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Rendezvous with Rama (Rama #1)

3.97 of 5 stars 3.97 · rating details · 41,784 ratings · 1,049 reviews

At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at an inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is, incredibly, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists...more

Paperback, 243 pages

Published 2000 (first published 1972)

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Nov 07, 2011 mark monday rated it 3 of 5 stars

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...more 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.(less)

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Dec 13, 2012 Henry Avila rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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...more 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....(less)

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Sep 07, 2010 Cassy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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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Apr 10, 2013 Space rated it 4 of 5 stars

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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Dec 05, 2012 Samantha Glasser rated it 5 of 5 stars

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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Mar 20, 2008 C Lynch rated it 4 of 5 stars

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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Feb 06, 2012 Gavin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: sci-fi

Sorry all, I put the wrong review here. That previous review was for RINGWORLD, not this novel. This review is forthcoming.

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Dec 27, 2012 Simon MacKintosh rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed

Almost half a century ago, when I was young and science fiction fans could still look forward to the next story from Isaac Asimov or Arthur C Clarke, I developed the notion that short stories were the best medium for science fiction. During this time, I read Rendezvous with Rama. I suppose I should go back and read it again before commenting on it, but I was so disappointed with my first reading that I don't feel motivated to give it a second chance. Nor have I any desire to read the subsequent...more Almost half a century ago, when I was young and science fiction fans could still look forward to the next story from Isaac Asimov or Arthur C Clarke, I developed the notion that short stories were the best medium for science fiction. During this time, I read Rendezvous with Rama. I suppose I should go back and read it again before commenting on it, but I was so disappointed with my first reading that I don't feel motivated to give it a second chance. Nor have I any desire to read the subsequent volumes of what has now been combined into an anthology.
When I read science fiction I look for one of two things. First I want a 'wow' moment. When I read “Overhead, without any fuss, the stars were going out” from Clarke’s Three Billion Names of God, I say “Wow!” When I read “Stars -- all the Stars -- we didn't know at all. We didn't know anything,” from Asimov’s Nightfall, I say “Wow!” When I read of the hell and heaven of Jupiter in Clifford D. Simak’s short story Desertion, I say “Wow!” I read short stories for these moments.
Second, I want to be dragged from my Earth-bound chair and flung into a technological future just over the horizon of my imagination, whether it’s the grandeur (the word seems inadequate) of Larry Niven's Ringworld, or the mind spinning panorama of Olaf Stapleton’s First and Last Men.
Of course, I was aware that there were exceptional Science Fiction novels. Books such as War of the Worlds, First and Last Men and Canticle for Leibowitz, had pathos, fate, tragedy, or captivating characters. The tragedy of War of the Worlds is that though man is triumphant, it is but a temporary triumph. Technology will triumph, but it may not be our technology. Canticle for Leibowitz is more than just another story about the inevitability of human stupidity. It is the sympathy with which Miller treats his characters that raises this book above other science fiction novels. First and Last Men covers a panorama of human history rarely matched and the ending is raised above the tragedy by the persistence and diversity of humanity.
Rendezvous with Rama lacks tragedy, pathos, triumph, or interesting characters, and shows a mere sliver of the panorama of human history. Perhaps it is unfair to criticize the book for failings it shares with many, if not most, science fiction novels, but there is more.
The novel starts well; we only have to imagine how we would feel if we woke up tomorrow to hear our local news station announce that an artificial body had been detected entering the solar system at a high percentage of the speed of light. But soon thereafter the story loses its way in a succession of events and descriptions that seem to be leading somewhere, but eventually take us nowhere.
And here is the book’s failing. The story line goes something like this:
“Large object detected entering Solar System. (Promising!) Large object determined to be of regular shape thus we can deduce, crafted by intelligent beings. (OK, that’s cool.) Large object is going to come close to Earth. (Possibilities appear.) Earth sends a spaceship to check it out. (Well, who wouldn’t?) Spaceship gets to Rama. (Tension mounts.) Spaceship crew gets inside Rama. (Yup, there is definitely some good stuff coming.) Crew checks out all the neat stuff in Rama. (I'm holding my breath at this point.) Things are seen in the distance, across the great sea. (Oh yeah!) Lone Man crosses great sea. (The anticipation is unbearable.) The Mercury colonists try to blow up Rama. (Mere distraction.) Lone Man finds robots/androids. (Mind-blowing revelation must be imminent.) The crew packs up and goes home. (WTF! Did I miss something?) Quickly skip back through the pages to confirm nothing missed. (What a rip-off.)”
So the book ends with the princess still asleep, un-kissed, the battle yet to be won or lost, and the identity of the murderer still a mystery. We don’t find out what the purpose behind Rama is, why it is in the Solar System, who the Ramans are and whether they are on the ship, and a thousand other questions
There is a contact between a writer and his reader. The writer opens the contract by luring the reader into his world. He teases the reader, entices him on. Like using treats to get the dog into the room where his bath awaits, the final dénouement must be kept hidden. But in return for allowing himself to be lured into the story, the reader expects a satisfactory ending, an ending that surprises, pleases; a Wow moment. It is in failing to deliver such an ending that Rendezvous with Rama ultimately fails.
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Apr 21, 2009 Brad rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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

Sep 03, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone

Another book from the mists of time...

Arthur C. Clarke was a man with an imagination bigger than most of the minor planetary bodies in our solar system. Heck, maybe even the major planetary bodies - take that Jupiter, with your many moons and Saturn with your lovely rings.

Here is a man who conceived of Earth getting anonymous interest from benign start-faring civilizations and then had the audacity to have them leave us alone! Maybe he wasn't the first to write that, but "The Sentinel" (the sto...more Another book from the mists of time...

Arthur C. Clarke was a man with an imagination bigger than most of the minor planetary bodies in our solar system. Heck, maybe even the major planetary bodies - take that Jupiter, with your many moons and Saturn with your lovely rings.

Here is a man who conceived of Earth getting anonymous interest from benign start-faring civilizations and then had the audacity to have them leave us alone! Maybe he wasn't the first to write that, but "The Sentinel" (the story from which the screenplay and novel, "2001: A Space Odyssey" were adapted) was the earliest I know of.

The hallmark of Clarke's fiction was his ability to understand, visualize, and communicate how technology would look, impact us, and simply be. Throughout his career he wrote stories that expanded the scope of SF, but in ways that were "harder" than many others. He could include a description that was both detailed and beautiful. His minutia do not overwhelm the reader, instead they enable them to see more clearly.

After creating the premise (and the actualization) of "2001", would another author be capable of birthing another equally grandiose/cosmic vision, let alone two? An yet Clarke did so.

In 1946, two years earlier than "The Sentinel", he wrote "Guardian Angel". In 1952 this was expanded to the full-length novel, "Childhood's End". Unlike the other two works I am mentioning here, this novel does not have the hands-off cast of powerful aliens; in fact they are very involved.

In the post-2001 film & novel real world, Clarke brought us his next big idea: "Rendezvous with Rama". This is a book of exploration. "Rama" (so-named by humans) is a massive object that could be our death-knell. (Clarke cleverly opens the novel by losing part of Italy to an asteroid.) With a near-fatal loss of pasta production, the world has finally become pro-active in locating dinosaur-killers and trying to do something about them. And what do they find? Rama.

This is a great novel. The science behind Rama is well-thought-out, well-described, and compelling. He places in your mind's eye clear views that let you see how it should really appear. At this level, it reminded me greatly of "Ringworld" by Larry Niven. Not that there was any copying going on, just that the science and beauty of the objects is well handled in both novels. This is borne out by the many illustrations that each has spawned.

The Rama universe was rich enough to bear further investigation. While Clarke himself was not the author, he did contribute ideas and edits to three follow-on books by Gentry Lee: "Rama II", "The Garden of Rama", and "Rama Revealed". Not unsurprisingly the tone of the books is different, as is the type and depth of the characterizations. But, if you read the original (hearty urge here) and want to know more, they are meaty enough to keep you going.
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Apr 11, 2009 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the canons of sci fi.

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Jan 27, 2013 Darryl Knickrehm rated it 4 of 5 stars

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...more 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.(less)

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Jul 03, 2010 NG rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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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May 27, 2011 Tonk82 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: ciencia-ficcion

Clarke siempre me ha parecido un autor irregular. Aunque su relato "El centinela" es sensacional, siempre me quedo con la adaptación cinematográfica de 2001 a su propia novela (escrita durante el rodaje de la misma). "El fin de la infancia" es una de mis novelas de Ciencia Ficción favoritas, pero muchos relatos que le he leído escritos tras los años 70 eran muy poco interesantes.

Dentro de sus obras más célebres me quedaba la multipremiada "Cita con Rama", de la que no sabía absolutamente nada cu...more Clarke siempre me ha parecido un autor irregular. Aunque su relato "El centinela" es sensacional, siempre me quedo con la adaptación cinematográfica de 2001 a su propia novela (escrita durante el rodaje de la misma). "El fin de la infancia" es una de mis novelas de Ciencia Ficción favoritas, pero muchos relatos que le he leído escritos tras los años 70 eran muy poco interesantes.

Dentro de sus obras más célebres me quedaba la multipremiada "Cita con Rama", de la que no sabía absolutamente nada cuando la compré de saldo hace meses. Puede que no llegue a maravillarme tanto como "El fin de la infancia", pero desde luego es una novela de altísima calidad.

Es muy Clarke, eso sin duda. Frente a la inteligencia y ritmo vivo de las tramas de Asimov o la poesía melancólica de Bradbury, Clarke siempre mostraba una fascinación por la maravilla tecnológica y la evolución y futuro de la humanidad.

Aquí crea "Rama" para ser explorada por un pequeño grupo de humanos, un auténtico tour de force donde la humanidad es como una pequeña hormiga tratando de entender algo enorme. No hay demasiado desarrollo de personajes (aunque el protagonista, Norton, es una pequeña excepción), pero si mucha cantidad de puntos de vista y muchas reacciones frente a lo que se descubre. No es la típica historia de "La humanidad encuentra extraterrestres" al estilo del cine de los años 50.

Se que el estilo de Clarke no gusta a todo el mundo, y no voy a mentir, esta no es una novela de ritmo demasiado vivo, la intención es claramente describir y mostrar esa maravilla del diseño que es Rama. Hay partes con explicaciones físicas y técnicas, que sin llegar a cansar, mantienen la credibilidad de manera admirable. Mucho tiempo y esfuerzo debió dedicarle el autor a su diseño y planificación, y se nota en cada capítulo. No se si entraría en la llamada "hard science-fiction", supongo que hasta cierto punto si, pero es bastante ameno de leer, ese sentido de la maravilla lo inunda todo.

Hay ciertos debates sobre su final, y las secuelas que hizo Clarke en colaboración con Gentry Lee. Mientras su final me resulta totalmente coherente con el resto de la novela, y tiene una frase a modo de conclusión memorable... la idea de una secuela me horroriza. Se que no tienen demasiada buena fama, pero viendo que Rama II se publicó 16 años después de esta primera, me convence además de que originalmente no estaban previstas. No creo que me acerque a ellas.(less)

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Oscar Mis recuerdos de esta novela son muy vagos, pero sí recuerdo que no me dejó muy convencido. De todos modos se trata de un clásico de la ciencia ficció...more
May 27, 2011 11:32am

Tonk82 Es un clásico si. De todas formas yo creo que es el tipo de novela que despierta opiniones diferentes según cuando lo leas.

Estoy convencido de que si...more
May 28, 2011 07:57am

Oscar Suele pasar esto que dices, el que un determinado libro no te gusté en su momento, y años después te parezca una maravilla. O todo lo contrario, que r...more
May 29, 2011 02:02am

Mar 18, 2008 My Inner Shelf rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

J’aime la Hard science, car dans un contexte scientifiquement plausible et réaliste, on nous entraîne dans des aventures incroyables mais possibles. Pas de facilité dans la SF Hard science, pas de téléportation intempestive ni rien de tout ces délires qui moi me gênent et me rebutent, en littérature du moins. L’humain reste à sa place de cloporte, si l’on y parle de colonisation de planète, c’est avec réalisme, cohérence et humilité. Chez Clarke l’Humanité est toujours soumise à plus grand qu’el...more

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Jan 17, 2008 Eric rated it 4 of 5 stars 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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Jan 02, 2009 Scurra rated it 5 of 5 stars

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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Feb 19, 2013 Kate rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arthur-c-clarke-reading-challenge-2, favourites-read-in-2013

It has been an absolute pleasure re-reading Rendezvous with Rama as part of my 2013 ACC Reading Challenge. It might have been 20 years since my first reading but time has done no harm to this classic. It's a short book and the pages turn quickly but in many ways it is vast. Don't expect answers, just experience Rama with wonder, just like Commander Norton and his crew.

Full review http://forwinternights.wordpress.com/...

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Jan 07, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction, audiobook, hard-sf, nebula-award

This is a typical hard-SF novel from Arthur C. Clarke. Clarke was famous for epic science and exploration (e.g., "2001"), but not for his characterization, and it shows here. While a planet-sized alien artifact flying through the solar system should engender a sense of awe, I found myself bored through long stretches of the book describing the explorations of Rama's interior, and ultimately I could not care much about the characters or about Earth (largely because neither are ever seriously thre...more

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Jun 24, 2008 Scott rated it 5 of 5 stars

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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May 16, 2008 George rated it 5 of 5 stars

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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Apr 06, 2007 Daniel rated it 3 of 5 stars

Traditional sci-fi book, but is better written than most. Author has a knack for that in most of his works. It's a good story that follows a group of explorers on a journey to a spaceship that visits the solar system. They obviously explore it, and I won't go into detail so as not to spoil it. Doesn't have a whole lot of the "where do we fit into the universe" or "outward expansion" themes of traditional sci-fi. It reads like a short story. Good pleasure reading, but you aren't missing anything...more

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Oct 04, 2012 Shashank added it

Arthur C. Clarke is one of the fathers of science fiction. This guy wrote magic. Him and a few others (most of them are on this list) recreated our worlds with such subtle changes and yet completely new directions! It is a novel experience to delve into these futuristic worlds, gaze into the authors mind and his vision for the future.

Now back to the book in question! Rendezvous with Rama is a story about an alien spaceship that enters the solar system and how a group of humans are sent to explor...more

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Feb 08, 2009 Blair rated it 3 of 5 stars

Rendezvous with Rama is a mystery story. It begins strong with an elegant progression from a discussion of the hostility of space and the vulnerability of earth in it, to the discovery of the object known as Rama, and then to the initial exploration of Rama. The author gives a wonderful introduction to movement in artificial gravity as the explorers penetrate Rama. This enthralled me and prompted me to try to understand some of the finer points (there is no artificial gravity by way of centrifug...more

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May 16, 2013 Luke rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was the first novel by Clarke that I read and I can't even begin to imagine how powerful it must have been to an audience on release some 50 years ago, it has lost none of it's power at evoking big ideas and filling readers with a sense of true awe. What struck me the most was how easily Clarke could transfer his massive ideas and points into the minds of readers.

Rendezvous With Rama is set during the 22nd century where humanity has come a long way with space technology. The Moon, Mars and...more This was the first novel by Clarke that I read and I can't even begin to imagine how powerful it must have been to an audience on release some 50 years ago, it has lost none of it's power at evoking big ideas and filling readers with a sense of true awe. What struck me the most was how easily Clarke could transfer his massive ideas and points into the minds of readers.

Rendezvous With Rama is set during the 22nd century where humanity has come a long way with space technology. The Moon, Mars and Jupiter are amongst the new home-worlds of mankind as space travel within the solar system has been fully realised and with it a vast amount of new possibilities has awoken. After several terrifying encounters with meteorites, 'Spaceguard' is established as an early warning system with the intention of mapping all natural satellites and their future paths however it's first true success story comes in 2130 when it identifies something that appears much bigger, much smoother and much less natural... Members of the United Planets (UP) waste no time in debating the significance of this discovery and soon realise that there is only one ship within its local area capable of exploration. Commander Norton of the Endeavour invested more hours than he cared to count getting lost in books on the adventures and discoveries of Captain James Cook, his favourite explorer and hero, but he never even fantasised that one day he would have such an experience that would parallel that of the great 18th Century explorer...

Rendezvous With Rama, is one of Sir Arthur C Clarke's and of all science fiction writers greatest attempts to capture the excitement of the next great first encounter, that of encountering evidence of sentient beings outside of Earth. Clarke manages to convey a true sense of wonder, successfully imagining just how a futuristic, 22nd equivalent of James Cook or Marco Polo would react as they took their voyage of discovery of an alien ship. Despite it's surprisingly simplistically form, Rendezvous With Rama, produces truly vivid and believable characters and encounters within such a fantastic new world. The story follows Norton and his crew as they attempt to unlock the secrets to Rama, a completely incomparable object and literally an inverted planet. The true success of the novel comes from the complete lack of absolute answers throughout, with each answer comes three more questions and three more opinions of characters who we have to debate along with ourselves; as well as having us think Clarke also demands for us to stretch our imagination, Rama, the encapsulated world follows different laws has a highly varying gravity from axis to centre, has a sea in the sky from one perspective, the world is impossible to peg to a metaphor or from anything familiar forcing the reader to create and think in alien terms.

I can never hope to explain the true genius of Clarke and RWR but can strongly advise anyone with a passion for SF to buy this book, every S.F Masterworks is a jewel and this is a diamond amongst them(less)

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May 07, 2013 El_camello rated it 4 of 5 stars

Basic plot in one sentence: cylindrical alien ship appears in solar system; astronauts investigate.

This is the second book I read from Arthur C. Clarke (alsosaw 2001) so I anticipated a rather slow uneventful experience. And it was. But damn I read through it fast.

Most of character could summed up and remembered by their position, opinion and beliefs. There is one religious astronaut, one doctor, one life support specialist, one exobiologist, one astronomer. Clearly defined positions.

So, the c...more

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Apr 14, 2013 Stephen Thomas rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

WHO LET THE SIMPS OUT?

About a year ago I heard a BBC Radio 4 adaptation of RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA. The two-part serial, which was actually produced in 2009, was gripping. So I decided to read the novel. I knew I had serious reservations about Clarke’s work, but I couldn’t remember exactly why. Well, I can now. Sadly, he wasn’t much of a writer. Although first published in the early 1970s, I was reminded of SF from the 30s and 40s. The book is populated by boy’s own adventure heroes who speak in pr...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Mircea Lungu rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is the second Arthur C. Clarke book I read and the second that I love. Clarke has the talent of being able to draw the most majestic pictures with the universe as a canvas. If in Childhood's End he describes the most powerful apocalypse, in Rendezvous with Rama he describes the most amazing seemingly un-inhabited self-sustaining space-faring intelligent ecosystem. The book is a detailed description of a first exploratory encounter between the humanity and (an artefact of) an intelligent lif...more This is the second Arthur C. Clarke book I read and the second that I love. Clarke has the talent of being able to draw the most majestic pictures with the universe as a canvas. If in Childhood's End he describes the most powerful apocalypse, in Rendezvous with Rama he describes the most amazing seemingly un-inhabited self-sustaining space-faring intelligent ecosystem. The book is a detailed description of a first exploratory encounter between the humanity and (an artefact of) an intelligent life form and is a science fiction classic.

(From here on there be dragons, and spoilers)

The story focuses on the encounter between humanity as represented by the crew of Endeavor and an alien spacecraft dubbed Rama (since the astronomers ran out of the greek deities).

Rama, cylindrical with a radius of 25km and height of 50 km, and rotating with 0.25rpm and thus producing its own gravity, is an Ark which enters the solar system and carries a world which must be made by beings similar to humans as the air inside is breathable and the explorers discover other features not completely foreign for humans: a "cylindrical" sea, agglomerations which look like cities, and later bio-robots or biots which have a form of limited intelligence and are servicing the world.

The human spacecraft Endeavor that happens to be in a proximal region of space moves in for the rendezvous. The encounter is not violent and from this point of view, the book is so much more satisfying than other "encounter" stories in which the protagonists are trigger-happy. The explorers are respectful of the bio-robots they encounter to the point where they do not even try to capture one for studying it until one falls off a cliff and breaks. However, not everybody is friendly as some of the humans that are now living on Mercury are sending a nuclear weapon towards Rama. The Endeavor crew succeeds in dismantling.

As Jimmy, one of the crew of Endeavor, explores the southern side of the Rama, a ghost-like thing/beeing seems to speed towards Jimmy; he closes his eyes for several seconds telling himself that he only has visions, only to open them again and find no more ghost. Later after he discovers a flower that fascinates him to the point of going to great lengths to collect it. This scene seemed to be an innuendo for something more. Could the ghostly being have discovered the flower inside Jimmy's memory and then synthesized it? Indeed, the astronauts learn later that the ship has the power of synthesizing things and beings based on blueprints that the crew discovers inside the city-like features on the world.

The Endeavor documents as many of the blueprints as they can find on Rama before they have hurry up and to take off as the cylinder world is speeding towards the Sun, a failed mission going towards self-destruction. However, it turns out that Rama is not auto-destructing but rather uses the gravitational field of the sun together with matter that it sucks from the star to propel itself towards the Great Magellanic cloud.

Like in other Clarke books, the humans learn that they are not the center of the universe. Rama was not targeted at the solar system for taking over it, or encountering the humans, but rather for refueling and moving on.

(less)

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Mar 22, 2013 Pacyfa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

I think this is a brilliant book. A hard sci-fi with an actual story. The only missing bit were the characters, somehow there was not much to them and that part of the book was a disappointment.
I guess this is why I love Stanisław Lem, whose characters are always at the forefront. This is why a 4 not a 5, although 4.5 would be fair score.

The idea itself is quite simple and yet stunning. It reminded me a bit of The Invincible or Solaris by Lem in terms of a 'first contact topic' which is never r...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Nico Blackheart rated it 3 of 5 stars

I've been on another reading kick lately and I decided to check out some classics that people claim are the best of the best. Rendezvous With Rama came up several times as a must-read sci-fi novel, so I gave it a chance. I'm not ashamed to admit that I enjoy existentialism and the exploring the unknown (Prometheus is basically RWR in film form), so this book seemed to be right up my proverbial alley. Even with its relatively short length, the book sometimes felt like a chore to get through.

It c...more

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About Arthur C. Clarke

Arthur C. Clarke was one of the most important and influential figures in 20th century science fiction. He spent the first half of his life in England, where he served in World War Two as a radar operator, before emigrating to Ceylon in 1956. He is best known for the novel and movie 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he co-created with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.

Clarke was a graduate of King's Co...more

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2001: A Space Odyssey (Space Odyssey, #1)

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“If such a thing had happened once, it must surely have happened many times in this galaxy of a hundred billion suns.” — 13 people liked it

“The meteorites of 1908 and 1947 had struck uninhabited wilderness; but by the end of the twenty-first century there was no region left on Earth that could be safely used for celestial target practice.” — 1 person liked it

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