At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is, incredibly, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists alike prepare for mankind's first encounter with alien intelligence. It will kindle their wildest dreams...and fan their darkest fears. For no one knows ...
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At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is, incredibly, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists alike prepare for mankind's first encounter with alien intelligence. It will kindle their wildest dreams...and fan their darkest fears. For no one knows who the Ramans are or why they have come. And now the moment of rendezvous awaits - just behind a Raman airlock door. Includes an exclusive introduction by Hugo Award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer
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It has just arrived, well ahead of the waiting time limit which is January 30th and today is January 11th. So good experience regarding weather, actually I thought I was going to arrive much later and the conditions are as good as I could imagine at best
77Eagle
Jan 14, 2010
First Contact, Clarke Style
IF you are a Fan of Arthur C Clarke, you will recognize his ability to present a realistic view of the future. The characters have depth.
The story line keeps you wondering what is going to happen next. The following three sequels build on what happens in this story line. At the end of this book, the human race is shown as the very small speck in the Universe that it really is.
qhjr
Nov 19, 2009
One of the best ,...
For fans of science 'fact'ion (had science) this one is hard to beat. In a league with Niven-Pournelle's ringworld. It helped usher in the contemporaries (McDevitt, and others).
Great, fast, fun read.
DaveJW
Oct 5, 2007
First Contact! Clarke does it well.
In 2131 a programme is set up to find asteriods that may cross the Earth's orbit. However, an object is detected that exhibits unusual behaviour as it enters the solar system. A space ship is confirmed: Rama. A crew is sent to discover the mysteries of Earth's first contact before it speeds out of the solar system.
Arthur C. Clarke, rightly (in my opinion) won the Hugo and Nebula Award for this book, which stands the test of time.
A powerful account of a first contact with a star faring race. Within the book, Clarke develops his favourite themes; advanced technology that is indistinguishable from magic, an inability of humans to understand other intelligence. And, recognising that most space exploration is going to be mechanical probes and robots 20 years before it becomes accepted reality.
A powerful story that shows the spirit of exploration, that mankind has demonstrated over the centuries on their own planet, in the local solar system, and the ingenuity needed to survive in new environments.
oursaladbowl
Apr 4, 2007
awe inspiring account of a new world
As the mystery of Rama unravels it leads the reader to realize that much much more is unknown than that which is reveled so far.
The complex inter workings of the vast Rama suggest a great deal of thought on the part of the author.
The book is well written and easy to read and follow. At the end of the book the reader may suddenly realize that the book has finished without him learning very much at all. A rather gripping tale that leaves the reader begging for more.
