The Last Theorem by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
reviewed by Paul Kincaid
Arthur C. Clarke, one of the most important figures in mid-century science fiction, was not exactly an exponent of
experimental prose. His view, reflected in a string of classic novels from the 50s to the 70s, seems to have been one where prose
should be, as near as possible, an invisible window through which one watches the action.
Frederik Pohl, on the other hand, has always been a little more ready
to take risks with the form and structure of his writing.
The Last Theorem by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl
reviewed by Steven H Silver
The heart of the novel tells the story of Ranjit Subramanian, a Sri Lankan man who is fascinated by mathematical tricks
and finds his muse in Fermat's Last Theorem, a riddle posited by Pierre de Fermat in 1637 and still unsolved. Aside
from working on a solution to Fermat's riddle, Subramanian tends to drift through life, mostly supported by a few
close friends. Even his resolution of Fermat's problem comes about because of events beyond his control.
Clarke's Universe by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by Steven H Silver
This is a collection of three stories by Arthur C. Clarke:
one novel and two short stories. While in most cases when a collection like this is put together, there is some link between
the stories, any link between "The Lion of Comarre," A Fall of Moondust, and "Jupiter V"
is tenuous at best. All three are set in the future in our solar system and were written by Clarke, but that is about as
far as the link goes.
The Other Side of the Sky by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by Alma A. Hromic
When it comes to writers like this one, it seems almost irreverent to be writing a review. What can someone like me possibly
have to say about someone like him -- a titan of the genre whose works were not only seminal to the world of science fiction but who
also contributed significantly to the facts of science as we know them today?
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Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by David Maddox
Imagine humanity on the verge of universal travel, space crafts primed to break the final barrier and open up
a cosmos full of mystery and wonder. Then imagine that in one moment it's all taken away. A technologically
superior race descends from the heavens to become our keepers. Life as we know it ends.
The book's opening scene is probably the most recognizable of SF
introductions. The vision of gigantic Overlord space ships appearing over every major Earth city is so phenomenally
powerful that it has been recreated and honoured in countless science fiction films.
The Collected Stories by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by Greg L. Johnson
One thing that becomes apparent early in the collection is the range of the
author's philosophical thinking. Many of the early tales reflect a certain
fatalism towards human history. At the other extreme are stories steeped in
the "What will those amazing humans do next?" attitude that pervades much of
1940s SF. The combination of the two outlooks is at the heart of much of his best work.
The Fountains of Paradise by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by Rich Horton
The book tells of Vannevar Morgan, the greatest civil engineer of the
mid-22nd century. Having built a bridge across the Straits of Gibraltar, he
dreams of an even greater accomplishment: sort of a bridge to space: a
"skyhook," or "space elevator." This will be a cable stretching from the
Earth's equator to an anchoring satellite at geosynchronous orbit. In a long
series of short chapters, he tells of Morgan's efforts to get the elevator built.
Profiles of the Future by Arthur C. Clarke
reviewed by Stephen M. Davis
Originally published in 1962, now revisited and revised by the author, this
is an examination of where he believes that we are headed -- at least in a
technological sense. To this end, we are provided with an entertaining chart
at the back of the book suggesting that we may well have weather control by
2010 and immortality by the turn of the next century.
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