Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke

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Book Reviews of Rendezvous with Rama

Book Review: Realistic tale of humanity's 'first contact'
Summary: 5 Stars

Clarke has always been viewed as a purveyor of `pure' science-fiction. By that, I mean that he applies real science and real situations to the dealings people have extraterrestrial events and species. This is almost a polar-opposite of the type of science-fiction available in novels like "Star Wars", where the space opera and human drama are the prime elements while real science takes a back seat. A particular area of interest for Clarke has been the subject of `first contact' where humanity first comes in contact with an alien species. "Rendezvous with Rama" is one of the subject's best examples. Instead of the aliens of similar construction and environment as in "Star Trek", "Rendezvous..." presents a species that is vastly different from anything the humans can conceive of. It is so different that they may not even recognize the humans at all, while humans can merely hope to grasp at the purpose and function of these extraterrestrials.

In the early 22nd century, the Spaceguard System designed to protect all the inhabited worlds of the United Planets from threatening comets and asteroids has picked an object barreling through the Solar System at an incredible speed and uncomfortably close to the inhabited worlds. Upon realizing that this object shows none of the characteristics of a naturally occurring phenomena (in fact, it is a perfectly designed cylinder approximately 150 kilometers by 30), the United Planets commissions the space ship, Endeavour (the only ship close enough and fast enough to catch this object) to rendezvous with this new entity that is being called `Rama'. Upon the arrival to Rama, the astronauts of Endeavour find ready-made access ways to the inside of this massive structure and, once inside, discover a scene that nearly defies human comprehension. Although vision is initially hampered by the darkened environment, it becomes clear that the inside of Rama is actually a self-contained biosphere, complete with a frozen sea, naturally occurring landforms, and what appears to be constructed cities. There does not seem to be any signs of life, but, given the enormity of the structure, there are plenty of places to explore and hopes run high at discovering the mystery of Rama. Unfortunately, the crew Endeavour only has a few weeks to conduct its explorations. The Sunward trajectory of Rama is rapidly bringing it to the point of perihelion from which Endeavour could not survive the extreme temperatures. Back on the Moon (the home of the United Planets headquarters) a committee has been established to observe the developments on, and with regard to, Rama and make the best recommendations about how to proceed. In addition, there is also unpleasant internal strife courtesy of the colonists of Mercury, the Hermians, who fear what Rama's existence means for there place in the Solar System.

What makes "Rendezvous with Rama" such an impressive novel is how genuine the human reactions to Rama are. They are initially fearful and then very curious. When the astronauts enter the main of Rama, they are first awed by the shear enormity of the environment they have entered and later, when a sudden light source has illuminated Rama's interior, they are astounded by the beauty and complexity of this self-contained world. Clarke's special literary skills convey this emotion to the readers so that they feel like they are a member of the Endeavour's crew, stumbling upon a new world and new existence that had never been conceived of before. Clarke is honest in his portrayal of the human desire know all the answers to a puzzle whose answers are impossible to obtain. "Rendezvous with Rama" leaves many more questions than answers. Yet, that is the point. Humanity is not on the same level of evolution, technologically or physically, with an alien species that has the capability traverse interstellar distances. It cannot possibly hope to understand the mysteries of a species that can do this. It is the questions that humanity is left to ponder that make this encounter so much more fulfilling than any answers that there may be.

Summary of Rendezvous with Rama

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