SF Masterworks Group discussion

The enigmatic object christened Rama was detected while still outside the orbit of Jupiter, and a first radar contact at such distance was unprecedented, indicating that Rama was of exceptional size. As it raced through the Solar System, it became apparent that Rama was a cylinder so geometrically perfect that it might have been turned on a gigantic lathe. Mankind was about to receive its first visitor from the stars.

Just started reading this tonight and it feels very much like any other Arthur C. Clarke work that I've read. Very heavy on the science but accessible.

I must admit that prior to reading this I've never really considered the whole idea of a Space Arc. It seems like such an obvious concept and no doubt I've come across it before but until it was written down in Rendezvous With Rama I hadn't given it much thought.

Makes for an interesting location for a novel too.

I originally read this N years ago and re-read it for this group's April 2010 read.

The story is pretty timeless because Clarke concentrates mainly on the science of the alien spaceship, Rama, and less on the science and culture of his human protagonsists. This is not abad thing - Rama is a marvelous place to explore and the mysteries of its purpose and operation (largely unanswered) draw one into the story.

Where the book does deal with human culture and relationships, these are interesting and naturalistic, though it is clear from other reviews on Goodreads that lots of people find this aspect of Clarke's writing rather perfunctory, shallow and unsatisfying.

I would rather say that they are painted with broad brushstrokes, but that there is enough there to be interesting: the necessity of having marriage partners on different planets, who know of each other but who need to be handled carefully to avoid any suggestion of favouritism; rivalry and petty jealousy amongst the scientific and political establishments; a "space" religion which is deemed rather cranky in the novel's milieu, but which author/scientist Clarke treats with respect.

All-in-all a satisfying read and deservedly a Science Fiction Masterwork.

I am about to re-post my view from the 'next group read' thread... I should have posted my views here:

Yeah it is a great book. I let myself try to imagine the actual size of the settings. Imagine just a handful of explorers in an alien environment, with just a short time to make some kind of sense of everything. I enjoyed the way RAMA started to wake up, and rotate; the way things shifted and changed inside. I understand now that our explorers just didn't have enough time to visit all the cities and regions before they had to leave.

The most important thing I got from this story, having missed it before; was that the alien race that built and launched Rama had no interest in Earth or humaninty. We were just an un-noticed interference on its long journey from and to places un-known. We were just an observer. I can imagine that mankind's first contact may turn out to be like this. We will discover something which we don't understand, and has nothing to do with us anyway!

Still felt that the characters were a little empty; but maybe that is not so important.

Have never read the sequels, but will now.

A goodread!

Thanks for nominating this! Engrossing right out of the gate. I've never read any Clarke before and I'm struck by how masterful he is at capturing the excitement of scientific discovery. The astronomy lessons and the politics of the Rama Committee are no less dramatic than the manned space exploration and the implications of extraterrestrial life. I agree that it wasn't very character driven, but I didn't really miss that for once. And I liked the variety in POV.

Obligatory feminist eyeroll: This genre is what it is. On the scale of classic scifi misogyny, the offenses here are pretty juvenile. I mean, BREASTS IN SPACE ARE DISTRACTING???? You really went there? Superchimps (!!!) almost made up for it, but then there's the pointless polygamy. And the lame booty call at the end really left a sour taste in my mouth.

Clarke does mention polyandry as well, so it's a two way street :-D

Bill wrote: "I am about to re-post my view from the 'next group read' thread... I should have posted my views here:

Yeah it is a great book. I let myself try to imagine the actual size of the settings. Ima..."

Skip the sequels - the first book is by far the best!