2061: Odyssey Three (Space Odyssey Series)

Even though the actual details about the solar system vary from those depicted in this book the story still makes for interesting reading.

This is an enjoyable reread for me, especially as an audiobook, which was on sale at Audible. I’ve learned that I prefer audiobooks for science fiction and nonfiction. I also whispersync the Kindle and the Audible versions. Narrator Scott Brick gives his usual stellar performance, and his clear, crisp delivery allows me to increase listening speed.I’ve always been fascinated by the black Monolith, so I grinned when it appears—in ominous gravestone size—to Heywood Floyd, who insists he’s dreaming. It also appears to his grandson, Chris Floyd, when he and his crew mates are “shipwrecked” on Europa. I liked learning that the aliens that built the monoliths are powerful but not omniscient. And Monoliths can fall. It was lovely to read about Dave Bowen, HAL, and another being—forming a trinity of sorts.

This story follows along with the first two Odysseys very well and I enjoyed it very much, but maybe not as much as 2010. Still, I love the way Clarke writes and his imagination is fantastic. I am looking forward to the finale to see where Clarke’s imagination takes us!I do find it interesting that Clarke was able to predict the consumerization of space flight - and a capitalist architect of space travel - long before there was a SpaceX, Elon Musk, or Jeff Besos!!

2061 is one of my favorite science fiction books. I love the way it goes into technical detail. (If you know of science fiction that has more technical detail, please e-mail it to me!)This book had potential to degenerate into a horror book. It didn't take that route, and for me that made it more eerie. You need to suspend disbelief for this book. In real life humankind has not had any widely observed direct evidence of extraterrestrial life or a "creator". In this book series, humanity finds such evidence... when Jupiter becomes a small star and the Discovery's computer sends a mysterious message calling for humans to make peace and granting humans permission to explore the solar system with the exception of Europa-- no other commandments or explanations. Humankind knows it's powerless against something that could create a star, and so it obeys the monolith's laconic directives.Imagine the scene at the end of the movie 2010. We are shown that Euopa is changing thanks to Jupiter having been turned into a sun. We see water an plant life. In the distance we hear movement. Could animal life have developed? Although it looks like a swamp, we know the atmosphere is mostly methane-- the environment is nothing like anything on Earth. Then we see the monolith silently towering over the swamp, influencing it perhaps as it influenced Earth a billion years ago. Now for 50 years human kind has diffidently avoided Europa. There has been no further activity associated with the monolith. They have tired to observe from a distance, but clouds of vapor resulting from the heat of Jupiter obscure Europa most of the time. Humans are getting more and more daring about how close to Europa they venture. In this book, humans decide to risk sending down a probe. While they're launching the probe, a hijacking forces them to land on this forbidden planet. The stranded researchers focus on staying alive and cautiously exploring Europa while they are waiting for a rescue. They come in contact with many natural phenomena and one supernatural phenomenon.If you can imagine contact with something as powerful and laconic as the monolith appearing and you can imagine the awesome temptation to study it while trying to remain as dispassionate as possible, you will really enjoy this book.

I liked the way the author linked this story to the previous Odyssey stories. Heywood being a living connection point. The inter relationships of some of the characters is not pursued as much as I would have liked. The themes of science are well thought out and established. Overall this book is very well done by a master of science fiction.

I consider 2001: A Space Odyssey one of, if not, my favorite science fiction novel of all time, and 2010 was a stellar sequel to the Clarke’s Odyssey series. However, 2061: Odyssey Three was mostly a letdown, especially considering how amazing the first two books in the series were.As the plot is fairly convoluted (one key element is an attempted hijacking and a race to a place known as Europa), I will not going into particulars, but rather just give some thoughts:I don’t know if this was a rushed job by Clarke, but one of the biggest flaws of the book is the disjointed, uneven feel of the plot, which, in turn, trickles down and causes other issues. There is almost no flow to transitions between the chapters, as they seem isolated from each other, and I think one of the issues is that there are far too many characters to keep track of, way too many subplots (some not very important to the plot), and way too much exposition and backstory before we actually get to the “meat” of the book. Also, the disjointedness makes some parts very difficult to follow.In short, there are too many things going on, too many moving parts and characters coming in and out in the plot, and I think this strips the book not only of a focus, but also strips it of any dramatic tension or suspense felt in the previous two books (this even though, Dr. Heywood Floyd at a “young” 103 years old, is part of the cast on board ). In 2001: A Space Odyssey, we feel a sense of question and wonder as we follow the crew on their mission, however 2061 is fairly devoid of all the wonder, amazement, and intrigue into the unknown and the far beyond. Instead, we have a group of “celebrity” scientists with flat character exchanges and dialogue, a lukewarm plot and premise, and a fairly pedestrian and anticlimactic finish and conclusion.So, even though there are “some” moments of intrigue at points and “some” glimpses of the unknown, this was sort of a flat, uninspiring entry into this series. The “completionist” in me wants to read the final book 3001: The Final Odyssey, but it seems that the way things are heading in the Odyssey series, I might want to leave well enough alone.

There's nothing worse than a review that spoils the book, so I'm going to attempt to write this without giving anything away.Ok, so without a doubt this book is by far the worst in the Odyssey series. However because this is Clarke we are talking about, that means that it is still pretty good! I would certainly recommend it to anyone who likes the preceding two books and want to complete the series. Whether you actually NEED to read it before 3001 is open for debate, however it does set up certain aspects of the story which role into 3001 so I suppose read on if you want that added depth. My main criticism, and I suspect that this is why some other reviews are less than keen is that while 2001 and 2010 have this great overarching cosmic mystery about the obelisks and their creators 2061 is much more closer to home and the comparatively more mundane personal relationships and crises of those within our solar system. So temper your expectations but if you enjoyed the series so far it is certainly a nice read before the excellent finale.

Arrived quickly as described no hassles.NO SPOILERSwhat is it with Mr Clarke. Yes we all owe him a massive debt of gratitude for the satellite and comms world we live in. No doubt of it.But we also have to thank him for the unfinished......thought, idea, sentence? -Its really annoying when he starts something brilliant and then doesn't finish it. This is not the only example of his writing where the initial concept was staggering and the possibilities were tantalisingly hinted at and laid out before us. however, rather than give us a complete, finished, rounded piece of work he is quite content to either leave it hanging.......or just churn out more in the same vein and then leave it hanging.If you're happy with the 'journey' and actually like inconclusive endings then A.C.'s your man.Don't misunderstand me I love his books and his ideas - I just wish one of them could be concluded. Perhaps it's me and I'm just not capable of seeing the ending. Or then again it is a great money spinning M.O. to maximise the return on one idea.ACID TEST: Would I advise someone to read this - NOT if they wanted a reveal/explanation etc

Arthur C Clarke's masterpiece is 2001 A Space Odyssey. 2010 Odyssey 2 was an excellent sequel, which built on the ideas first outlined in 2001. Unfortunately 2061 Odyssey 3 appears to have been written solely to satisfy the demand for more of the same. Such as it is, for the most part the plot has little to do with the original concept and is on the whole quite tedious and uninspiring.Read and enjoy the profound theories explored in the first two books. Don't bother with what followed.

Went the distance from 2001 etc. to this. Addictive reads. As I write this I have read 75% of 3001. I know I won't be dissapointed by the ending though I expect some suprises from the late Mr. Clarke's Oddysey. A brilliant collection of books. Highly recommend for realists and sci-fi Fans. Karl O'Neill.

Bought all of the books in the series and really enjoyed them! Gave it 4* because the cover on 'Odyssey Three' was not the same as the other 3 books in the series that arrived in the same box from the same company (gave the other books individually 5*). Hence i now have a series where one of the books is off and will probably have to buy it again anyway!