2001: A Space Odyssey
Arthur C. Clarke
I finally got around to reading this classic, and it certainly didn't fail to impress. Magnificent in scope yet relevant to the last, this book truly deserves its status as a classic both inside and outside of science fiction circles. Though its plot pace is slow and its prose doesn't aspire to much in the way of poetry, the book hardly ever drags and in fact consistently ratchets up the pace until it is speeding along faster than light with the character who emerges as its first interest. The greatness of Clarke's novel exists despite the fact that it attempts to reflect upon many vastly different themes. Where there should be discord, however, there dawns a strange harmony, complete with balancing counterpoint. The main action shifts rapidly through time and space with no apparent connections, even after some vague explanation is offered. This should distract the reader's interest but Clarke somehow manages to carry the implications of the novel's first act through to its end; though he telegraphs the plot a bit too often with annoying cliche leading lines (think "little did he know"), the plot always heads in an interesting and fresh direction. This lack of character focus is also reflected thematically, with Clarke tackling everything from international relations to the theory of evolution to interstellar travel to, perhaps most importantly and consistently, the promise and perils of future technology. The novel should feel dense, and it would be easy for a lesser talent to turn it into an uninteresting lecture, but instead it soars, seeking to spur thought instead of stunt it.
It is the success of this wide focus that makes 2001: A Space Odyssey so great. Though its final pages try on a scope a bit too big for size, trading any sort of clarity in for grandiose imagery that doesn't quite translate even given the attempt at vagueness, its vast scope gives it depth and a sense of purpose. Clarke is the master of this technique, carefully crafting a story that is fully self-contained and yet which cannot escape critical interpretations. More amazing than this delicate juggling of exposition and subtler thematic construction and exploration is the book's remarkable accuracy in its predictions. Written before men even went to the Moon, Clarke's visions of interplanetary travel still lie far in our own future but seem plausible and achievable. He has clearly done his homework and his vision escapes the retroactive silliness that so often plagues interplanetary narratives. The book still feels groundbreaking. Though he does not fully predict the prevalence of computers in the real 2001, his vision of HAL's intelligence is haunting and seems to be lurking around the corner, inching closer with every new development. Scarier still is his vision of humanity's evolutionary descendants- he correctly predicts our increasing reliance on technology and carries this trend out to its logical conclusion. This is a haunting future vision in and of itself but the fact that it resonates so well with the real 2001 (or 2008) is scarier in itself.
Clarke is a masterful writer with a firm grip on science and a bountiful imagination. His intelligence is transparently displayed throughout 2001: A Space Odyssey but it is never overwhelming. It comes in his meticulous attention to detail and his uncanny knack for correctly extrapolating contemporary trends, which I choose to chalk up to more than dumb luck. The book itself is somewhat disappointing in its literary execution; dialogue is hardly realistic and plotting is at times agonizingly slow, but this portrait of humanity rises above its need to excel in this arena. What Clarke may lack in technical skill (which is itself very little) he makes up for in vision and pure execution- from the unimaginably prehistoric to the terrifyingly close possibilities we now live with, Clarke weaves a convincing and gripping tale. When the plot begins to unravel, the book does go with it, but this construction parallels the journey it describes. By the end of the book, the story seems to float away and leave the reader looking upon the world as much as its final character does. 2001: A Space Odyssey is an exercise in scope, wonder, and majesty that excels in every way and is delightful for those willing to expand their imaginations and review the scope of their own lives in the vast history of space travel, humanity, and the universe.
Grade: A
Arthur C. Clarke
I finally got around to reading this classic, and it certainly didn't fail to impress. Magnificent in scope yet relevant to the last, this book truly deserves its status as a classic both inside and outside of science fiction circles. Though its plot pace is slow and its prose doesn't aspire to much in the way of poetry, the book hardly ever drags and in fact consistently ratchets up the pace until it is speeding along faster than light with the character who emerges as its first interest. The greatness of Clarke's novel exists despite the fact that it attempts to reflect upon many vastly different themes. Where there should be discord, however, there dawns a strange harmony, complete with balancing counterpoint. The main action shifts rapidly through time and space with no apparent connections, even after some vague explanation is offered. This should distract the reader's interest but Clarke somehow manages to carry the implications of the novel's first act through to its end; though he telegraphs the plot a bit too often with annoying cliche leading lines (think "little did he know"), the plot always heads in an interesting and fresh direction. This lack of character focus is also reflected thematically, with Clarke tackling everything from international relations to the theory of evolution to interstellar travel to, perhaps most importantly and consistently, the promise and perils of future technology. The novel should feel dense, and it would be easy for a lesser talent to turn it into an uninteresting lecture, but instead it soars, seeking to spur thought instead of stunt it.
It is the success of this wide focus that makes 2001: A Space Odyssey so great. Though its final pages try on a scope a bit too big for size, trading any sort of clarity in for grandiose imagery that doesn't quite translate even given the attempt at vagueness, its vast scope gives it depth and a sense of purpose. Clarke is the master of this technique, carefully crafting a story that is fully self-contained and yet which cannot escape critical interpretations. More amazing than this delicate juggling of exposition and subtler thematic construction and exploration is the book's remarkable accuracy in its predictions. Written before men even went to the Moon, Clarke's visions of interplanetary travel still lie far in our own future but seem plausible and achievable. He has clearly done his homework and his vision escapes the retroactive silliness that so often plagues interplanetary narratives. The book still feels groundbreaking. Though he does not fully predict the prevalence of computers in the real 2001, his vision of HAL's intelligence is haunting and seems to be lurking around the corner, inching closer with every new development. Scarier still is his vision of humanity's evolutionary descendants- he correctly predicts our increasing reliance on technology and carries this trend out to its logical conclusion. This is a haunting future vision in and of itself but the fact that it resonates so well with the real 2001 (or 2008) is scarier in itself.
Clarke is a masterful writer with a firm grip on science and a bountiful imagination. His intelligence is transparently displayed throughout 2001: A Space Odyssey but it is never overwhelming. It comes in his meticulous attention to detail and his uncanny knack for correctly extrapolating contemporary trends, which I choose to chalk up to more than dumb luck. The book itself is somewhat disappointing in its literary execution; dialogue is hardly realistic and plotting is at times agonizingly slow, but this portrait of humanity rises above its need to excel in this arena. What Clarke may lack in technical skill (which is itself very little) he makes up for in vision and pure execution- from the unimaginably prehistoric to the terrifyingly close possibilities we now live with, Clarke weaves a convincing and gripping tale. When the plot begins to unravel, the book does go with it, but this construction parallels the journey it describes. By the end of the book, the story seems to float away and leave the reader looking upon the world as much as its final character does. 2001: A Space Odyssey is an exercise in scope, wonder, and majesty that excels in every way and is delightful for those willing to expand their imaginations and review the scope of their own lives in the vast history of space travel, humanity, and the universe.
Grade: A
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