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Title: Rama II by Arthur Charles Clarke, Gentry Lee ISBN: 0-606-19283-2 Publisher: Turtleback Books Distributed by Demco Media Pub. Date: January, 2001 Format: Unknown Binding Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $13.90 |
Average Customer Rating: 2.88 (116 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: Entertaining sci-fi intrigue, but doesn't stand on its own
Comment: In the year 2200, a second of the alien spacecrafts designated "Rama" enters our solar system, sparking another expedition to try to learn the secrets of its mysterious purpose and origin. This book is the sequel to Arthur C. Clarke's landmark First Contact novel Rendezvous with Rama, that showed an intrepid team of Earthmen exploring an apparently abandoned alien spacecraft that passes through our system. This is the second book in a series that will continue with The Gardens of Rama, and Rama Revealed. This time around Clarke is writing with NASA scientist Gentry Lee, whose knowledge of space engineering adds some details that the first novel had missed.
The first half of the book is fairly interesting, showing how the beautiful, ambitious, unscrupulous newscaster Francesca Sabatini manipulates the decision-makers who are nominally in charge of the racially, religiously, and nationally diverse expedition. Squared off against her is the heroine, Nicole des Jardins, the French-African Life Sciences Officer, who has secrets of her own. Once underway, a deadly accident causes a shift in the expedition's power structure. Then, once the remaining crew is aboard the Rama spacecraft, Clarke and Lee's scientific skills come to the fore, describing the peculiar features of this enormous vessel, and the seemingly inexplicable activities of the creatures (?) found within.
The second half functions as a more straightforward space adventure story, featuring Nicole des Jardins' perils aboard the Rama. All the intrigue gets lost in the excitement of wondering how Nicole will escape her doom on Rama, and while the resolution may be satisfactory enough for some, perhaps, it does require a good stretch of the imagination. Unfortunately, this book's ultimate conclusion really cuts the entire first half adrift, and the whole is less than satisfying. Perhaps the next volume, The Gardens of Rama, will once again pick up the plot threads that are left dangling in Rama II. One can hope so, at least, and the three-star rating reflects that expectation to a considerable extent, because without any further resolution this book would be very weak indeed.
Rating: 1
Summary: Sadly, Absolute Trash
Comment: Exploring the original Rama was an quietly stunning experience of wonder; the dark, cold, sterile environment; watching as the alien world awoke. The Ramans completely ignored our explorers, considering them merely trash to be swept away by their bots. The central sea was mysterious and fascinating when frozen, it was mysterious and fascinating when the lights came on and the sea began to melt, the unexplored metal buildings were fascinating, the bots were fascinating. The exploration of Rama was stark, quiet, and beautiful.
Now, take these wonderful things, remove them from the story, add some obnoxious characters whom you will hate, study every aspect of the obnoxious characters in painful detail, and call it a sequel.
The contrast between this and the original leaves me at a loss for words. Terribly disappointing.
Rating: 1
Summary: Rama 2 is garbage
Comment: This book is *not* written by Arthur C Clarke, it was written by Gentry Lee alone. The promotion of the book as an ACC book is highly misleading.
Gentry Lee belongs on the slushpile. His writing is full of magic and fantasy rather than science fiction. This book contains lengthy, irrelevant asides. The SF component is trivial; the book is basically a large character study.
It is astonishing how bad this book is by comparison to the excellent, simple narrative "Rendezvous with Rama"
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Title: Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke, Ballantine Books ISBN: 0345347951 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 June, 1987 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clarke ISBN: 0345322401 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1991 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: 2061: Odyssey Three by Arthur C. Clarke ISBN: 0345358791 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 January, 1991 List Price(USD): $7.99 |
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Title: 3001: The Final Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke ISBN: 0345423496 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 1998 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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Title: 2010: Odyssey Two by Arthur C. Clarke ISBN: 0345303067 Publisher: Del Rey Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 1984 List Price(USD): $6.99 |
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