Rendezvous with Rama

Arthur C. Clarke's rightfully celebrated 1973 sci-fi novel is a highly enjoyable read. It's sci-fi perfection! It concentrates on the very interesting 'what if' of an alien space ship suddenly appearing in the solar system. No communication or obvious intent. What's inside this huge, mysterious craft?

[@kyzer42]

Hey Colin, it's Kaleb; I like the video!
_Rendezvous with Rama_ is one of my favourite sci-fi books of all time. To me, it feels like a fairly realistic depiction of humanity's first contact with alien civilization: we'd only ever see their millennia-old technology, not meet them face-to-face, given how vast the galaxy is. I really like how the book focuses more on the wonder and mystery of exploring the alien artifact, rather than deep character development.
Regarding the sequels, you don't need to read them to appreciate Rendezvous with Rama, given that Clarke originally had no plans to write any sequels. I believe Gentry Lee was the main author of the later books, and they're much more focused on exploring society's and individuals' reactions to Rama, rather than the wonder of exploring an alien spacecraft. While well-written, I don't like how different in tone the sequels are, and how it paints a fairly negative picture of humanity (exactly the sort of heavy-handedness you were glad was absent from Rendezvous); not to mention that the protagonists of the sequels aren't the best people. The alien creatures in the sequels are pretty cool, though. All in all, the sequels aren't _bad_ books, but if you liked the original, I find it hard to recommend the sequels.

[@ColinForBooks]

I'm not surprised that the other ones wouldn't be as good. And, you've definitely explained a reason that makes sense to me.

[@Mr.Westery]

Hey buddy! Did you miss the latest video? I'm eager to hear what you think. Please don't hold back your comments!