The Hammer of God [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Arthur C. Clarke (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 2000

In 2110, when an asteroid enters the solar system on a direct collision course with Earth, it is up to Captain Robert Singh and the crew of the spacecraft Goliath to find a way to avert catastrophe. 100,000 first printing. $100,000 ad/promo.

--This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Classic SF author Clarke ( 2001: A Space Odyssey ) walks on well-trodden ground with this entertaining but forgettable book. In the early 22nd century, an enormous asteroid is discovered to be on a collision course with the Earth. Humanity, however, is not unprepared, having become an experienced spacefaring race with outposts throughout the solar system. A spaceship, the Goliath , built decades earlier for just such an emergency, is dispatched to deflect the asteroid from its apocalyptic rendezvous. But the mission goes awry, leaving Captain Robert Singh and his crew to find a way to to save the Earth. Clarke writes with dramatic flair, cutting between past and future with dizzying frequency. Nonetheless, the book fails to convey the tension of the situation he has set up. Clarke describes the setting and background with such loving detail that the asteroid seems almost an afterthought, creating a rush of action in the last quarter of the narrative. The characterizations, save for that of Singh, are fairly thin, and Clark's wit occasionally gives the prose a jarring, unintentionally satiric flavor. While this is a fast read, it is not a particularly impressive one.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

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 an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: G. K. Hall & Company (March 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0783889798
• ISBN-13: 978-0783889795
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,594,576 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.