Rendezvous with Rama

By: Arthur C. Clarke

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

Length: 9 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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)

Crisp, vivid, and cerebrally challenging

Clarke at his best. An exploration story that demands vision and speculation. Starkly hopeful and delightfully bizarre.

still one of my favorite books

the narration breathed New Life and wonder into something that inspired me in my youth.

Lazy reading of a great book

Either the reader paid no attention to the text or this was read by AI. Either way the delivery is off like a confused newscaster. Still a great book.

Good Book, Abysmal Reader

I've been wanting to read this book for ages and was so glad to see it finally come out on audible. The story was good and interesting, but it was very hard to continue to listen to it because the reader was so horrible. Slow and monotone to the point I wondered if it was a machine reading the story.

Please Audible Frontiers, do not ever use this reader again. You did a great disservice to an award winning classic. It should have been 5 stars.

Well aged

Having read this fascinating SciFi novel three times in the past 30 years (Ramans do everything in threes, right?), I ordered the Audible reading out of curiosity and to refresh some very fond memories of this intriguing book (even though I am not much into SF generally).

The performer, Peter Gamin, does - in my opinion - not the bad job that other reviewers critized. He starts somewhat monotonous and his style takes some getting used to, but his clear and precise reading of the amazing world opening up in that cylinder from Outer Space was overall quite enjoyable. Just remember that this is not a novel heavy on character development (as mentioned in the prologue), and you'll be quite happy with the audio version.

I really enjoyed being back inside Rama once again, and the audio version of Arthur C. Clarke's classic helped in rediscovering new shades in the story which seems as fresh today as when it was first published 35 years ago.

Great Book but monotone slow reading narrators

I read this book when I was in grade school and it is still a great book. The narrators however put me to sleep. Too much silent space between words and lack of emotion. Every word uttered, I was anxiously waiting for the next word, thinking "come on, come on, say the next word. Give it to me. I crave the next word. Don't make me wait any longer. My brain keeps wandering because you are reading sooo slowly."

great story. bad narrator.

the. narrator. read every. sentence. two words. at a time. it was not pleasant to listen to.

Any more coming?

Would love to hear the rest of this series. I'm O.K. with the narrator - probably like RJ Sawyer better of the two.

Wet fish narration, story is a classic

What made the experience of listening to Rendezvous with Rama the most enjoyable?

I am captivated by the "first contact" storyline, and I love Clarke's position that humanity would hold little interest for an advanced species. We are an egocentric bunch, I'm afraid.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Unfortunately, Clarke's character development seems to be arrested at the stage in which floating breasts in zero G are worthy of more lines than most of the characters backstories. (That's a little unfair, but you get the drift.)

What didn’t you like about Peter Ganim and Robert J. Sawyer (Introduction) ’s performance?

I think the narrator, whose diction is precise and that of an aesthete, is more suited to Victorian prose and poetry reading. (A steampunk novel, perhaps?) At times I felt that the narration did nothing to add to the excitement of a first contact story. Ed Harris would have been the perfect choice. The intro was good.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, I was content to listen on my long runs.

classic Clarke.

Solid belivable story based in a scientific approach, not too much depth to the characters, but the story being old more than makes up for that. I read it twice in two weeks. Now I think I will continue the RAMA series.