Customer Reviews

Ghost from the Grand Banks

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I wish I could share in the other reviewers' enthusiasm for this work. I've read many other Clarke novels, and frankly, I don't feel this one is up to par. It is a quick and entertaining read, however, and not without its charms; but there seems to be too much information. At first, it leads one to believe that some events may lead to something later in the book, only to fade into obscurity, as merely a diversion.

I do share Clarke's fascination with the M-set, being an armchair mathematician and computer programmer, and it is wonderfully described in the text, but I fail to see the relevance to the overall theme of the story. Perhaps I'm missing something, but I don't think so. I'm glad I didn't pay full price for my hardcover copy (I picked it up at a Library book sale for $.75), so I think I got my money's worth for the 260-odd pages (also short for a Clarke novel). It would have been better as a short story.

This is not a bad book, but for an Arthur C. Clarke novel, it is something of a disappointment. Although the concept of sub-plots is common in Clarke's works (and indeed, in all of science fiction) it is taken too far here. The whole long sections about the M-Set, the Millennium Bug, the inventions of Roy Emerson, and the homelife of the Craig family have no relevance to the actual plot of the book, and those sections encompass the heart of the book. Yes, the M-Set is interesting, but it should've been allowed it's own book if it is this important (even a 15+ page essay on it is included after the story). Meanwhile, the Titanic saga is relegated to almost side story status. Now, don't read all that and think I didn't like the book. I did. It's just that most of Clarke's other works are so much better (even the oft-critized 3001). Not a bad Clarke, but for the love of God don't start your collection here. Spring for Childhood's End, 2001 or 2010, or Rendezvous With Rama first.

Clarke is a visionary, and he has prophesized some incredible ideas long before they were mainstream. He continues to explore fascinating scientific thoughts and insights in this book about the raising of the Titanic. However, I find that the book has no central focus. Attempting to use the Titanic as a focal point, Clarke jumps from story to story -- about the Mandelbrot Set (a fractal pattern that is self-replicating), an invention in the field of windshield wipers, automated undersea exploration, and the lives of several diverse characters -- while never focusing the story on any overlapping theme or circumstance. In fact, the story of the Titanic is written off early on and given very little play. It seems Clarke would have been better off simply writing an essay about new technologies instead of wasting the readers time with simple plot twists, one dimensional dialogue, and emotionless characters.

Mr. Clarke is still, in my eyes, a great visionary thinker. He also writes a good sci-fi story. However, this one certainly isn't it. Read it for the ideas, read it for the insights, but please don't read it for the plot.

What we have here is several short stories and most of them have nothing to do with raising the titanic. Still a good read. What the hell was that at the end?

I read this book for the first time about 10 years ago. Before Y2K and before the 1997 film Titanic tweeked everyones interest in the Titanic. The main story deals with the attempt to raise the Titanic from the ocean floor and transport it to a location where it can be maintained and saved from further decay.

Aside from the plot there were some very good subplots. One dealt with the YTK problem. This book was published a decade before YTK and way before most people, like me, were even aware that there was a YTK computer problem. The solution offered in the book obviously was not one that came to pass but it was still interesting to read about the nature of the problem and the difficulties that could arise if left unchecked.

The technology used to raise the Titanic was well described. I am not that scientific or math savvy and so I cannot say if the technology described is currently possible but it seemed possible the way Clarke described it.

The story is set around the year 2012, the 100 year anniversary of the sinkning of the Titanic. I'm quite sure some of the technology mentioned in the novel does not exist. One invention involving the future of windshield blades and keeping rain off of an automobile windshield was interesting. On the other hand I found the whole "M-set" thing to be beyond me. I'm not sure what role it actually played in the overall plot. I gather that the "M-set" is used in other novels and may make more sense to those that have read more of Clarke's novels.

Lastly, this book is a quick read. It is not to deep or to shallow. An excellent book to read during breaks on the job or to read during an evening when you have time to kill.

Everyone knows this author; Arthur C. Clarke is a genius of his time and ours.
I myself think anything dealing with Titanic is going to be a boring attempt at a topic that has been very over done, but I actually enjoyed this book. This was a story I felt I had to concentrate on; I was trying to figure out the math questions on my own without much success but a headache, but don't let that put you off, if I concentrate to much on anything my head begins to throb, anyways:
The story line is fairly, well to be attempted. To bring Titanic up and of course it's going to take a few pretty pennies to do so. So why not make a big deal about it and have a race, two sides battle a way to the prize and to the success of having to bring up a snapped in half, ocean liner that sunk a hundred years ago? The interesting part is the year this book was written in and the year the characters are placed in, and of course what year you read the book. I was shocked at the way this author thought of the future, and it was so scary a mind could think that up.
I can't remember but years ago, people wanted to bring up the Titanic; they should of read this book and just left their grubby hands off it. (I think they did)
There is robots, huge squid, big high on their horse characters and over the top genius on this case and I even liked them.
The characters are well, not really that important, it's the idea and plot in the book. Sometimes I lost myself in all the gumbo jumbo about how, when, where, and exactly the way your going to do it, but still it was a good book. The idea of M-set interested me much and I even read the little, explanation of it at the end of the book. WoW!
I'd say if you like Clarke and his books, read it. If you like the idea of Titanic, read it, if you like sci-fi, Read it. I think it's a good thinking book and worth the time.

Arthur C Clarke's story telling comes out in one of his best story's containing more information as well as keeping the book running at a glorious rate. If you want to know about the M-Set or if -3 does have a square root you will find it here.

Of course the main plot is of raising the hulk that is the Titanic and of Natures way of thwarting even the most detailed plans by not one but two corporations.

He does like to skin dive and this is probably something he thought about himself in his own way.

My rating of seven is for the story an extra point or two should be added for the extra information on the M-Set and the Square Root of -3.

If you can find it consider buying it I bought it for £1.25 about $3. which is a bargain for this type of book.

Famous ship recovery.

Before it became cool, or even achievable Clarke came up with this. The story is basically what you would expect, except that rather than the story of a mission to do just that, it is the story of competing missions to salvage the wreck, to see who can be ready and get it done first.

Clarke fans should still like it, but if the Titanic holds no interest, pretty avoidable.

Arthur C Clarke's book is eerily prescient - especially with its whole chapter devoted to the Millennium Bug. It is clear that Clarke was himself suffering from 'Mandelmania', and you do feel at some points as though the references to the M set are there just so that he could include them, and not really for narrative enrichment.

That said, though, it is a good back story of attempts to raise the two sections of the Titanic from the floor of the Grand Banks (hence the book's title). I won't give it away here, but one of the suggested salvage solutions is almost poetic in its aptness for the situation.

The books is of course peppered with Clarke's usual insights, and observations that genius, once executed, always seems so obvoius in retrospect.

I hadn't read any Clarke for some years until I picked up this (going through a bit of a Titanic phase at the moment, see), and I have to say that the writing style here was somewhat reminiscent of William Gibson - not in terms of cyber-jargon, but in the 'fleeting detail' style so familiar in Gibson.

Right at the end of the book, Clarke takes a great leap forward, and, in a similar fashion to other books of his I've read, I don't think this works too well. I think he writes best when his crystal ball is set for short range prophecy...

Overall, though, a good book - and I'd expect it to become more popular as the centenary, 2012, approaches...

Once again, people are out to raise the Titanic!

But this is a very different Clarke story. No rockets or
talking robots here, just human ingenuinity - and
Mother Nature untamed. The story is full of fascinating
technology that is surprising in its simplicity - like
using "condemned nuclear submarines" as underwater power
plants to assist in raising the derelict.

As any old salt will tell you, the sea never gives up all
its secrets. The legend lives on, so does the fascination
for it.