Don't Forget to Read a Book!

 Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Arthur C. Clarke's  The Fountains of Paradise. The Short of It Plot:  Humans have built many marvels, but nothing can compete with a space elevator. Page Count:  317 Award:  1980 Hugo and 1979 Nebula Worth a read : Yes Primary Driver:  (Plot,  World , or Character) Bechdel Test : Fail Technobabble:  High. Review: Overall enjoyable. Main narrative is about the space elevator, secondary is about an equally ambitious ancient building project - woven together in interesting ways. The science and vision offered are interesting, though characters are not and tension is infrequent. Marred somewhat by some truly bizarre (and underdeveloped) side plots and unnecessary epilogue. The Medium of It Spoiler Free! Clarke has a talent for blending hard science and a sense of whimsy and wonder. This mix is what sets The Fountains of Paradise apart from many similar books that have come after. Space elevators, after all...

Hello, Stranger. Let's talk about Arthur C. Clarke's  Rendezvous with Rama. The Short of It Plot:  "I wonder if we’ll ever learn the answer to the two mysteries that have been haunting me ever since we got inside; who were they—and what went wrong?” Page Count:  252 Award:  1973 Nebula and 1974 Hugo Worth a read : Yes Primary Driver:  ( Plot ,  World , or Character) Bechdel Test : Fail Technobabble:  Moderate but plot relevant. Review:  This is just good, classic, easy reading SF. Excellent depiction of an alien spacecraft - enough answers to satisfy without getting ridiculous. Good building of tension. Engaging world - both Rama and the broader universe/human colonies. SF in its purest form. It won't blow your mind, but quite satisfying. And unlike many so far this project, Clarke nails the ending. The Medium of It Spoiler Free! It is a perfect palate cleanser after the last couple of books. It's a classic SF plot - exploring an alien spacec...