Rendezvous with Rama

I read this book back in the late 1970's - it has become a deserved classic. It was wonderful to revisit this book but I found the narration annoying. Listen to the sample before you spend your credit, if you can cope with the narration then download this book. You won't regret it.

I look forward to the rest of the Rama series becoming available as audible titles. Please choose a different narrator for the rest of them.

Microsoft Sam's robotic voice could have read this just as well as the narrator did. It was painful to listen. I ended up listening at 1.5 speed and that helped make it manageable. He read roboticly and very slowly. Also, I prefer a much more character and story drive book. I've come to understand that really hard science fiction is not my preference.

I am less likely to try really science centered hard sci-fi in the future.

No!

The idea was very interesting, but ultimately left me bored.

It's set on the 22nd century and starts when astronomers detect an object near Jupiter.

They believe it to be an asteroid and name it after a Hindu God named "Rama". Upon investigation they discover that the orbit is not consistent with a solar orbit and send an unmanned probe to investigate - whilst broadcasting pictures back they learn that its a reflective cylinder 16km x 50km..

An survey spaceship is thus sent out to investigate..

This is a very detail oriented book - with the usual "forecasting" as Clarke does best.

Good physics and descriptions applied. Timeless - Real old school sci-fi, not so hardcore it's unreadable, but definitely absorbing.

Recommended! (Both Hugo and Nebula "Best Novel" award winner)

This series comprises of:

Rendezvous with Rama (1972)
Rama II (1989)
The Garden of Rama (1991)
Rama Revealed (1993)

Awards well deserved

My only objection to this product. The naration was completely monotone and droll. Different accents were well utlised for the characters, but the naration was simply not worth of the novel.

I've loved this book for over 30 years. But to tell the truth, for a while, I had almost convinced myself that the "reader" was artificial. The HAL9000 conveys more warmth and expression than the reader of this book. I've found it very distracting and I'm not sure I can finish.

With all the charm and nuanced diction of a first-gen GPS-machine, the narrator absolutely slaughters this fine book. I will try to render in text an example of what I mean:

"Commander Norton. Remembered. Those fiRSt, TV transmissions. Which? He had replayed... So Many Times..... During the final minutes...... Of The Rendezvous. But there was one thing. No, Electronic, Image, could POHSSSibly convey. And that. Was Rama's. OverwHelming. Size."

I had to give up after 4 chapters, as I was risking the lives of my fellow motorists by listening to this snooze-inducing monotone. It was like listening to a GPS voice synthesizer trying to render Shakespeare.

It's clear why "Rendezvous With Rama" reeived so many awards and is regarded as a classic. Fantastic and unique story line! However, the narration on this version is delivered in such a monotone that the listener becomes easily disengaged. It actually sounds robotic. Would love to hear it narrated by a human.

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

Wow, I've never read this story before and it was the first time I've finished a long story of Clarke's. What great stuff!

Yes, the narrator is rather dry and has a tempo that can be boring on a long drive but it worked well enough.

It's hard to beat the imagination of Authur C. Clarke. This book is a cliff hanger from start to finish. There are action sequences that keep you turning pages, but mostly it's just the pure wonder of what's coming next in the fantastic discovery of Rama.