escellent. The plot, the action, the characters, and even the setting was unbelievable. This was a well-written, well thought out book. And thelast line was incredible....The Ramans do everything in threes...

One of my all-time favourites
The story of an expedition to a giant cylindrical craft that passes through our solar system. It's long been a favourite of mine and I have read it dozens of times. Apparently someone in Hollywood is going to make a film about it soon. Can't wait. ... Read more

Product Description
We live in the midst of one of the greatest technological revolutions in history, an era of deep-seated transformation—a macroshift in civilization, says preeminent scholar and futurist Ervin Laszlo. Its signs and manifestations are all around us, from the deadly HIV/AIDS epidemic sweeping Africa and the dangerous fire-trap sweatshops routinely killing workers in Bangladesh, to the environmental havoc created by genetic engineering, power plant pollution and mechanized agriculture. The application of new technologies has turned into a double-edged sword. The world is growing together in some respects, but is coming apart in others. Worldwide economic globalization, another sign of the macroshift, all too often benefits the few rather than the many. Hundreds of millions live at a higher material standard of living, but thousands of millions are pressed into abject poverty. The richest 20% earn ninety times the income of the poorest 20%, consume eleven times as much energy, and eat eleven times as much meat. There have been other macroshifts in human history, but they spanned centuries, allowing cultural values, beliefs, and change to occur gradually. Today, technology has reduced our time to adapt; the entire critical period of change is compressed into the lifetime of a generation. Today’s macroshift, explains Laszlo, harbors great promise, as well as grave danger. He outlines two possible scenarios: "The Breakdown," where we choose to drift without a change in our current direction toward chaos, anarchy, and destruction, or "The Breakthrough," where we collectively transform our thinking and behavior to produce creative, sustainable solutions to dangerous global problems. And he shows what each of us can do—politically, professionally, and privately—to bring about the Breakthrough and shape a humane and sustainable global future. While technology is what drives the unprecedented speed of this macroshift, it is our vision, values, and actions now that will ultimately determine the outcome. The choice is up to us—the power is in our hands.Amazon.com Review
Ervin Laszlo, a pioneer in complex systems philosophy and general evolution theory who has written or cowritten 36 books, believes we are in the midst of a massive worldwide transformation that will dramatically alter everything from lifestyle to economy. Such total upheaval has occurred only a few times before, he says, and in Macroshift he explains what this might mean and how we might manage its impact.

The gist, according to Laszlo, is that technology and globalization have unbalanced social structures, upended values and priorities, sparked resource exploitation, and "downgraded the livability" of our planet. The result is an unsustainable situation that could trigger political conflict, financial vulnerability, and deteriorating environmental problems during the coming decade unless "a new way of thinking" takes hold. "If we are not to join the myriad species that had once populated the Earth but became extinct," he predicts, "we will have to create a civilization that is more adapted to the conditions in which we find ourselves."

He then offers ideas to do so, including a shift from "competition to reconciliation and partnership" and development of "more responsible and humane community projects" around the world. The proposals are not for everyone, but if Laszlo is correct, this book offers serious food for thought that we all would be wise to ponder. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Inner over outer shift
This eye and heart-opening book - just like "You Can Change The World" by the same author - is a must read for each and every human being whose consciousness is gradually awakening to the problems that humanity shares on our beautiful planet. The more it is being read and the pieces of advice adhered to, the more planetary consciousness will spread and take a lasting effect in the minds and hearts of our fellow inhabitants on planet earth. May the book's vision NOT turn out to be wishful thinking.

disappointing
Laszo's new book rather disappointed me. Nothing new. All he writes had nothing to do with The Field, or the inner movements of human beings. Rhe things he write down in 'Marcroshift' are better said by others before him. Much ado about nothing, that's my review.

We need a "fundamental revolution of consciousness".
Ervin Laszlo has a formidable international reputation as a systems philosopher and the founder of general evolution theory. He has written around 70 books covering a wide variety of fields. His style is lucid, direct and very readable. This book is a brilliant addition to dialogue on an issue that desperately needs clear thinking and the ability to challenge ossified mindsets in a way that is constructive rather than merely strident. It is thoughtful, sober and constructive, in contrast to so many books in this genre that are slick and sensationalist.

Laszlo makes a carefully argued case that the world is in a rapid and fundamental transition, which will become critical during the years 2001 to 2010. Whether the outcome is 'breakthrough' or 'breakdown' depends primarily on building a 'fundamental revolution of consciousness' among a critical mass of people. The three parts of the book describe

the concept of a 'macroshift', historical examples of previous macroshifts and the choices before us
the 'new imperatives' and the logic underlying them; and
the way ahead.

Doctrine to save the world
Overall, I think the book carries great meaning and great lessons.We need to have a new mindset - "macroshift", in order to save the planet.I totally agree.

Then why do I only give 3 stars?Because I still didn't see anything new.It is similar to other books, like "Limits to Growth" by Donella Meadows (Club of Rome).The author provides all different kinds of warning signs to ask people "Live simple.Love our Earth and other species".I know it's difficult to have a new pitch to ask people stop wasting or stop smoking, etc.However, we do need a more insightful/creative perspective to really change people.

Overall, I only recommend this book to people who are already buy-in "save the planet" concept.

The Definitive Guide to the Global Crisis...
As much as it is possible for a single book to give its reader a comprehensive and profound understanding of the impending global social, economic, and ecological crisis, this is that book.

According to Dr. Laszlo, human society has passed through three major stages --Mythos, Theos, and Logos--and is on the verge of its next, and perhaps final stage, Holos.But the transition from our Logos civilization to Holos, like those before it, is not quite as automatic as someone simply climbing the rungs of a ladder.According to _Macroshift, there is some real possibility that our civilization may fail to make the leap, in which case it will almost certainly 'break down' into global anarchy--we may have had a terrible foretaste of this in the September 11 attacks. (For a chilling picture of this kind of world, see the classic sci-fi film _The Road Warrior_).But, should it succeed, humanity will be privileged to witness the birth of the first truly global civilization--and a world whose possibilities surpass our dreams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Early Novels And Some Short Fiction Thrown In
"Prelude to Mars" is an interesting collection from Arthur C. Clarke.It includes his first novel, "Prelude to Space", eight humorous short fiction stories, eight serious short fiction stories, and his second novel, "The Sands of Mars".This collection was published in 1965, and it provides readers with an easy way to get a hold of Clarke's first two novels.

The first section of the book is "Prelude to Mars", Clarke's first novel, which he wrote in 1947 in just 20 days.It wasn't published until 1951.It is strong on technical details and makes some fairly good predictions about the first mission to the moon, but the character development isn't there and the political situation surrounding the effort is pretty far off the mark.The book was tied for 25th on the 1956 Astounding/Analog poll for science fiction books.

The next section is "On the Light Side" which consists of eight stories all of which are from Clarke's "White Hart" series.This is a fun collection of stories and if you don't have them somewhere else this is as good as any place to find them, though you will only get part of the collection here.Clarke includes some other science fiction writers in these stories under pseudonyms, including his own role as narrator.One of the stories, "Trouble with the Natives" is not typically included as a "White Hart" story because it is written from the perspective of aliens, but it does mention the pub by name so I tend to include it.

The next section is "On the Serious Side" and includes eight works of short fiction which, not surprisingly are series instead of humorous.This includes a variety of stories which don't appear to have any particular connection, so it isn't clear why they were chosen.There are some similarities between a few of them, but on the whole it appears to be a fairly random selection of stories from 1946 - 1953.

The last section is "The Sands of Mars", Clarke's second novel which was also published in 1951.The differences between this novel and his first become very clear quickly.Clarke spends a lot more time on the characters in the second novel, and while the science is certainly still there, it doesn't feel as forced as in his first novel.That being said, the story does include some rather hard to believe coincidences, so I would rank it overall slightly below the first novel, especially when one looks at believability.Of interest is the use of the same idea as Clarke would use in one of his later works, 2010.

Overall a decent collection, and one which I rank above each of the individual parts.It certainly gives the reader a good look at Clarke's early work, and in particular his first two novels.Even if these are not Clarke's masterpieces, they are still worth reading.
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