2010: Odyssey Two
by Arthur C. Clarke
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Book Summary Information
Author: Arthur C. ClarkeEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-02-25
ISBN: 0345413970
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Del Rey
Book Reviews of 2010: Odyssey Two
Book Review: 2010 is the absolute best of the Space Odyssey Series.
Summary: 5 Stars
There is not doubt that 2010 is the greatest of all the Space Odyssey Series. The reason is really because here it is a space race, mixed with discovery and intrique. The characterization is better than any of the others books. Instead of just a Frank Poole, Indra Wallace, Dave Bowman or Hal you have a plethora of characters with defined personalities. They include the almost insane Chandra, the genious but realistic Curnow, the powerful captain Tanya Kirbuk, a Heywood Floyd out to redeem himself at the cost of his family and even a Dr. Chang of the Tsien willing to aid scientific "discovery" even in the last minutes of his life. The Chinese are also decribed well by Clarke. The Chinese military tactics in modern times have used massed, risky human wave assaults like in Korea which risk life and waste it without remorse. The same is true of the Tsien, it is sent to beat the Leonov and see Europa at the cost of everyone on board it. It even is meant to be rescued at a later time again at the cost of a hybernating lost years crew. Even in a space race the Chinese government tactic of wasting life is fully explored and perfectly analyzed by Clarke. Clarke is also quite realistic in his predictions, almost like a 21st Century HG Wells or Morgan Robertson. This is seen first by Clarke realizing in his book that many nations have nuclear weapons by now not just China, Britain, the US, France, and Russia. When he wrote it in the early 1980s these were some of the few countries that had nuclear weapons but Clarke predicted many more would get them but never use them. Look what has happened, now today India and Pakistan have nukes. Other countries near developing them or already allegedly possessing include Israel, South Africa, North Korea, Iran, and even Iraq. Japan is capable of making them and Ukraine and Khazakstan had them. Clarke predicted almost 30 nations would have them in 2010 but never had used them. This prediction has held so far. Insight as good as Nostradamus'. Clarke's book, as many have said (and I concur with) has went beyond fantasy or even pure science fiction to be a book more like science fictional fact. You can see this in his atomic Sakarov drive and the rotating section on the Alexi Leonov. Perhaps the only thing I think the movie, which was good, excelled over Clarke was the appearance of the Bowman Starchild (Halman in the future) to Floyd. In the book it is just a cloud of dust forming in Bowman's human face but it is more intricate and curious in the movie as he shape and age-shifts. The movie should have shown more American and Russian unity than the movie ever tried to. The exploration in Bowman the Starchild is much better in the book and helps you learn more of the mystery regarding him on later revealed in 2061 and 3001. Finally, the aspect of using the Chinese as the villians may not have fit in then but it rings true today with the Chinese the major rival superpower of the US. The Chinese are a good villian to focus on as a nation who will waste everything to beat the prepared Russians and adept Americans. This is excellent and makes the best villian of any of the other three books, that includes a psychotic HAL (2001) and a melgomaniacal Nazi play god Monolith race (3001). The Chinese are very human appealing villians in it. They must be beat or they will steal Discovery, find life on Europa first, and maybe their negligence will endanger Earth itself. Europa today is still the best harbor for life outside of Earth in Sol's community. Even if it is walking sentient trees like in the Space Odyssey Series. Man does not yet have the tools to get to Europa and drill through its ice to look for aquatic life on Europa's sea vents but perhaps by 2061 or 3001 or 30,001, will have it. Clarke's book has inspired a whole generation to explore and learn about Europa, Jupiter, and Saturn; the majesties of the Solar System. To quote Dr Floyd in the movie when we meet the Europans, "I think they will be our friends." That friendship should it ever occur with Europan sponges or fish was inspired completely by Arthur C. Clarke in 2010: Odyssey Two.
Summary of 2010: Odyssey Two
"A daring romp through the solar system and a worthy successor to 2001."*Carl Sagan
Nine years after the disastrous Discovery mission to Jupiter in 2001, a joint U.S.-Soviet expedition sets out to rendezvous with the derelict spacecraft *to search the memory banks of the mutinous computer HAL 9000 for clues to what went wrong . . . and what became of Commander Dave Bowman.
Without warning, a Chinese expedition targets the same objective, turning the recovery mission into a frenzied race for the precious information Discovery may hold about the enigmatic monolith that orbits Jupiter.
Meanwhile, the being that was once Dave Bowman *the only human to unlock the mystery of the monolith *streaks toward Earth on a vital mission of its own . . .
"Clarke deftly blends discovery, philosophy, and a newly acquired sense of play."
*Time
"2010 is easily Clarkes' best book in over a decade."
*The San Diego Tribune
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