A review by ravenbait
The Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clarke

2.0

Clarke is rightly known for his hard sci-fi, and this book, for me, is a good example of where hard, plot-driven sci-fi can get it wrong. The story, which Clarke says he wrote specfically as a counter to softer, more fantastic science-fiction, is perfectly good, and the science a refreshing from hand-waving. Yet I found the characters superficial, and there was a startling naivete about some of the encounters. It reminded me of the kind of story written by teenagers, not yet entirely au fait with the nuances of interpersonal relationships, and depicted an almost disturbing nudge-nudge-wink-wink approach to the physical side of love.

I very much prefer stories with plenty of character depth, where I can believe what happens does so because of the characters, not because the writer wants it to and the characters are merely along for the ride.

I'm at a loss as to why Mike Oldfield chose this book as the basis for a prog rock album, but this has to be the first (and will probably be the last) time I've picked up a book because of the music it inspired.