The Hammer of God [Paperback]

Arthur C. Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1994

In the year 2110 technology has cured  most of our worries. But even as humankind enters  a new golden age, an amateur astronomer points  his telescope at just the right corner of the night  sky and sees disaster hurtling toward Earth: a  chunk of rock that could annihilate civilization.  While a few fanatics welcome the apocalyptic  destruction as a sign from God, the greatest  scientific minds of Earth desperately search for a way to  avoid the inevitable. On board the starship  Goliath Captain Robert Singh and his crew must race  against time to redirect the meteor form its deadly  collision course. Suddenly they find themselves  on the most important mission in human history--a  mission whose success may require the ultimate  sacrifice.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Clarke's SF novel concerns an asteroid on a collision course with 22nd-century earth.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

As an asteroid named "Kali" hurtles toward earth on a collision course that spells the end to life on the planet, a lone spaceship armed with a weapon to alter the asteroid's path attempts to carry out its perilous mission--unaware that others are simultaneously working for earth's destruction. In the capable hands of science fiction veteran Clarke, a standard cosmic disaster plot becomes a lucid commentary on humanity's place in the cosmos. A good choice for science fiction collections.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Spectra (October 1, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055356871X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553568714
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.7 x 6.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #957,957 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"SIR ARTHUR C. CLARKE (1917-2008) wrote the novel and co-authored the screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey. He has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, and he is the only science-fiction writer to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. His fiction and nonfiction have sold more than one hundred million copies in print worldwide.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A good read, but not a classic, June 30, 1998

By 

Mark Richard Kidger "bristolcity" (Tenerife, Spain) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Hammer of God (Paperback)

Just to declare my interest up-front, I'm a professional astronomer who observers comets and asteroids and has observed quite a few asteroids of the type that could impact the Earth. That's why I bought this book!

I've read a number of books that use well-aimed comets and asteroids to bring universal doom - it's a subject which has been well-exploited in the last few years. Some books, like "Lucifer's Hammer" (by Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle) are far superior in detail, although set in the present, rather than Clarke's far future. Compared to some of the books that I have read, the Hammer of God was disappointly light-weight.

What I will acknowledge it the future setting which Arthur C. Clarke invents and which is far more interesting and realistic in many senses than the Earth-impact part of the plot.

I'd settle for Rendezvous with Rama over this book any time. I enjoyed the read, but as light entertainment. It isn't one of Arthur C. Clarke's great books, but it's fun if you don't take it too seriously. Frankly though, I don't understand the multiple 5-star reviews that appear above.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars An enjoyable story of a possible future disaster, March 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hammer of God (Paperback)

First of all, this is a light, but interesting story about an asteroid heading straight for earth. By light, I mean not a bloated, boring look at all the technological aspects of such a story. I like Clarke for his "hard" science fiction. I also like his concise style. I thought some of the background on the main character was a bit dull, but I agree that the second half is more interesting. I was also hoping for more on the environmental effects of such an encounter with an asteroid, but all in all it's still a worthwhile read.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent (yet short) book, March 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Hammer of God (Paperback)

I loved this book! Clarke takes a different approach in Hammer of God, switching from technological forecasting to sociological brainstorming, and hits one out of the ballpark. His predictions are hilarious; Christianity and Islam merge into a single religion! On the surface his ideas seem absurd, but a quick glance at the front page of your daily newspaper suggests that Clarke's ideas might be closer to reality than one would like to think. The only thing about Hammer of God I didn't like was that it was too short! I know Earth will be saved, but Clarke creates such an interesting social panorama that I want to know more.