The opening scene , a tribe of ape- men ,in Africa,finding a strange gyrating monolith .Another rock to these few primitives, at first.But after the light show,the tribe is fascinated.It teaches them how to make and use tools.Kill animals and prevent their own extinction. With an unlimited supply of food and not be dependent on plants and fruit ,for survival.Very rare during the long drought conditions(millions of years long).The human race might reach its destiny ,for better or worse ,after all. At around the beginning of the 21st century another monolith is discovered or is it the same one ? Buried in the back side of the moon.Dr. Heywood Floyd is called in to investigate.The jet black slab is ten foot tall and three million years old!And it immediately sends a signal, somewhere, in the Solar System .Obviously extraterrestrial... The spaceship Discovery is built and sent to Saturn 's moon Japetus. Where the dark structure, indicated to go.Hal the computer, on board the Discovery, does all the work and Captain David Bowman and Frank Poole don't have much to do.The other crewmen are in hibernation. And will be revived when they arrive, at their destination.It's a rather boring voyage,since Hal never makes a mistake.But still the view ,of giant Jupiter's constantly changing and colorful atmosphere,the planet's numerous satellites, is not to be missed.Neither is Saturn's Rings and moons.This novel with a strange and vague ending.What does it mean? Is it really about Jesus Christ being resurrected to save the world? Or just aliens manipulating the Earth ! Or maybe, humans trying to find God!You decide.....