Rendezvous with Rama

By: Arthur C. Clarke

Narrated by: Peter Ganim, Robert J. Sawyer - introduction

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.

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)

Decent

I would give 4 stars, but I really didn't like the narration - as others have stated, it feels very choppy, almost a bit slow. It is to the point of being distracting, it made me wish I had just read the print book.

As for the story, it was interesting; not an action packed story, so if you're looking for a fast paced battle story, look elseware; however, it was neat to see how much this story has obviously influenced many other sci-fi stories/movies.

In a way it had a similar feel to 2001 a Space Odyssey.

Decent book, poor narration

The book is interesting, though I would say overrated. The narration is just about the worst I have heard - in the narrator's attempt at perfect enunciation, he has produced a very choppy, often monotone reading that is often difficult to listen to.

This is tough...book vs narrator

Of course, the book receives a five-star rating...how could it not? This has been one of my favorite hard sci-fi books. But OMG...how did this narrator get a job reading??? Most of the time, it sounds like a computer is reading. Bob...went...over...to...the...bridge..... I cannot believe this narrator was allowed to read one of the best sci-fi of all times. But I don't only blame him...there's also the director, producer and whoever else was responsible for letting the narrator get away with reading the way he did. Five stars for the book...negative zero stars for the narrator!

Intelligent, interesting, ultimately unsatisfying

This is fine science fiction. But you should know that it doesn't end satisfactorily, it anticipates the sequel, which is not available on Audible.

Worst narration EVER!

I don't normally write reviews, but MY GOD!... I need some way to vent the frustration from this narration.

I'm still trying to get through this audio book, which I would love to be able to do! I find the literature captivating and endlessly fascinating, yet the slow uninspired delivery of the text continues to hit my ears like a blunt instrument, trying to force my disinterest.

I can't help but wonder if Peter Ganim was just phoning it in, or if he genuinely didn't understand what he was reading.