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4.03 AVERAGE
4.03 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Sérieusement, je n'avais aucune attente face à ce livre. J'ai trouvé ce livre dans une librairie de livre usagé pas mal bric-à-brac. Il n'était pas cher et en plus, je n'avais pas vu le film de Kubrik à l'exception de l'introduction. J'ai été fasciné tout le long de ma lecture par le style fluide et facile à lire de l'auteur. C'est certain que je n'ai pas tout compris mais j'ai quand même vécu une très belle expérience de lecture. Je ne me fait pas trop d'attente avec la suite mais je veux quand même la lire.
challenging
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Basically an illustrated version of the novel, taking imagery liberally (occasionally directly) from the film. It's okay, but mostly it's neat as a curiosity.
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Hal had a bigger impact than the stargate or hyper-space transport deck
4.5* some spoilers
“Unlike the animals, who knew only the present, Man had acquired a past; and he was beginning to grope toward a future.”
The first time I read this novel was about 25 years ago, and I went on a huge Arthur C. Clarke reading binge, consuming all this series as well as the excellent Rama one, and a few more. Always a bit nerve-wracking to revisit a classic. As it happens, still loved it :O)
I don’t think I was as aware that this story was a collaboration between Clarke and Kubrick the first time around. The prologue with the author’s diary entries charting the writing progress was an interesting addition. Usually films don’t ‘match' the book, to readers’ eternal exasperation, but here they complement each other. It isn’t exactly the same but close enough.
What do I keep from this Classic? Well, the first section during the Prehistory always fascinates me (reminds me of a French film titled La Guerre de Feu / Quest for Fire - 1981), then you have the discovery of the Monolith by Dr Floyd (branded in my mind), followed by the freaky HAL and the whole theme of artificial intelligence (parallel between the ‘beings’ that pushed humans to evolve and humans doing a similar thing with A.I. - well, try to, as the results show), and finally the open-ended end (I like to think it is a portal, like a stargate, or a means to Ascension :O)
Makes you wonder what is around the corner. As Clarke says: "The truth, as always, will be far stranger”
“Unlike the animals, who knew only the present, Man had acquired a past; and he was beginning to grope toward a future.”
The first time I read this novel was about 25 years ago, and I went on a huge Arthur C. Clarke reading binge, consuming all this series as well as the excellent Rama one, and a few more. Always a bit nerve-wracking to revisit a classic. As it happens, still loved it :O)
I don’t think I was as aware that this story was a collaboration between Clarke and Kubrick the first time around. The prologue with the author’s diary entries charting the writing progress was an interesting addition. Usually films don’t ‘match' the book, to readers’ eternal exasperation, but here they complement each other. It isn’t exactly the same but close enough.
What do I keep from this Classic? Well, the first section during the Prehistory always fascinates me (reminds me of a French film titled La Guerre de Feu / Quest for Fire - 1981), then you have the discovery of the Monolith by Dr Floyd (branded in my mind), followed by the freaky HAL and the whole theme of artificial intelligence (parallel between the ‘beings’ that pushed humans to evolve and humans doing a similar thing with A.I. - well, try to, as the results show), and finally the open-ended end (I like to think it is a portal, like a stargate, or a means to Ascension :O)
Makes you wonder what is around the corner. As Clarke says: "The truth, as always, will be far stranger”
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Even though this came out first, reading "2001" feels like reading a novelization of the movie. According to the foreword, the book was developed concurrently with the movie, which is probably why it feels that way. Maybe I'm just biased as a movie guy, but the Kubrick film tells the same story so much more concisely. A bunch of exposition on the advancement of the ape-men doesn't resonate as strongly as that cut from the flying bone to the space station. Most of the detail the book provides felt superfluous to me, although the added specifics in the stargate section are pretty interesting. It drastically changes the meaning of the ending shot of the movie, at least.
A stunning novel written by a true visionary of sci-fi
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No