Rendezvous with Rama Audiobook By Arthur C. Clarke cover art

Rendezvous with Rama

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Rendezvous with Rama

By: Arthur C. Clarke
Narrated by: Peter Ganim, Robert J. Sawyer - introduction
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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.

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by Hugo Award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer, who explains why Rendezvous with Rama will make the listener "feel both humbled and exhilarated at the same time".

©1973 Arthur C. Clarke (P)2008 Audible, Inc. First Contact Hard Science Fiction Hugo Award Locus Award Nebula Award Science Fiction

Critic reviews

Hugo Award, Best Novel, 1974
Nebula Award, Best Novel, 1973
John W. Campbell Memorial Award, Best Novel, 1974


"A frighteningly logical, believable, and grimly prophetic tale...Clarke is a master." (Los Angeles Times)
"A first-rate tour de force." (The New York Times)

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I hesitated to buy this book because of the date it was written/published. I thought it would be very dated, etc. But, I was wrong: although, you could get picky on some of the references. I imagine now, that the way the book describes the encounter is pretty close to accurate, if Rama was friendly. My only complaint is the narrator for a couple characters was pretty much mono-toned. Hope this helps, JWP

Great book and very believable

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Would you try another book from Arthur C. Clarke and/or Peter Ganim and Robert J. Sawyer (Introduction) ?

Yes I like the way this book is written and it has a good story line.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Rendezvous with Rama?

No real memorable moments the book in general was good. I just wanted to bash my brains out because of how slow the reader was.

How could the performance have been better?

The guy needs to learn to read a little better before trying a book that a lot of people listen to.

Was Rendezvous with Rama worth the listening time?

Not quite done yet but the story is definitely worth the slow moaning of the reader.

My six year old reads better

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If you like hard scifi, this is definitely the book for you. The story was intriguing, and the pacing wonderful given the--ironically--down-to-earth nature of the story. (By which I mean, aside from the extra solar ship showing up, nothing else was really all that theatrical, and certainly I found no unnecessary theatrics.)

My only complaint were the characters. I really wish they were a bit more colorful. Certainly. The Rama Committee was more interesting than anyone on the ship.

The reading, though clean, was pretty stale, which my accentuated the lack of great character development.

It's easy to see why this is a classic, but it's also not unreasonable to point out its flaws, from an entertainment standpoint.

Great science fiction, but could use better characters

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Rendezvous with Rama is a classic by Arthur C Clarke that deals with alien first contact. Set in the future, when space flight has led to settlements throughout the solar system, a mysterious object arrives like an asteroid or comet, but clearly from well beyond the bounds of Sol. A manned mission is sent to investigate and the crew finds an artificial, but seemingly lifeless construct. While they have limited time due to orbital mechanics, the crew gradually uncovers evidence of alien lifeforms, but are never able to discern the true nature of the object.

Clarke was certainly exploring the bounds of "alien-ness" to such an extent that humanity lacked the ability to truly understand what lay before it. The "spaceship" seemed designed for long term interplanetary travel, but without a clear purpose. The aliens possessed quite advanced technology, both in terms of devices inside the craft as well as its unique propulsion system. While many suggestions are offered for the purpose of the ship, the possibility that it represents a type of roving pyramid seems most appropriate. Conceptually, the story is quite engaging and compelling, but Clarke really skimps on character development, although he seems to have accurately reflected the competitive nature of the scientific community.

The narration is quite good with a solid range of voices, with reasonable pacing.

Alien contact without "take me to your leader"

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Still mysterious 23 years after first reading. What power and supremacy might exist "out there"!

A glimpse of fantastic.

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