A.C Clarke wrote Garden of Rama as a disappointed man. I cannot believe that we would have to press conscripts to fulfill Rama's invitation to a Human population to visit the stars. There are enough sane and non violent romantics on Earth to fill its quota many times over.
Clark, et al must have discovered psychedelics after the original Rama. It’s like something an imaginative teenager would write. WAAAY out there. Clarke must’ve lived in LA. He obsesses over “Lucifer” and strangers having sex a lot. Love Rendezvous. The rest are too trippy for my taste.
If I remember (from decades back!) one phrase from the creators of Rama - who seem to be some kind of cosmic gardener - it's their duty sometimes to nourish - and sometimes to weed - the cosmic garden. Beyond that, I'll give no hints!
I can't understand the hating inflicted on the latter books. I read them all and was engrossed to the end. Sure there was the conflicting styles of writing by the two authors but Lee added humanity with all its warts and beauty to an otherwise sterile narrative.
The preference for the first book probably comes from those of us who appreciate the departure from bog-standard "character-driven" storytelling. The first book concentrated on the nerdy stuff (what you call "sterile" narrative), in other words. And we don't usually get that out of popular sci-fi. So when the later books went character-driven, that was a bit disappointing. I don't care to read about how humans in that situation remain just as evil and self-absorbed as they do on Earth. I read fiction to escape that stuff. I still like the later books. But that's mostly because nestled in between the character drama, there remains some good nerdy stuff.
Thanks for this review. I just listened to Book 1 and wondered if the sequels were worth it. Based on what you’ve said, I intend to pass. Thanks again!
I remember reading Rama as a kid , and falling in love with A . C . Clarke books ...then being reaaaally disapointed with these sequel books, wich i read, but found really lame ... from then on i skipped all the other books wich had Clarke as a co-writer (i remember a Venus saga of sorts). BTW you should do this resumes with the Hyperion saga .
Absolutely fantastic review. I loved it. Only fly in the ointment is as others say. As we listen to you we visualize the scenario but sadly the AI artwork detracts from that, EG the Eagle man hybrid is definitely not that strange were- rabbit shown and kind of jolts you out from the narrative. Please don't take this harshly though. It's a small point in a fantastic video and I'll definitely be watching more from you.
Just wanted to state that you made a slight mistake, Rama had not been refit for Octospider habitation until the return to the node, at the same time as the Avian/Myrmicat and Human refits. The Rama II exploration crew even visited the Southern Hemi-cylinder at many points, and it’s where the death at the hands of the Crab Biot occurred
The evidence I use for saying that their habitat was already there is this. 1. Rama had been altered between its first trip to the solar system and the second. They state that there are a few differences from what was mapped in the southern hemi cylinder during Rendezvous, and what they found in rama 2. But none in the north. They just never state exactly what the difference is. Considering that every one of the "cities" is supposedly a previous colony. I can see why they wouldn't make a big deal out of a single new 'city'. Or possibly even just a retrofit one that was already there. 2. There are said to be hundreds if not a couple thousand octospiders going across the ice when the Horns make their light show before acceleration to the node. This would fit the amount of people that the Node askes for from earth. While at the same time there are only a few avians, no myrmicats, and a few humans. 3. While at the node, the eagle mentions that only 1 other colony is being installed right then. Meaning that one was already there. And we know for a fact that the 2 being worked on are the human and myrmicat/avian colonies. 4. This would also explain a lot of details like how the octospiders have an entire tram system and such set up in their lair on New York. Their numbers. How they have already learned how to access so many systems of the rama computer. Their behavior. The museum where they apparently took down a full sized Bulldozer biot. etc.
the first book rendezvous with rama is a classic true arthur c clark. the other 3 are garbage written by gentry lee and with clarks name tacked on for marketing purposes . I cannot despise them greatly enough absolute rubbish.
