The original book in this series was very good-close to a classic. One of the few criticisms one could make of it was it was so transparently commercially manipulative was clear more books were on the way and this was as much--if not more--a money making exercise as an artistic one. But the book was good and this trilogy thing has apparently become a (bad) habit in the sci-fi world, so you give people a little leeway.

Or I did till the second book, Rama II came out.

If you read the first book then read Rama II, one thing is brutally clear-the books were written by different people. Clearly this book should have read "By Gentry Lee, based on the ideas of Arthur C. Clark.

The 2nd book was awful-the worst sort of 4th rate pulp sci-fi fiction. Sex and sensationalism replaced sci-fi as the driving force of the book. It advanced the readers understanding of the Raman'-their form, ideas, intentions, etc.--not one whit.

So why did I venture into this book? I thought that Clarke might just possibly have been sufficiently chagrined by the harsh criticism Rama II got to try to get back on track and provide a sequel worthy of the first book.

Unbelievebly, this book is even worse than Rama II. Much, much worse.

I won't even bother with a plot or character analysis. I really don't want anyone to even remotely think that there's anything here worth reading.

It's sad to see a giant of the genre sell out but I can think of no other explanation for these recent abominations.

Save your money. This book is worse than trash.


Shocked by the good reviews   August 22, 2001
 14 out of 18 found this review helpful

I agree with those that panned this book, and I also have to agree that I thought I was getting a book written by the esteemed Arthur C Clark. Either Sir Clark has lost it, or it was written by someone else. The book has a lot of promise but squanders it, and resolves nothing. Also, the plot (especially regarding the extreme stupidity of the colonists) is not believable.


Rama II and Rama III are awful.   August 23, 2006
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

Rama II and Rama III are awful. I'm embarrassed to see Mr. Clarke's name associated with these so-called sequels. They reflect nothing of the science fiction wonder and imagination seen in Rendezvous with Rama and most of his other stories. Rama II & III are completely polluted with political, sociological & religious nonsense and modern emotionalism. Not worth reading. Certainly not worth adding to a fine collection of Clarke books.


Takes a bit of willpower to finish   July 19, 2002
 11 out of 13 found this review helpful

It's not that I thought this book was awful, it's just that it didn't have much in it that I found very good. The original Rendezvous with Rama is a classic, filled with an environment that makes you wonder about the alien intelligence and crave for more.

These sequels, on the contrary, are set in the same "universe" but center around some Jerry Springer-esque quarrels amongst all the various humans. The notion that this has anything to do with Rama or aliens is secondary (or even tertiary) to the plot. In this installment, there are fleeting bits of the original wonder as the characters visit the "Node" and again when Richard visits the mysterious other dome towards the end. Sadly, this doesn't constitute very much of the overall book itself.

There are also some references that hit the reader with all the subtlety of an anvil to the head: the AIDS-like RV41 virus, Nicole's impending martyrdom and the constant (and fleeting) references to her heroes Joan of Arc and Eleanor of Aquitaine, and the groaner where someone confuses Richard with Jesus. Social and religious commentary are the main themes of this book (as they were in Rama II). Science fiction is merely (and IMHO unfortunately) a backdrop.


God this is a bad book....   June 20, 2006
 9 out of 9 found this review helpful

I have just reread the whole series, book one is a very good book but each book after is geometrically worse. Book two is bad, book three is horrible, I'm at a loss to describe book four. I recommend shoving needles under your finger nails which is less painful then this series. Read and keep book one, burn the rest.