Book Review: Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke

I had read Rendezvous with Rama a long time ago, but I've been in a bit of a sci-fi reading phase and wanted to re-read it. Here is the Goodreads blurb:

An all-time science fiction classic, Rendezvous with Rama is also one of Clarke's best novels--it won the Campbell, Hugo, Jupiter, and Nebula Awards. A huge, mysterious, cylindrical object appears in space, swooping in toward the sun. The citizens of the solar system send a ship to investigate before the enigmatic craft, called Rama, disappears. The astronauts given the task of exploring the hollow cylindrical ship are able to decipher some, but definitely not all, of the extraterrestrial vehicle's puzzles. From the ubiquitous trilateral symmetry of its structures to its cylindrical sea and machine-island, Rama's secrets are strange evidence of an advanced civilization. But who, and where, are the Ramans, and what do they want with humans? Perhaps the answer lies with the busily working biots, or the sealed-off buildings, or the inaccessible "southern" half of the enormous cylinder. Rama's unsolved mysteries are tantalizing indeed. Rendezvous with Rama is fast moving, fascinating, and a must-read for science fiction fans. Clarke collaborated with Gentry Lee in writing several Rama sequels, beginning with Rama II.

Read on for my spoiler-free review.

Overall Impression

This book is fascinating. It feels most like a travelogue as the characters explore Rama, a mysterious space ship. The characters and plot feel secondary to the setting- it's all about what Rama is. Exploring alongside the characters is the main point of the novel.

Plot

The plot of this book is fairly straightforward- a mysterious interstellar object has arrived in the Solar System and a nearby space ship, the Endeavor, is redirected to go investigate. What follows is a bit of a travelogue type experience as Commander Norton and his crew describe all the various things they encounter and do while on the object, dubbed Rama. There's a few close calls, a few daring adventures, and a lot of mystery. A lot of answers are deliberately left unanswered with a hint: "The Ramans do things in threes" (there is actually a trilogy after this book).

Characters

The characters take a very secondary role in this story. There are several, most notably Norton, Commander of the Endeavor, but they tend to be quickly introduced when needed and then shifted aside after their chapter. For example, I can't tell you how large was the crew of the Endeavor- just that it was large enough to have several scouting teams in Rama as well as a skeleton crew on the ship itself. Norton himself is a competent commander, married to two wives on different planets (Earth and Mars, if I recall), and an expert on James Cook, captain of the original Endeavor which explored the Pacific in the 1700s.

Setting / World Building

As one of those books in that golden age of sci-fi, it's no surprise this one really focuses on the unique setting. It's a future Earth, about 100 years or so, and it has witnessed it's first interstellar visitor- the mysterious object known as Rama. The entire book is focused around the exploration of Rama, how the crew slowly discovers the various different mechanisms inside and how they work around any situation in their way. 

Because the setting is so central to the book I won't give too many details, but I found it exciting to be discovering Rama alongside the characters. The place is fascinating and every question answered leads to a new one. I have read the other books in the series before and now that I re-read this one I may have to go back and check out the others again.

Final Thoughts

This was a good book. It's very much a hallmark of it's time, with a few astronomical inconsistencies now that we know better, but that doesn't detract from it. At it heart, it's about exploring a fascinating space ship from an alien civilization. You, alongside the characters, are left wondering at Rama's purpose, it's inhabitants, and how everything works. The joy of discovery is a central theme for this book. I may not remember the characters or points of the plot years from now, but I will remember Rama.