2010: Odyssey Two

Arthur C. Clarke

Nov 2012 · Space Odyssey Series Book 2 · RosettaBooks

About this ebook

The celebrated author continues his Space Odyssey with this Hugo Award winner: “A daring romp through the solar system and a worthy successor to 2001” (Carl Sagan).
 
In 1968, Arthur C. Clarke’s bestselling 2001: A Space Odyssey captivated the world and was adapted into the classic film by Stanley Kubrick. Fourteen years later, fans and critics were thrilled by the release of 2010: Odyssey Two.
 
Nine years after the ill-fated Discovery One mission to Jupiter, a joint Soviet-American crew travels to the planet to investigate the mysterious monolith orbiting the planet, the cause of the earlier mission’s failure—and what became of astronaut David Bowman. The crew includes project expert Heywood Floyd, and Dr. Chandra, the creator of HAL 9000.
 
What they discover is an unsettling alien conspiracy tampering with the evolution of life on Jupiter’s moons as well as that of humanity itself. Meanwhile, the being that was once Dave Bowman—the only human to unlock the mystery of the monolith—streaks toward Earth on a vital mission of its own . . .
 
“Clarke deftly blends discovery, philosophy, and a newly acquired sense of play.” —Time
 
“2010 is easily Clarke’s best book in over a decade.” —The San Diego Union-Tribune

Ratings and reviews

A good read, but not as good as the first book. While I overall liked it, I personally thought sections of this book could've been a lot shorter (the chapters where the Star-Child explores the galaxy was a complete snorefest that should've been much shorter). However, it doesn't drag much, and it contains some really great twists as well. I'd recommend this to fans of the first book, although you might find yourself wanting to skip through quite a bit of it.

About the author

Clarke is widely revered as one of the most influential science fiction writers of the 20th century, esteemed alongside Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, a trio known informally as the “Big Three.” Before his death in 2008, he authored more than 100 novels, novellas, and short story collections and laid the groundwork for science fiction as we know it today. Combining scientific knowledge and visionary literary aptitude, Clarke’s work explored the implications of major scientific discoveries in astonishingly inventive and mystical settings. Clarke’s short stories and novels have won numerous Hugo and Nebula Awards, have been translated into more than 30 languages, and have sold millions of copies worldwide. Several of his books, including 2001: A Space Odyssey and 2010: Odyssey II, have been adapted into films that still stand as classic examples of the genre. Without a doubt, Arthur C. Clarke is one of the most important voices in contemporary science fiction literature.