The Snows of Olympus: A Garden on Mars

by Arthur C. Clarke

Using his own computer-generated color illustrations, the best-selling author of 2001 presents his vision, founded in fact, of the colonization of Mars, showing what humans could do to make it inhabitable.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Astronomy, Space

Hardcover

First published October 13, 1994

About the author

Stories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.

Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.

He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those books you have to take in to context its publishing date. My edition was published in 1994 so I suspect we have a 25ish years of hindsight on this book - however with Arthur C Clakes usual eye for detail and uncanny ability to predict developments this still stands as a fascinating read in to what could be. True the time scales may be pushed back (after all as many commentators point out we have withdrawn from deep space manned exploration) but the ideas are still there and we still have visionaries who are still as determined as ever to reach Mars.

So the book itself is a guide to terraforming (or what ever the Martian equivalent is) using at the time cutting edge computer graphics (by todays standards rather basic but at the time I suspect it gave an air of scientific credibility) and took us through those early stages.

Now it would be all too easy to pass off this book after all just because you predicted it does not mean it will happen - think of all the disappointment from when we missed the date we were supposed to have hoover boards - however this book still has a purpose - it inspires - okay I will admit my imagination is limited but I am sure there are some readers of this book who have stood up and wanted to make a difference in part from words in the Snows of Olympus.

Okay I may be over playing the importance of this book - after all I wonder if I asked a random selection of readers to name the top 10, to 20 or even top 50 of his works this would come up but still from his first publication in the mid 40s he went on to influence many in the world of science and engineering as well as in science fiction and film. I have to admit I do love reading his old books not only to marvel at his creativity but also to enjoy my connection back to the days of my own sense of wonder - after all this came out just as I was graduating.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting mix of scientific and science fictional detail on the potential colonization of Mars.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading this man's writing. His vision of the future is truly a journey.

[Heather Helene · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay, but not what I needed for my research. I'm not finding much that will work.