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2001: A Space Odyssey (Space Odyssey #1)

by Arthur C. Clarke, Dick Hill (Narrator)

3.94 · rating details · 27,200 ratings · 876 reviews

It has been forty years since the publication of this classic science fiction novel that changed the way we look at the stars and ourselves. From the savannas of Africa at the dawn of mankind to the rings of Saturn as man adventures to the outer rim of our solar system, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a journey unlike any other.This allegory about humanity's exploration of the un...more

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Published October 25th 2004 by Brilliance Audio (first published 1968)

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Aug 16, 2007

Eric Althoff rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Sci-Fi goons

Subversive, mysterious, incredible, mind-boggling, and ultimately hopeful, Arthur C. Clarke's "proverbial good science-fiction" novel--written concurrently with his and Stanley Kubrick's screenplay--is the ultimate trip into the universe and mankind's cycle of evolution. The apes of the first section evolve into spacefaring humankind, and then the protagonist, David Bowman, morphs into the Star Child, showcasing hope that from the darkness and the slime, this fragile human species mig...more

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Mar 23, 2008

Jack Beltane rated it

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The book is always better than the film, but I'd never read 2001 before. What I didn't know, until reading the foreword, is that this novel was literally written in tandem with the film, with Clarke and Kubrick feeding each other ideas. At some points, however, filming overtook writing, or vice versa, and the two stories, though similar, split along two different paths.

After reading the book, the film becomes little more than a very well crafted container: It's pretty and neat to l...more

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Jun 17, 2011

Kelli added it · review of another edition

Dave Bowman: Hello, HAL. Do you read me, HAL?
HAL: Affirmative, Dave. I read you.
Dave Bowman: Open the pod bay doors, HAL.
HAL: I'm sorry, Dave. I'm afraid I can't do that.
Dave Bowman: What's the problem?
HAL: I think you know what the problem is just as well as I do.
Dave Bowman: What are you talking about, HAL?
HAL: This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it.
Dave Bowman: I don't know what you're talking about, HAL.
HAL: I ...more

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Sep 01, 2009

Steve rated it

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Real quick, the author co-wrote the screenplay with Stanley Kubrick and wrote the novel at the same time. As they were filming Clarke would see what was being shot and make changes to the novel and screenplay. I am unaware of other books being written like this. It's pretty interesting.

I try not to compare books and movies. In this case they complement each other. I believe both are needed. I last saw the movie in high school and look forward to re-watching it, because:

Th...more

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Mar 11, 2008

Anna rated it

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Recommends it for: nerds

Shelves: stuff-i-read-in-school

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Jan 18, 2011

Alexander Arsov rated it

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Shelves: arthur-clarke

Arthur C. Clarke

2001: A Space Odyssey

Roc, Mass Market Paperback, 2000.
12mo. xx, 297 pp. To Stanley - In Memoriam [v-vi] and Foreword to the Millennial Edition [vii-xviii] by Arthur C. Clarke, 1999. Original Foreword, 1969 [xix-xx].

First published in 1969.

Contents

To Stanley - In Memoriam
Foreword to the Millennial Edition

Foreword

Part One: Primeval Night
Chapter 1: The Road to Extinction
Chapte...more

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Nov 30, 2007

Curt rated it

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I could not put this down. Of course I am a fan of the movie. What smart guy isn’t? But after repeated watchings I still walk away scratching my head. The book tells a very similar story with more detail. The monkeys are still at the beginning and the travel sequence is at the end. The parallel between HAL and the intelligence that left the monolith is more obvious. HAL's actions are more humanly desperate. There is more story around Dave Bowman. But the ambiguous ending of the book seems to be ...more

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Sep 25, 2007

Amber McAlister rated it

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Recommends it for: dorky poet-types

my father used to read beautiful selections from this book to me before bed as a child. "they became farmers in the fields of stars."
in ninth grade, i read it in it's entirety and enjoyed it so much that i read it under the big lab tables in physical science instead of paying attention to my misogynistic science teacher, "coach rutledge". ugh. coaches should not be allowed to teach science. i learned more from arthur c clarke under the table.
a beautiful book of...more

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Jul 03, 2010

Bryan added it · review of another edition

A Wonderful Classic: 2001: a Space Odyssey by Arthor C. Clarke is a must read for all Science Fiction lovers. It is such a classic and yet revolutionary for its time. In fact, this book was so revolutionary that it set a trend for Science Fiction books to come. It is filled with many captivating thoughts that really get you thinking. It shows you an interesting idea of the rise of man and another look into its future. The book also has several plots that link and merge together throughout the co...more

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Mar 17, 2009

C.S. rated it

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I was listening to the radio a few weeks back, and I came across an interview with a film critic and historian who'd recently published a book of 1000 movies everyone should see before they die. The host of the program asked about this film and that, how the book was compiled, what the author's favorite movies were, things of that nature. And then he asked him what he thought the most overrated film of all time was, to which the author immediately replied "Citizen Kane."

A...moreI was listening to the radio a few weeks back, and I came across an interview with a film critic and historian who'd recently published a book of 1000 movies everyone should see before they die. The host of the program asked about this film and that, how the book was compiled, what the author's favorite movies were, things of that nature. And then he asked him what he thought the most overrated film of all time was, to which the author immediately replied "Citizen Kane."

And of course he is quite correct. Citizen Kane is unquestionably the most overrated movie ever made. It may also be the best film ever made; the two are not mutually exclusive. The author explained that the problem with a movie like that-- with anything that has been universally accepted as a masterpiece-- is that you reach a point where you're not seeing the work itself, you're seeing the legend of the work, the reputation of it. Citizen Kane has been at the top of every list of great films (most notably the decennial Sight & Sound poll) since the 1960s. At this point, it almost wins automatically. His suggestion, which I wholeheartedly agree with, was that both the film and the medium as a whole might benefit if it were removed from consideration for a few decades. Give it more of an emeritus position and allow some other work to shine. And who knows, maybe in 30 or 40 years it can be "rediscovered" and seen for what it really is again.

I bring all this up, because I feel that in its own way, in its own field, 2001: A Space Odyssey has reached a similar status. The book (which was neither the source material nor an adaptation of the equally great movie, but was instead written in concert with it) is sort of universally hailed as a landmark of science fiction, a work that redefined the genre (or perhaps just opened up a whole new realm of possibilities). It's hard to see past the myth and appreciate it on its own merits.

I hadn't actually read 2001 since high school. I would like to say that it was for the aforementioned reason, but laziness and disinterest are more plausible culprits. It was strange, coming back to it, older, better-read, more educated. I saw things that I didn't remember seeing, and I was able to appreciate it in a way that I didn't at first, and wouldn't have been able to if I'd read it again and again the way I have some novels (perhaps I should retire Catch-22 for a few years). How refreshing to find that it absolutely lived up to its reputation and to my memories of it. Clarke's masterpiece is every bit as good as people say, and every bit as innovative and mind-expanding.

If you haven't read it (and really, this is advice for any classic work), please do. And if you have, may I suggest that you return to it, but not right away. Let it fade a bit in your memory, so that when you read it again, it will have some of the force of a new experience. (less)

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Mar 09, 2009

Kirk rated it

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This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 2001: A Book Review
By, Kirk Brown

I did not think that the ending was effective. It was weird and had nothing to do with the next book. 2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clark ended after Dave, the last survivor of the Discovery, was transformed into a mass of energy by alien technology. After he was transformed he went back to Earth and cleaned the atmosphere.
In 2001 I think that the HAL 9000 was the most opinionated character about situations. At one point he overhear...more

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Jan 18, 2012

Navi rated it

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Shelves: classics, sci-fi, supernatural

Let me preface this review by saying I've never seen the movies. Ever. I knew about Hal, sure, but who doesn't know that at this point? He's like the grandaddy of all our favorite evil AIs (SHODAN, GLaDOS, etc).

Anyway, this book was okay. I was scratching my head at points - the ending almost made me bang my head against the wall in frustration - but I sort of... kind of... get it. Maybe?

Well, what I liked about this book was that it didn't go out of its way to lecture m...more

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Dec 30, 2011

Roberta rated it

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2001: Odissea nello spazio è un romanzo del famoso autore di fantascienza
Arthur C. Clarke. Nel 1964 Clarke fu contattato dal regista Stanley Kubrik, che desiderava avere la sua consulenza per un progetto relativo ad un film sul rapporto fra uomo e universo. Il sodalizio fra i due artisti portò alla stesura contemporanea della sceneggiatura e del romanzo. La sceneggiatura è basata sul racconto di Clarke “La sentinella” e il romanzo 2001: Odissea nello spazio è basato sulla sceneggiatura e su...more2001: Odissea nello spazio è un romanzo del famoso autore di fantascienza
Arthur C. Clarke. Nel 1964 Clarke fu contattato dal regista Stanley Kubrik, che desiderava avere la sua consulenza per un progetto relativo ad un film sul rapporto fra uomo e universo. Il sodalizio fra i due artisti portò alla stesura contemporanea della sceneggiatura e del romanzo. La sceneggiatura è basata sul racconto di Clarke “La sentinella” e il romanzo 2001: Odissea nello spazio è basato sulla sceneggiatura e sul film omonimo.
I due progetti si intrecciarono profondamente al punto da rendere molto pesanti le interferenze del regista sul libro e dello scrittore sul film.

Il romanzo si apre nella preistoria, dove alcuni ominidi ancora ben lontani dall’evoluzione vengono “istruiti” all’apparire di un monolite nero che li porta all’utilizzo dei primi utensili e all’uccisione delle prime prede.
In seguito il romanzo si sposta al tempo “reale”: la Luna è ormai colonizzata e uno scienziato vi viene chiamato per analizzare un monolite nero che è stato ritrovato in seguito ad alcuni scavi eseguiti per indagare su un forte campo magnetico.
Il romanzo si sposta poi nel tempo e dedica la maggior parte del romanzo a seguire le peripezie di una nave spaziale diretta su Saturno.

Nel romanzo vengono trattate molte tematiche in maniera approfondita. Prima di tutto Clarke si interroga sul rapporto dell’uomo con lo spazio, sulle conseguenze che potrà avere nel futuro la colonizzazione di altri pianeti, sulla differenza fra l’esplorazione spaziale e l’esplorazione classica del passato. (un brano qui) La visione di Clarke dei viaggi spaziali (in un epoca in cui l’uomo non aveva ancora messo piede sulla Luna) è molto realistica anche dal punto di vista puramente tecnico. Trovo anche molto interessante che l’esplorazione spaziale venga vista da Clarke come una sequenza di lunghissimi e noiosissimi viaggi, che richiedono la capacità dell’uomo di vivere per lunghi periodi con pochissima compagnia, in uno spazio ristretto e in condizioni di vita artificiali. Uno stile di vita che porterà alla necessità dell’animazione sospesa e più in generale ad una situazione di completo affidamento alla strumentazione tecnologica.

Qui si passa ad un’altra tematica che è stata oggetto di numerosi romanzi e film, ovvero la il pericolo della tecnologia. Clarke ipotizza un mondo futuro in cui l’esplorazione spaziale renderà necessaria una tecnologia sempre più sofisticata dalla quale non si potrà prescindere, perché nello spazio anche le necessità fisiologiche primarie per la sopravvivenza dell’uomo non possono essere soddisfatte senza la tecnologia.
Questo porta, nel romanzo, alla creazione di HAL 9000, un super computer che si occupa di organizzare la vita sulla nave spaziale diretta su Saturno. In caso di necessità, HAL 9000 è in grado di prendere decisioni e anche di sostituire gli esseri umani nel momento in cui costoro non fossero più in grado di dirigere la nave.
Si tratta pertanto di una vera e propria forma di vita senziente: un esempio di tecnologia il cui funzionamento è talmente complesso da non poter più essere capito dall’uomo e da non poter più essere controllato di conseguenza. L’uomo si trova a combattere contro una mente artificiale che supera di gran lunga la sua stessa capacità intellettuale. Una volta giunti a questo punto solo la capacità di improvvisazione umana e i limiti di azione fisica dell’A.I. mettono l’uomo in vantaggio. Ovviamente questa è una riflessione generica, sul topos della ribellione delle macchine, e non un commento riferito in modo specifico a HAL 9000.

Il romanzo affronta soprattutto, però, la possibilità dell’esistenza di un’altra forma di vita nello spazio, e la possibilità che questa forma di vita sia infinitamente superiore alla nostra. Clarke ipotizza appunto una forma di vita talmente evoluta da aver abbandonato sia la tecnologia sia la stessa forma fisica. Una società di questo tipo non può che portare la razza umana ad evolversi sempre più in alto, ma gli uomini temono un’interferenza simile. Non mi ricordo se nel romanzo o nella postfazione della mia edizione, viene detto più o meno che l’uomo teme l’interferenza di questa altra civiltà perché essa è talmente evoluta da essere diventata immortale (questo particolare è una speculazione però) o quasi, e sebbene il suo fine sia quello di far evolvere la razza umana, si tratta in fin dei conti di vecchi, e i vecchi sono sempre gelosi dei giovani e un po’ vendicativi. Il problema più che altro è quello di conciliare due culture che vivono in modo completamente diverso.
L’incontro fra civiltà diversamente evolute e le conseguenze dirette caratterizzano molta produzione fantascientifica, forse proprio perché è una situazione che spesso si è presentata nel passato, basti pensare alla colonizzazione dell’America. Nelle serie televisive di Star Trek si ripete spesso la direttiva della Federazione che impedisce di interferire nella normale evoluzione di una società.

Non avendo visto il film non posso fare un confronto, ma ho letto che il finale del libro viene normalmente considerato meno aperto di quello del film, e che il libro è un mezzo imprescindibile per la comprensione dell’opera di Kubrik. Kubrik stesso disse:

Ognuno è libero di speculare a suo gusto sul significato filosofico del film, io ho tentato di rappresentare un'esperienza visiva, che aggiri la comprensione per penetrare con il suo contenuto emotivo direttamente nell'inconscio. [fonte wikipedia]

Successivamente Clarke scrisse tre sequel a questo romanzo: 2010: Odissea due, 2061: Odissea Tre e 3001: Odissea finale. Nel 1972 pubblicò anche The Lost Worlds of 2001, in cui Clarke racconta la produzione del film e inserisce le versioni alternative delle scene principali. Nel 1984 fu girato (per la regia di Peter Hyams) il sequel di 2001, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, basato sul sequel scritto da Clarke, 2010: Odissea due. Nello stesso anno venne anche pubblicata la corrispondenza email fra lo scrittore e Hyams con il titolo The Odyssey File: The Making of 2010.

All’elenco possiamo aggiungere il serial della BBC Space Odyssey: Voyage to the Planets (scritta e diretta da Joe Ahearne) ed il relativo (ed omonimo) libro scritto dal produttore della serie, Christopher Riley. Non si può dimenticare che dal film di Kubrik furono tratti anche una graphic novel ed una successiva serie di albi a fumetti (basati sia sul film che sul libro) scritti e disegnati da Jack Kirby e pubblicati dalla Marvel.(less)

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Dec 09, 2011

Brittanymurray rated it

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I'm not usually a fan of science-fiction, but this was a really good read, really exciting, engaging and interesting. In fact, it's probably the only sic-fi book I've read and not really had any hang-ups about.
The story begins with prehistoric, prehuman man-apes and how they are affected by a mysterious extraterrestrial influence to the "future" (okay, so it's set in 2001, but that was the future when it was written) to man's final culminating act of communion with said alien bei...more

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Nov 13, 2011

Sanveer Singh rated it

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2001 the movie was not an "adaptation" and the book was not a "novelization". Here was a unique situation where Stanley Kubrick(the movie director) and Arthur C. Clarke(the author) wrote the material for the novel and the screenplay in tandem. Indeed, Arthur C. Clarke rewrote some bits after seeing rushes of the film.

Stanley Kubrick was wont to taking material (novels or otherwise), stripping it to its essentials and using the result as a surface narrative while i...more

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Oct 30, 2011

Michael rated it

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Overall, I really liked the book, which may be the influence of liking the movie. So be it. It was a much easier read than I thought it would be; I think I read it in five days, only one of which I dedicated a couple of hours to it. It follows the movie closely. The language flows smoothly and is not overly descriptive; just enough to get the job done and keep things moving.

There are also some great lines. For example, in man’s primitive days, the book describes a scene where the ...moreOverall, I really liked the book, which may be the influence of liking the movie. So be it. It was a much easier read than I thought it would be; I think I read it in five days, only one of which I dedicated a couple of hours to it. It follows the movie closely. The language flows smoothly and is not overly descriptive; just enough to get the job done and keep things moving.

There are also some great lines. For example, in man’s primitive days, the book describes a scene where the technologically aware ape-men confront those with no knowledge of new technology (in this case, using a bone as a club). The two groups do their dance of intimidation, but instead of the usual results of both backing down in a way that saves face, a real fight occurs. The leader of the inferior group engages in combat. “Perhaps he was too brave or too stupid to run; perhaps he could not really believe that this outrage was actually happening. Coward or hero, it made no difference in the end, as the frozen snarl of death came crashing down upon his uncomprehending head.” Could this incomprehension be mirrored in the rest of the book as man tries to figure out what the TMA-1 is and what the thing on Japetus is as well? Man is aware of the objects but hasn’t a clue what they are, what they do, and whether seeking more information about them is brave or stupid.

Also, while it would seem having seen the movie before reading the book would ruin the scenes where HAL goes murderously crazy, the foreknowledge actually adds to it. One can laugh, darkly, at the straight lines HAL and the astronauts exchange, knowing what you know. Of course, my imagination was not being used – HAL’s voice in my head was straight from the movie. But I think if you didn’t see the movie, you’d have to have a sense that something was going to go wrong. The mission, equipment, and crew are described in such a way – too perfect – that something has to go wrong. The crew trains meticulously. The impossibly complex mission is planned down to the minute. The machinery is exquisitely engineered with redundancies for a mission that requires no errors. So of course errors are going to occur. The message is a little bit – don’t trust technology so much. But what else can you do when creating such an artificial environment that is buffeted by such extreme forces? There is no other course.(less)

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Oct 20, 2011

Jesus rated it

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Me encantó, mucho más de lo que esperaba. Hasta cierto punto sigue el argumento de la película, pero a partir de ese punto, el libro la supera en casi todo. Clarke escribió el libro al mismo tiempo que desarrollaba el guión con Kubrik, pero se ve que luego cada uno tiró por su lado.

El libro, como es normal, da toda clase de detalles que en la película hay que hilar muy fino para captarlos. Ahora me gusta mucho más la película porque la entiendo mucho mejor. Explica, por ejemplo, qué ha...more

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Sep 07, 2011

Jonathan rated it

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No one can deny the fame of 2001: A space odyssey. Its movie counterpart has granted it immortality in the realm of science fiction. Personally, this book was not that great for me. I enjoyed the beginning chapter where it explains the origin of the obelisks, but from there, it goes a bit downhill. It is a rather forgettable experience, all in all. If it had not been for the movie, I would have simply said, "What on earth?" and wandered off to find some Asimov. The story becomes pr...more

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Jul 29, 2011

Jenee rated it

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umm. This book was interesting...at parts. It starts off really rather slow and I actually wasn't sure I was going to be able to finish it without being bored to death. Then it started to pick up by the middle a little bit but didn't really seem to make sense with the boring part in the beginning. After some exciting parts, pretty much the only one in the book that made much sense, Clark connects the beginning to the current situation. It felt like the entire book was just an intro to get to the...more

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Jun 23, 2011

Robyn Blaber rated it

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Shelves: british-literature, science-fiction

Written 40 years ago and set 10 years in the past, I was shocked to learn that Bowman (our hero) read his news on what seemed to be an iPad. Science fiction owes such a debt of homage to Clarke that it's hard to list all the ways. My only complaint comes from a completely external force that Clarke may never have anticipated. The creationists or League of Bad Scientists that have proposed their awful and moronic intelligent design theories... well in the book we do have galactic eugenics that...more

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Apr 08, 2011

Andreas rated it

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This series started as a one-off book released in conjunction with the Stanley Kubrick movie of the same name. The series consists of:

* 2001: A Space Odyssey
* 2010: Odyssey Two. (Also made into a film)
* 2061 Odyssey Three
* 3001: The Final Odyssey

The first and second books are enthralling. 2061 is more of the same, and thus decent but somewhat pointless as part of the arc. 3001 is an attempt at closing up all the loose threads, and does so in a s...more

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Mar 28, 2011

David Dalglish rated it

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First and foremost, I'll say I have not seen the movie. Only thing I knew going in was that the movie is a classic, and HAL turns evil. Needless to say, I had some surprises waiting for me.

What I enjoy about good science fiction is how the author can make the most fantastical events seem not only possible, but downright plausible. Compared to say, Star Wars, space travel in 2001 is difficult, slow, and impossible when looking at moving beyond the reach of our own sun. This all is sha...moreFirst and foremost, I'll say I have not seen the movie. Only thing I knew going in was that the movie is a classic, and HAL turns evil. Needless to say, I had some surprises waiting for me.

What I enjoy about good science fiction is how the author can make the most fantastical events seem not only possible, but downright plausible. Compared to say, Star Wars, space travel in 2001 is difficult, slow, and impossible when looking at moving beyond the reach of our own sun. This all is shaken when an alien artifact is found on the moon, and is indisputably declared 3 million years old.

Oh, did I mention 3 million years old? Let me back up a moment. The book starts 3 million years ago. Forget the 10,000 years Asimov spans with his Foundation series; here we've got 3 million crossed in the span of a few opening chapters. It's an enjoyable bit, watching as aliens effectively guide the evolution of man, alerting them to the ideas of tools, and therefore inescapably, warfare.

Of course, here I am expecting some sorta space shuttle with a killer AI program, and instead I get cavemen and alien objects on the moon. Loved every second of it, too. I want good science fiction to give me ideas, things to ponder over or wonder about the implications. An alien object waiting for us on the moon, which gives out a signal when dug up? What does it mean? Is it a warning? A guide? Will spaceships arrive to Earth, and if so, in how long? Will they be friendly? Ready for war? Or do the aliens even still exist 3 million years later? What sort of empire could endure for that long, what with us silly humans ready to nuke ourselves into dust within a few years of actually launching into space?

Anyway, the HAL segments actually intrigued me the least. Maybe by now I've just read and seen too many rogue AI stories to be surprised by this one. From what little I know, this segment is much longer in the movie, and given the variety of topics covered in the book, this is probably the strongest and wisest area to expand.

It's after HAL is disconnected that things get really interesting. I'm sure there are plenty who don't like the ending, but I LOVED it.

*spoiler*

Gimme big. Gimme epic. Gimme a reprogrammed man with god-like powers arriving at Earth, blowing up the moon, and floating amid the debris trying to decide just what to do with his new home. That image is awesome, the potential stories following incredible.

*/spoilers*

Was the book perfect? Naah. Slow at times, outdated in others, and its emphasis on difficult, yet tedious and uneventful, space travel had more implications when every shuttle launch was a risk. Myself, having grown up with Star Wars and Star Trek, enjoyed this like a breath of fresh air. This was an adventure in a space filled with mysteries and implications, and I was glad I came along.(less)

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Jan 29, 2011

Tancredi rated it

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Shelves: sci-fi, inglesi, strano-forte

"Se esisteva qualcosa di là da questo, il suo nome poteva essere soltanto Dio."

Parlare di questo romanzo è un'impresa ardua, in quanto romanzo cult della fantascienza ed in quanto strettamente legato all'altrettanto cult film realizzato da Kubrick. Perché, a ben vedere, 2001: odissea nello spazio è un'esperienza a più campi che comprende il film ed il romanzo insieme.
Per questo motivo, un giudizio del solo romanzo non può essere massimo; sarebbe un torto alla gran esperienza ...more"Se esisteva qualcosa di là da questo, il suo nome poteva essere soltanto Dio."

Parlare di questo romanzo è un'impresa ardua, in quanto romanzo cult della fantascienza ed in quanto strettamente legato all'altrettanto cult film realizzato da Kubrick. Perché, a ben vedere, 2001: odissea nello spazio è un'esperienza a più campi che comprende il film ed il romanzo insieme.
Per questo motivo, un giudizio del solo romanzo non può essere massimo; sarebbe un torto alla gran esperienza visiva e psichedelica del film.
Più prudente e conveniente sarà allora concentrarsi su quanto scritto e creato dalla sola mano di Clarke. E in effetti non è difficile: dalle dissertazioni tecniche, sempre straordinariamente chiare, lucide, e all'avanguardia, alla cosmogonia legata ai Primogeniti, le caratteristiche dello scrittore emergono chiaramente. Forse la più apprezzata delle qualità del compianto scrittore è la sua capacità di anticipare invenzioni e sviluppi tecnologici con una lucidità fuori dall'ordinario: Clarke è stato il primo, è bene ricordarlo, ad avere scritto dei satelliti artificiali, molti anni prima che si iniziasse a pensare di costruirli. In questo romanzo di fine anni Sessanta Clarke intuisce persino l'invenzione del touch-screen. Ma non si tratta solo di abbondanza di dettagli tecnici e di invenzioni azzeccate: quello di Clarke è un romanzo di fantascienza realisticamente perfetto, che disdegna le esagerazioni del genere, riuscendo ad essere comunque visionario e sorprendente, sempre.
Di contro, inevitabilmente, scema un po' sulla caratterizzazione dei personaggi, non tanto per mancanza di capacità quanto, forse, di interesse. Tanto più brillante deve apparire, allora, la caratterizzazione del supercomputer HAL, che conosce un conflitto interiore impensabile per un'intelligenza artificiale, portandolo poi nella totale nevrosi e follia.
Rimane, infine, il tema dell'origine della vita e dell'immortalità: già annunciata nel racconto La sentinella (che ispirò Kubrick per la realizzazione del film) e in altri racconti minori, prende qui forma la sua personale filosofia dei Primogeniti, presunte divinità galattiche, un tempo umane e ora giunte al culmine massimo dell'evoluzione, dispensatrici di vita attraverso l'Universo intero. Si parla di origine della vita, di eternità, di divinità: quella di Clarke è quasi una religione laica, una religione (fanta)scientifica, che cerca nelle profondità ignote dello spazio la risposta alla domanda fondamentale: la vita, l'universo e tutto quanto, per citare Adams.
Tutte queste sono caratteristiche e tematiche che l'autore porta sempre con sé, anche nella sua ultima e matura trilogia, scritta con Stephen Baxter. Ma una cosa è certa: non dimenticheremo mai il senso di totale smarrimento e di timore reverenziale che si prova di fronte al grande e impossibile monolito nero.(less)

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Dec 20, 2010

Dori McKinney rated it

· review of another edition

Overall, excellent. HAL 9000's breakdown, illustrated subtlely through everyday happenings upon Discovery, causes paranoia and fear in the reader for David Bowman, as he experiences so many strange events during his stay... and departure from Dicovery. 2001 is very heavy exposition-wise, as any other novel is, but the appeal of this exposition varies. The daily life on Discovery may fascinate some and bore others. But, as I've mentioned before, subtle hints throughout this exposition add up and ...more

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Mar 20, 2010

René Beaulieu rated it

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Premier livre de Science-Fiction "adulte" que j'ai lu... en 1969, il me semble bien. Tout le monde parlait du film autour de moi, a l'école. Et je ne voulais quand meme PAS aller le voir (Je n'allais presque pas au cinéma alors, mais lisait déja énormément... ) , alors je l'ai LU. Une bonne partie de Clarke y est déja: le coté "mystique scientifique et rationel" , l'émerveillement devant le spectacle de l'Univers, le coté grandiose et démesuré, la sécheresse d'écriture aussi,...more

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Feb 22, 2010

William Johnson rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to William by: mr jonah martin

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Feb 12, 2010

Probvi11 rated it

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Stories about the deep space secrets and marvels always fascinated my mind. The book A Space Odyssey by Author C. Clarke changed a lot of people’s view about space. The book focuses on themes of evolution in the beginning of the book. By describing the evolution of men Clarke tries to introduce the plot and grab the reader’s attention. The fact that he writes about this one can predict what the book will be about early on. The book was written in the 1960’s before the actual movie came out. In t...moreStories about the deep space secrets and marvels always fascinated my mind. The book A Space Odyssey by Author C. Clarke changed a lot of people’s view about space. The book focuses on themes of evolution in the beginning of the book. By describing the evolution of men Clarke tries to introduce the plot and grab the reader’s attention. The fact that he writes about this one can predict what the book will be about early on. The book was written in the 1960’s before the actual movie came out. In the novel Clarke explains the science behind his story and his attempts at characterization. In addition Clarke strongly focuses on a detailed description of the solar system, the asteroid belt, Jupiter and Saturn, with a sense of wonder. Even though Clarke never set foot on a different planet his descriptive ability allows many readers to visit other planets and moons. What I enjoyed about the book was the fascinating and descriptive detail the author uses. Clarke writes: “The stars were thinning out; the glare of the Milky Way was dimming into a pale ghost of the glory he had known—and, when he was ready, would know again. He was back, precisely where he wished to be, in the space that men called real.” One can infer from that quote that Clarke writes very descriptive. Further more a lot of people argue that Clarke apparently could predict what would happen in the future. After reading this book I thought about the possibility and a lot of real time events came into my mind. One of these events could be the modern exploration of space and many other specific events. Perhaps the weakest part of the book is the ending. One example would be that Clarke tries to describe something totally magical and outside of human experience. Further Clarke unfortunately gives a little detail on what happens to specific characters at the end of the novel. Other than that the book is great for science fiction lovers who enjoy or are interested in space and the many mysteries it holds. (less)

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Dec 10, 2009

Ran Pravithana rated it

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Shelves: novel-literature, sci-fi

ช่วงนี้บ้า Sci-fi อ่านซีรี่ย์ Space Odyssey จบแล้วก็เศร้า ปู่ Clarke ไม่น่ารีบตายเลย
อีกไม่รู้กี่ปีถึงจะมีนักเขียนที่เก่งฟิสิกส์แล้วก็ดาราศาสตร์ขนาดนี้เกิดขึ้นบนโลกอีก..
หนังสือเจ๋งมาก แต่คนและแนวกับภาพยนตร์ (ใครชอบ Sci-fi แต่ไม่เคยดู 2001 Space Odyssey ของ Stanley Kubrick ควรไปหามาดู แล้วจะรู้ว่า Scifi แบบ Postmodern ตั้งแต่ยุค 60 เป็นยังไง) เรื่องนี้เกี่ยวกับจินตนาการการก่อกำเนิดของมนุษย์ชาติ ที่เสนอมุมมองผสมผสาน เรื่องของพระเจ้าสร้างโลก กับทฤษฏีวิวัฒนาการได้เจ๋งสุดๆ และเป็นหนังสือเล...more

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apple น่าเศร้านะคะที่นักเขียนเก่งๆจากไป ตอนนี้ก็ยังไว้อาลัยให้กับ Michael Crichtonนักเขียนในดวงใจอยู่ ไม่เคยอ่านผลงานของปู่Clark แต่เคยดูหนัง Space Odysseyน...more
Dec 10, 2009 10:12pm

Ran Pravithana จริงๆ ผมอ่านของ clarke ไม่เยอะมากนักครับ ผมว่าชุด space odyssey นี่อ่านง่ายสุดแล้ว :-) อาจจะลองอ่านโดยอ่าน 2001 กับ 3001 เลยก็ได้ เพราะว่าใน 2010 กับ ...moreจริงๆ ผมอ่านของ clarke ไม่เยอะมากนักครับ ผมว่าชุด space odyssey นี่อ่านง่ายสุดแล้ว :-) อาจจะลองอ่านโดยอ่าน 2001 กับ 3001 เลยก็ได้ เพราะว่าใน 2010 กับ 2061 เป็นเรื่องที่ไม่ได้ต่อเนื่องกัน

เล่มอื่นๆ นี่ปรัชญาจ๋าเลยครับ อย่าง fountains of paradise ที่ได้รางวัลควบทั้งเนบิวลา กับ ฮิวโก เป็นเรื่องเกี่ยวกับการสร้างลิฟต์อวกาศมาใช้แทนแทนดาวเทียมของมนุษย์ (ลิฟต์อวกาศนี่เป็นแนวคิดของ clarke ที่ได้รับการยอมรับจากนักวิทยาศาสตร์ทั่วโลกว่าเป็นไปได้จริง พอยิ่งนาโนเทคโนโลยีเกิดขึ้น นักวิทยาศาสตร์ก็หาวัสดุที่แข็งแรงกว่าเพชรในการสร้างลิฟต์จากพื้นโลกขึ้นไปหลายหมื่นกิโลเมตรได้ คือ คาบอนนาโนทิวบ์ แปลว่าในอนาคต จินตนาการของ clarke มีแววว่าจะเกิดขึ้นจริงๆ ครับ :-) ซึ่งแนวคิดนี้ถูกนำมาใช้ใน 3001 ด้วย)

หนังสือของ clarke จะเป็น sci-fi แบบเน้นแนวคิดปรัชญา โพสโมเดิร์นนิดๆ เมต้าฟิสิกส์หน่อยๆ คนละแนวกับไอแซค อาซิมอฟที่เน้นแนวเอาใจตลาดมากกว่า :-)
แล้วหัวใจสำคัญของ clarke คือ เขามักจะเขียนอะไรที่ท้าท้ายแนวคิดเรื่องศาสนาตลอด ผมเคยอ่านอีกเล่มตอนเด็กๆ ก็คือ Renderzvous with Rama ก็ใช้ชื่อพระรามแทนกลุ่มมนุษย์ต่างดาว แหะๆ

ถ้าจะลองเริ่มอ่าน scifi ง่ายๆ สนุกๆ ผมแนะนำว่าลองพวกเรื่องสั้นของ asimov (i, robot) หรือ philip k. dick (minority report) เรื่องสั้นทั้งสองเล่มถูกเอาไปสร้างเป็นหนังด้วย แต่อ่านหนังสือจะคนละบรรยากาศกัน

PS. 2001 space odyssey แรกๆ ดูก็งงๆ ครับ มันเอื่อยๆ ดำเนินเรื่องช้าๆ แต่พอสังเกตดีๆ clarke ใช้เพลงคลาสสิกในการดำเนินเรื่องตลอด เปิดตัวและปิดตัวด้วย score เพลง Also Sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke Zarathustra บ่งบอกความโพสโมเดิร์นได้เป็นอย่างดี) อย่างซีนเปิดตัวของยานอวกาศ kubrick เลือกเพลง Blue Danube ที่เป็นเพลงวอลซ์ชื่อก้องโลก ให้บรรยากาศแนวๆ ดีกับฉากยานอวกาศ
ผมเลยมองว่า odyssey ของ kubrick เป็นสุดยอดของหนัง scifi ในเชิงศิลปะตลอดกาลของโลก แต่ใครหวังว่าจะได้ดู scifi จ๋าใน odyssey ส่วนใหญ่ก็ผิดหวังกันไป แหะๆ(less)
updated Dec 11, 2009 08:07pm

Oct 14, 2009

Jason rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: Science fiction fans

My older brother introduced me to the movie 2010 when I was a kid, and 2001: A Space Odyssey was a boring joke between my friends. I read 2010: Odyssey Two in High School, learned to appreciate and enjoy 20001 in my early twenties, and shortly afterward read the book. I enjoyed it, and after reading Rendezvous with Rama I thought it was time for some more Clarke (also, I needed a break from reading A Game of Thrones).

Summary
2001: A Space Odyssey can best be described as pure ...more

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Sep 02, 2009

Rachel rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: summer-09

***Minor spoilers in Paragraph 3***

This is the kind of book that, if I had read it when I was younger, would have inspired my wholehearted awe; would have made me love science fiction. Reading it now is still impressive, for though I will always be more of a fantasy fan, I can appreciate the real gems -- like the novels of Orson Scott Card and George Orwell -- that the science fiction genre has to offer. Simply written and fast-paced, 2001 is as unpretentious in its prose as it is ...more***Minor spoilers in Paragraph 3***

This is the kind of book that, if I had read it when I was younger, would have inspired my wholehearted awe; would have made me love science fiction. Reading it now is still impressive, for though I will always be more of a fantasy fan, I can appreciate the real gems -- like the novels of Orson Scott Card and George Orwell -- that the science fiction genre has to offer. Simply written and fast-paced, 2001 is as unpretentious in its prose as it is vast and thought-provoking in its ideas and implications. Like the best science fiction, this book will be read and enjoyed long after its projected "future" has been disprooved.

Like the movie, there were some parts of the book I could have done without. While the detailed descriptions of the futuristic world and were evidently deemed essential by the author (and undoubtably most fans), this reader found her eyes glazing over. The book is more detailed and less baffling than the movie -- Bowman's bizarre hallucinatory journey is less impressive than when rendered in special effects, but at least the reader has some idea of why it is happening.

Another difference between the movie and the book was the book's heavier focus on the technology and ideas of what is going on. I feel the movie put a heavier emphasis on morality -- the consequences of evolution and technology. When the man-apes made their first murder in the movie, one feels a pang of foreboding -- is this the inevitable consequence of tool-making? While Hal's betrayal is just as terrifying in the book as the movie, something vital in his "death" scene is lost. It's the emotional impact which has been sacrificed. Clark seems more fascinated with what happens to Hal, the logistics of his artificial brain. Because of minor script changes, and because we are able to actually hear Hal sing and speak in the movie, the scene becomes much more poignant. "Stop, Dave. Stop. I can feel my mind going. I can feel it." It's as if Clark has provided us with the raw materials, the how and what of the plot, and the movie is Kubrick's interpretation and reaction to it. The latter asks not What is happening, but Should this be happening -- is it necessary, is it murder?

Perhaps it is my preoccupation with the moral issues of this book that made me feel more forboding than a sense of awe and opportunity at the end. The last words, deliberately reminiscent of the ape-man's last narrative, seemed omnious. Clark describes moon pioneering as "something even more exciting than war", insinuating that high technological advancement would make violence obselete. Yet if Clark's characters are any indication, there is more conflict to come for humanity.

The book and the movie of 2001 were apparently made simultaneously, and indeed they seem like worthy compainions of each other. If you want to experience the mystery of Kubrick's classic movie unfettered, you should watch the movie first. But if you have less patience for obscure cinematics and want to know what the heck is going on, you should find this book illuminating.(less)

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About Arthur C. Clarke

Clarke won the Nebula Award of the Science Fiction Writers of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979; the Hugo Award of the World Science Fiction Convention in 1974 and 1980, and in 1986 became Grand Master of the Science Fiction Writers of America. He was awarded the CBE in 1989.

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Quotes from 2001: A Space Odyssey

“Behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living. Since the dawn of time, roughly a hundred billion human beings have walked the planet Earth.

Now this is an interesting number, for by a curious coincidence there are approximately a hundred billion stars in our local universe, the Milky Way. So for every man who has ever lived, in this Universe there shines a star.

But every one of those stars is a sun, often far more brilliant and glorious than the small, nearby star we call the Sun. And many--perhaps most--of those alien suns have planets circling them. So almost certainly there is enough land in the sky to give every member of the human species, back to the first ape-man, his own private, world-sized heaven--or hell.

How many of those potential heavens and hells are now inhabited, and by what manner of creatures, we have no way of guessing; the very nearest is a million times farther away than Mars or Venus, those still remote goals of the next generation. But the barriers of distance are crumbling; one day we shall meet our equals, or our masters, among the stars.

Men have been slow to face this prospect; some still hope that it may never become reality. Increasing numbers, however are asking; 'Why have such meetings not occurred already, since we ourselves are about to venture into space?'

Why not, indeed? Here is one possible answer to that very reasonable question. But please remember: this is only a work of fiction.

The truth, as always, will be far stranger.” — 22 people liked it

“Behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living.” — 17 people liked it

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