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A review by kevin_shepherd
2001: A Space Odyssey by Arthur C. Clarke
4.0
The film 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) is not an adaptation of this book, nor is this book (1968) a “novelization” of the film. According to Clarke’s brief but eloquent introduction in the ‘25th Anniversary Edition,’ both were written simultaneously and both were inspired by the author’s short stories The Sentinel (1951) and Encounter in the Dawn (1953).
There are a few variations between the two mediums, the biggest of which is in monolith placement—the film has the cryptic behemoth orbiting Jupiter, while the novel sets it firmly on the surface of Iapetus (one of Saturn’s many moons). The novel also clears up some of the ambiguities for which the film is often criticized (actor Rock Hudson reportedly walked out of the New York City premiere muttering, “What is this bullshit!?”).
All-in-all, Clarke delivers an amazing, albeit sexist, vision of the then-future/now-past dawning of the new millennium. He correctly predicted the advent of the iPad (Apple, 2010) and of reusable rocket boosters (SpaceX, 2011). If there is a knock on 2001, it is its decidedly masculine take on an otherwise remarkable future [see also: Star Trek: The Original Series].
There are a few variations between the two mediums, the biggest of which is in monolith placement—the film has the cryptic behemoth orbiting Jupiter, while the novel sets it firmly on the surface of Iapetus (one of Saturn’s many moons). The novel also clears up some of the ambiguities for which the film is often criticized (actor Rock Hudson reportedly walked out of the New York City premiere muttering, “What is this bullshit!?”).
All-in-all, Clarke delivers an amazing, albeit sexist, vision of the then-future/now-past dawning of the new millennium. He correctly predicted the advent of the iPad (Apple, 2010) and of reusable rocket boosters (SpaceX, 2011). If there is a knock on 2001, it is its decidedly masculine take on an otherwise remarkable future [see also: Star Trek: The Original Series].