3001: The Final Odyssey (Mass Market Paperback)

by Arthur C. Clarke (Author) "Captain Dimitri Chandler [M2973.04.21/93.106//Mars//SpaceAcad3005]-or "Dim" to his very best friends-was understandably annoyed..." (more)
Key Phrases: space elevator, Captain Chandler, Professor Anderson, Dave Bowman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
In this fourth and final book in a 30-year publishing odyssey (following 2001, 2010, and 2061), 2001 astronaut Frank Poole, presumed dead and adrift in deep space near Jupiter, is recovered alive in the year 3001. Intent on saving humanity, he returns to Jupiter's satellite, Europa, to contact partner Dave Bowman, whose mind has become absorbed by a third monolith. Unfortunately, Clarke uses this book as a vehicle to showcase scientific ideas and breakthroughs at the expense of the story, spending too much time catching up Poole on what he's missed in the last 1000 years while failing to develop fully the current situation and rushing the conclusion. Recommended only to complete the quartet.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
At the opening of the third millennium, humanity is spreading --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (January 28, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345423496
• ISBN-13: 978-0345423498
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (307 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #632,744 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tremendously disappointing conclusion to the famous Odyssey, January 27, 2003

By	Patrick L. Randall "Big Irish Guy" (Silver Spring, MD) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Odyssey of the Monolith and the Hal 9000 computer is among the most fabled stories in all of science fiction. The first in the series, the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey", is considered by many to be one of the greatest science fiction movies ever (although, I do not share opinion, even though it's a good film). It was followed up on book and on film by the successful "2010: The Year We Make Contact (Odyssey Two in the book)". "2010" was a more straightforward story, but it pushed for greater ideas about HAL's existence and the purpose of the Monolith. The third part of this series, the book "2061: Odyssey Three", reached the satisfying conclusion of the tortured Dr. Heywood Floyd's involvement in the Odyssey. It also helped expand the understanding of the purpose of the Monolith. "3001: The Final Odyssey" presented a tremendous opportunity to tie up all the loose ends and answer all the questions. Unfortunately, Arthur C. Clarke's choice in story direction answered all those questions incorrectly. Clarke does reveal the purpose of the Monolith, but what he reveals renders everything we knew about it in the previous three stories totally moot. I will not reveal what it is. You should still read it to find out. I just ended up being very disappointed by the resolution. The ratings given by other reviewers show that they felt much the same way.

The irony of the story is that it had great potential. After 1,000 years of floating in virtual suspended animation in the 'absolute zero' graveyard of space, astronaut Frank Poole's body is discovered in remarkably well preserved, and barely alive (!), form. Poole's amazing revival has provided humanity with an unbelievable to tap into the mind of the only living person to have had first contact with the Monolith. Poole doesn't have too much trouble adjusting the changes in the culture he knew and his newfound celebrity status. He comes to terms with the events of the past and tries to help humanity understand the Monolith as it impacts its future. This is actually quite an entertaining story arc and the reason I didn't give this book a one-star rating. It just feels right reconnecting with Poole. Alas, the book goes south when Clarke defines the purpose of the Monolith. It's very disappointing and leaves the reader flat. Still, for Odyssey completists, you need to read the book to see how it ends (regardless of the disappointment). At only 274 pages, you won't have risked to great a time investment in the process.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Plagued with problems, May 24, 2007

By	Kendal B. Hunter (Provo, UT United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This review is from: 3001 The Final Odyssey (Paperback)

"Plagued with problems" is how I choose to describe "3001." I echo what J. R. R. Tolkien said about Lewis's conclusion to the Space Trilogy: I think it spoiled it. (The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien, 393). In fact, I think this series is a good example of when a good franchise goes bad. "2001" is euphoric, "2010" is idealistic, "2061" is optimistic, but "3001" is sarcastic. The future may have been a let-down, but his books need not be.

What we wanted was a resolution to the Monolith Enigma, but what we got was an old geezer sounding off on religion, politics, circumcision, society, and religion. Clarke has a gift to taking pre-sent day science, extrapolate it 20 years into the future, and then place today's man into tomorrow's world--exploring humanity's possibilities. Sadly, the "silent artillery of time" has worn down his vision.

Additionally, there are grave continuity errors. Originally, the monoliths were blasting caps for primitive species' thinking caps; now they are just outdated hardware in need of an update patch. In "2001," there are multiple monoliths on Earth (2001, Ch. 2), and after Moon-Watcher expands his mind, TMA-0 disappears (2001, Ch. 5), only to be dug up in Africa in "3001." In "2010"'s epilogue "20,001," Clarke presents the Europans with Swfitinan twist: bickering over religion, philosophy, and the nature of God the Monolith. But this discussion cannot happen, since the monoliths disappear, and the Europans are stuck in an evolutionary cul-du-sac (Ch. 31). And, at the end of 2061 (my favorite of the series), the Great Wall has eBowman, eHal, and wise eFloyd as a human Holy Trinity (Clarke's words, not mine), but eFloyd is conspicuously absent (2061, Ch. 59).

And there is eDave: Originally, he was the next step in human evolution. Now he is a semi-used subroutine, akin to a Yahoo! Widget. The expression "Star Child" does not appear in this book, only as a back-cover blurb.

Of these discontinuities, Clarke merely asserts that his books are not direct linear, sequels, but variations on the same themes, and occurring in parallel universes. This explanation is really an excuse not to hold himself to higher standards. If each book is its own continuity, then why not have each chapter with its own continuity, or each sentence? By disregarding the continuity, Clarke disregards the theme, the plot, and the whole purpose for writing a book.

Then there are the difficulties in projecting future civilization. Clarke honestly admits "A writer who sets out to describe a civilization superior to his own is obviously attempting the impossible. ("The Lost Worlds of 2001 Ch. 34). Well, "physician, heal thyself." The cloned dinosaurs and kongs, the brain-computer interface, and using a computer virus to crash the Cosmic Server were science-fiction clichés known to every John Q. Popcorn (P. 265).

In the endless end-matter, Clarke excuses this last item by saying he never saw "Independence Day (Single Disc Widescreen Edition)," and claiming that he came up with it independently. Actually, this was used earlier in Star Trek The Next Generation - The Complete Fifth Season "I, Borg." And the computer virus was really a modification of a natural virus, which was H. G. Wells's deus ex machina in "The War of the Worlds (Modern Library Classics)"

Speaking deus ex machina, this series is essential religious: During the writing of 2001, Clarke noted, "Saw Carol Reed's film about Michelangelo `The Agony and the Ecstasy.' One line particular struck me--the use of the phrase `God mad man in His own image." This, after all, is the theme of our movie." (Lost Worlds of 2001, 39).

Yet Clarke has a weird take on religions (Ch. 9), which is hilarious, since the franchise is essentially Christian: Replace aliens with God, the monolith with Christ, and evolution with salvation, then you have the core Christian message. As Athanasius said, "God became man so that man might be god." (On the Incarnation (De Incarnatione Verbi Dei)) What C. S. Lewis wrote about Christ applies to Dave Bowman: "In Christ a new kind of man appeared; and the new kind of life which began in Him is to be put into us." (Mere Christianity).

Think of the Monolith Trinity: Floyd is the wise Father, Bowman the son who dies and is a mediator, and Hal is a fine Holy Ghost. Why, then did Clarke feel the need apologize to people of faith in his endless end-matter? He has just started his own religion with the story.


*

I was fascinated to learn that the book's core idea goes back to the brainstorming sessions for "2001." In his journal, Clarke recorded that the monoliths may be malevolent: "Suggested to Stanley that `they' might be machines who regard organic life as a hideous disease. Stanley thinks this is cute and thinks we've got something." (Lost Worlds, p. 32)

More to the point: "Fighting hard to stop Stan from bringing Dr. Pool back from the dead. I'm afraid his obsession with immortality is overcoming his artistic instincts." (Lost Worlds of 2001, p. 36).

Ahem!

I dislike this books. I would have preferred having the Trinity of Bowman, Hal, and Floyd meet with Poole discuss the possibility of the monoliths malfunctioning. Then have the Trinity get control of some portion (or all) of the monolith network. The book could have ended with the threesome setting the monoliths on back on track, or meeting Clindar and the Firstborn, or even the higher Powers that Be.

So can Clarke salvage the franchise? They may be a story in-between 2061 and 3001 that would account for Floyd's absence. Another thread would be the nano-reassembly of Dave, hinted at in Chapter 6. The monolith's supervisor is 450 l.y. away, so that gives us a time frame for a response (Ch. 34). Or we would finally me the Firstborn or the powers and entities that are higher than Firstborn, as they send repair crews to fix the malfunctioning monoliths.

This last one may be what Clarke wants: an apology from God.

(Too bad Douglas Adams already did this in "Life, the Universe and Everything (Hitchhiker's Trilogy)")

P. S. Susan Calvin is from "I, Robot."

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worst Clarke Book Ever, October 26, 2005

By	D. N. Roth - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I thoroughly enjoyed the first three books in the Odyssey series. They each had one thing that this book completely lacks: Plot.

3001 seemed to have been slapped together in a week. The actual events that do occur in the story seem to have been thrown in as diversions to are long, dull, obsolete essays by Clarke on his perspective on religion and the moral state of the human race. These soapbox asides are clumsy, polemic, and not substantiated adequately. If you want to read a decent gripe about how self-destructive we are, read something by Kurt Vonnegut instead.

Clarke also seemed overwhelmed by the task of catching Poole up on 1000 years of history. Every character he talks to makes references to the 20th Century; it makes one wonder if nothing interesting happened over the 1000 years Poole was dead outside of improvements in space exploration and industry. Compare what you know about 1000 A.D. to what the characters in 3001 know about 2000 A.D., and the book becomes absurd pretty quickly (braincaps aside).

Overall, 3001 was incredibly disappointing. The climactic confrontation simply is not; it reads like a deus ex machina. Clarke's whole perception of what mankind would be like in 3001 seems terribly amiss and too simple (especially in regards to attitudes concerning weapons of mass destruction).

If you really just want to say that you've read the entire series, get this from the library and get through it as quickly as possible. Don't pay a cent for it.