I have watched the film based on this novel at least 10 times.

Finally, I got the chance to read the novel for the first time.

To my surprise, it did answer a few unanswered questions that I had after watching the film.

However, I have to admit that the reading experience was less impactful than I had expected.

Perhaps it was because I had already seen the story unfold on the big screen so many times.

Nevertheless, I am still looking forward to reading the next installment in the series.

I hope that it will bring more surprises and a more immersive reading experience.

Who knows, maybe the next novel will be even better than the first one.

I can't wait to find out.

I thoroughly enjoyed this reread during my commute to work.

Here is my review from 2018, and my opinion remains unchanged. I truly loved this book, except for the first part, which was excruciatingly boring.

From a story perspective, 2001: A Space Odyssey was outstanding. However, when books suggest that aliens assisted humans, that's where I draw the line. Aliens did not build the pyramids. I don't care what anyone says. I like aliens, don't get me wrong. I'm a huge fan of Star Wars, Star Trek, Ender's Game (one of my all-time favorite Sci-fi books), and many others. I just despise books that depict humans as so stupid that they require a little "push" from external help or use it as a means to "explain" the monumental achievements of the past. No, human beings constructed those monoliths; we evolved as a species - we did it on our own, not with the help of aliens. So, at least for me, rating 2001 was extremely difficult.

Part 1 was incredibly dull - over 40 pages of an ape-man in the Pleistocene era. It was like gouging my eyes out with a rusty fork. 40+ pages of an ape-man banging on stones and killing a panther... big deal...

If I rate the book solely based on the story, it would be a 5-star book. But, as I mentioned, I detest the "aliens built the pyramids" theme and the boring Part 1. Whenever they discuss extraterrestrials on the sci-fi channel, I always switch to something else because I know exactly what they're going to talk about. There's no evidence of their existence anyway.

I adored the themes in this book: the perils of technology and nuclear war, space exploration, and artificial intelligence. All the great sci-fi books I've read so far have really emphasized the perils of technology, especially in robots. R.U.R. and I, Robot truly explore the dangers of technology and artificial intelligence (which is probably why our society has gone the iPhone/computer route lol).

I have a passion for space. Among all the sciences, astronomy is my favorite. I loved it when Clarke described the moons and planets in the galaxy. I can't get enough of space opera books.

So, overall, it was a great story, aside from the two aspects I mentioned. Once I find the sequels in a used bookstore, I'll continue reading them. But for now, it's time to move on to Heinlein or Asimov!

When I first read this book as a teenager, I despised it.

I thought it was dreadfully dry and completely impenetrable. However, I adored the Kubrick movie for its strangeness.

Clearly, I wasn't one of the brightest kids of my generation.

That being said, on this reread, I have a newfound appreciation for it.

I can now understand why I couldn't fully appreciate it in my teens.

Clarke's scientific expositions can be extremely detailed, but I no longer find them dry.

In fact, I find them quite fascinating.

The concept that when you're on the moon, Earth is the moon, the details about the composition of Saturn's ring, and the description of Jupiter and its moons are all clearly explained, interesting, and educational.

They truly help in visualizing these planets.

What I particularly love about Clarke's writing now, which I didn't appreciate in my foolish teens, is the wonderful minutiae of his descriptions of various aspects of space faring life.

For example, the practical design of the toilet on a spaceship for zero gravity conditions (a badly designed toilet would lead to a real mess).

Also, things like the thick sticky sauce on pork chops and salad with adhesive dressing to prevent food from floating off the plate during dinner.

After dinner, the velcro slippers are great for walking around the ship without levitating.

I have only mentioned the minor details so far.

The main plot is, of course, absolutely epic.

Although it's so well known that it hardly needs describing.

"2001: A Space Odyssey" gets off to a thrilling start during 3 million years B.C.

The first five chapters essentially tell the story of how ape-men were "uplifted" (using David Brin's term) by benevolent aliens from silly primates to sentient "people".

Then the story jumps forward to the future of 2001 AD where a mysterious monolith is discovered on the moon.

This main section of the book is entirely set in space, so we don't know if Clarke would have predicted iPads and Tumblr.

The middle section of the book, where astronaut David Bowman is battling the crazed and homicidal AI HAL 9000, is my favorite.

The short section of the narrative told from HAL's point of view is particularly wonderful.

After dealing with HAL with extreme prejudice, Dave has a lonely and depressing "Major Tom" period marooned in space.

Fortunately, he soon embarks on his famous trippy trip through a stargate.

If you're puzzled by the Kubrick movie, this book may help to clarify almost everything for you.

However, according to Clarke, Kubrick and he had different ideas about the story they wanted to tell, and Clarke's answers aren't necessarily the correct ones!

I have no idea how much input Kubrick had on the novel, only that he helped to develop it.

The book is, however, entirely written by Clarke.

The last couple of chapters are less surreal and psychedelic than the film but relatively understandable and still quite mind-blowing.

While he's a sci-fi legend to this day, Clarke is often criticized (along with Asimov) for his journeyman prose.

But I'm always quite happy to defend Clarke's style of writing.

He used the right tools for the right job, and his science expositions are accessible and a pleasure to read.

He's also quite capable of some dry wit.

Characterization may not be Clarke's forte, but he preferred to concentrate on the epic plot development instead, which is fine for me as he succeeded in his storytelling aim.

Having said that, both Dave Bowman and HAL 9000 are two of sci-fi's most memorable and enduring characters.

If you like the film adaptation of "2001: A Space Odyssey" but haven't read this book, you should.

The same goes if you haven't seen the film.

It's deservedly a classic.

Star rating: "Oh my God! – it’s full of stars!"

Note: My review of "2010: Odyssey Two"

The author begins by quoting a thought-provoking statement about how after ten thousand years, man has found something as exciting as war, yet not all nations have realized this fact. The movie "2001: A Space Odyssey" provides a cinematic experience, but the author needed some explanations and found that reading helped them understand better. The story involves prehistoric apes finding a big black slab and developing tools to rule over their rivals. Fast forward to present(ish) time, and scientists discover the slab again, realizing it seems to be communicating with Saturn. Astronauts are sent on a suicidal mission to the ringed planet, and although things go wrong, there is ultimately a sort of contact. Along the way, there is a lot of science that goes over the author's head, and the astronauts spend lonely hours in space, being philosophical. The author also quotes another statement about how the more wonderful the means of communication, the more trivial its contents seem to be. The author is happy to have read the novel, even though they rank their "2001: A Space Odyssey" experiences in a particular order, with the opening fanfare being their favorite. Overall, the author concludes that the book was good too.

I first read this book when I was about 17, and didn't think much of it. It was just okay, not nearly as great as the film.

However, having reread it now (after rewatching the film for the umpteenth time), I like it a lot more. I've also been careful not to make the mistake of directly comparing the book and the film. Kubrick was right when he said at the time that it would be interesting to have two sometimes diverging interpretations of the same ideas.

There are still some pacing issues. You can tell that Clarke and Kubrick spent a great deal of time on imagining this future world, and Clarke wants to share all of it with you.

The Star Gate sequence in the book, in my opinion, is rather dull. But on the other hand, the exploration of the hotel room by Bowman in the book is a quite interesting addition.

I've ordered the sequels, which I've never read before. They're not available on Kindle, at least not in English. Let's see what they have in store.

‘Is your confidence in me fully restored?’
‘Of course it is, Hal.’
‘Well, that’s a relief. You know that I have the greatest possible enthusiasm for this mission.’

**No Women In Space**

In the early days of space exploration, it was a common sight to see only men venturing into the unknown reaches of the cosmos.

There were several reasons for this. One was the perception that space travel was a dangerous and physically demanding endeavor that only men could handle. Another was the prevailing gender norms and biases of the time, which limited women's opportunities in many fields, including science and technology.

However, as our understanding of space has grown and our technology has advanced, it has become increasingly clear that women have just as much to offer in the field of space exploration as men.

Today, there are many women working in various aspects of the space industry, from engineering and science to mission control and astronaut training.

While there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving gender equality in space, the progress that has been made is encouraging.

Hopefully, in the not-too-distant future, we will see many more women joining the ranks of astronauts and making their mark on the final frontier.

I was initially inclined to give this book 3 stars. However, after reaching the ending, I considered awarding it 5 stars. Eventually, I have decided to settle on a 4-star rating.

To be honest, the middle part of the book did bore me to some extent. But when one takes into account that this book was published in 1968, it becomes evident that Clarke's imagination was truly remarkable. The descriptions within the book are simply fantastic.

The last 30 or 40 pages of this book are easily worthy of a 5-star rating. It is an ultimate trip, presenting the weirdest and most detailed concepts I have ever encountered in my reading. Clarke managed to imagine it all, and I am truly in awe of what I have just read.

So, for the last 30 pages, I would probably rate it a 6 out of 5. The rest of the book is not bad by any means. The language is good, but the story does sometimes lack momentum. There are long descriptions of the characters' daily procedures and the food they eat. However, it must be remembered that when this book was written, man had not yet set foot on the Moon. Just imagine reading this before that historical event had occurred! I suspect that one's mind would be completely blown.

It is a shame that science-fiction has advanced so much that it has become rather diluted in some ways. If I had read this as a teenager in the 1960s, I probably would have been completely overwhelmed.

I might now read the ending again. Additionally, I need to watch the film adaptation.

I am currently engaged in the process of re-reading several books that I recall not fully understanding during my previous readings. The last one I completed was "2001" by Arthur C. Clarke.

I don't think there is anything left to say about this book that already has not been said. It seems that all the possible aspects and interpretations have been explored. So, I'll just let it be. After all, a book doesn't become a classic for nothing. It must have its own unique charm and value.

I would probably rate the book 5* if it wasn't for some instances of sexism that rankled me. It's quite disappointing to find such flaws in a classic work. For a book devoid of any women characters except two, the author's ingenuity still found ways to be sexist. This shows that the author's mindset might have been influenced by the social and cultural background of that time.

Well anyway now I am free to finally watch the movie. I'm curious to see how the movie adapts the story and whether it can capture the essence of the book. Maybe the movie will offer a different perspective and help me to understand the book better. I'm looking forward to it.

4 stars first time I read

5 stars on the re-read

And, speaking of stars... an applicable quote:

"Oh my God, it's full of stars!"

2001: A Space Odyssey is truly a classic. It can easily be contended that it ranks among the top 5 sci-fi books of all time, considering its profound impact since its release. Interestingly, as noted in the book's introduction, the movie is not derived from the book, nor is the book based on the movie. Clarke and Kubrick collaborated on both, and in fact, the movie was released prior to the book. Although I wasn't overly fond of the movie (as I'm not a Kubrick enthusiast), it too is a classic within the sci-fi genre.

My favorite aspect of this book is that it represents speculative science fiction at its absolute best. I've truly relished recent speculative sci-fi titles, and this one is the progenitor of them all. How would long-distance space travel function? What would Artificial Intelligence and machine learning resemble? What might exist in the Cosmos? Much of sci-fi focuses on galaxies far, far away and isn't always firmly grounded in scientific reality. However, this book situates everything within the realm of our Solar System, relying on real science and only speculating about what lies beyond the limits of what is reasonably attainable. It's fascinating to contemplate!

Do you have a penchant for sci-fi? Are you seeking to enhance your collection of classic novels? Be sure to include 2001. It's a quick and captivating read that will provide you with much to ponder.

And, I suppose I should give the movie another try...

I think it's quite safe to state that this is one of the truly remarkable science fiction novels. However, it's astonishing that this is the first time I've delved into its pages. Let me be clear from the outset: in my view, this isn't the kind of book I'll likely relish reading over and over again. Nevertheless, it was undeniably crucial to have read it.

Almost perplexingly, the novel commences in Africa, approximately 3 million years ago, presenting us with a vivid portrayal of prehistoric humans engaged in a desperate struggle for daily survival. The author wittily describes their limitations and the profound impact that "something" has on them when it inspires and encourages the development of intelligence, encompassing the use of tools, the application of farming, and hunting, among other aspects.

Then, we are catapulted forward to the year 1999, a time when travels to the Moon have become commonplace. In one of the Moon's craters, a monolith is discovered. This monolith emits a powerful and mysterious signal when the sunlight touches it for the very first time in an eternity.

The signal is seemingly transmitted to Saturn, which leads us to the third part (out of four) of the book. In this section, a ship is dispatched to investigate. On board this ship is the infamous HAL 9000.

No more details will be divulged regarding the civilization that constructed and left the monoliths or what befalls the respective characters. Suffice it to say that it becomes truly captivating.

Arthur C. Clarke is such a renowned and influential science fiction author that an award has been named in his honor. And it's easy to see why. The novel may have its minor flaws, but the themes it explores are truly remarkable. From Alan Turing's theories on artificial intelligence (and, by extension, the Turing Test) to evolution and the perils of technology and nuclear war, this book demonstrates the author's remarkable foresight. Indeed, he even addresses overpopulation and food shortages, which were popular topics of speculation back in the 1960s.

What I particularly liked was that the author didn't simply regurgitate famous theories like Turing's but instead applied them intelligently within the context of the story. Thus, HAL isn't just a machine that has gone haywire but an AI that receives two sets of conflicting orders. It is the humans who have failed and, as a result, have caused the downfall of some of their own. The book, therefore, cleverly raises questions about consciousness and sentience versus programming, as well as about human interaction with machines (although I still have a soft spot for Asimov's robot stories).

Another example is what occurs at the end when Star Child detonates a nuclear warhead. His status as a child clearly symbolizes a new beginning for humanity. Moreover, my buddy reader has suggested that the message is that we are all stardust. Well, no kidding. After a nuclear explosion, we're definitely dust, just not the kind that ascends. *lol* Seriously, the explosion won't eradicate all life on Earth, but it will create a stress factor that will compel humanity to make the next evolutionary leap forward (in which case the theme of nuclear and cold wars being dangerous has become somewhat less relevant, but never mind).

A more minor yet highly entertaining aspect was the author's commentary on zoos.

All in all, these are valid points, presenting the then-current themes and problems of humanity (some of which remain just as relevant today) within a futuristic framework and even predicting a future Earth, just as science fiction should. Moreover, it's evident from my review that this book makes you think and discuss numerous things, and that is always a wonderful thing.

I can't wait to watch Kubrick's movie tonight.

An alien artifact bestows upon a man-ape the knowledge of using tools. Meanwhile, Heywood Floyd embarks on a journey to the moon to look into a mysterious situation. Dave Bowman and his crewmates, with most of them in cryogenic sleep, are making their way towards Saturn.

Let me start by expressing my two major concerns. Firstly, Arthur C. Clarke's characters often seem like flat cardboard cutouts and are largely indistinguishable from one another. Secondly, Clarke's prose fails to attract a wide audience.

However, having said that, I still found this book highly enjoyable. Some parts of it may seem a bit outdated, which is not unexpected considering that Clarke wrote it around the time when a man-ape first discovered fire. Nevertheless, a significant portion of it is remarkably accurate, such as Heywood Floyd's tablet, albeit with a different name.

The first two storylines do an excellent job of laying the groundwork for the third. The man-ape thread, although the least exciting, sets the stage nicely. By the time Bowman's thread takes off, the book becomes extremely difficult to put down.

Unlike many other science fiction classics, I derived pleasure from both the story and the concepts presented. Due to the high enjoyment factor and its status as a genre classic, I have decided to upgrade my original rating from 3.5 to a solid 4 out of 5.