2061: Odyssey Three (Space Odyssey Series) Mass Market Paperback – April 13, 1989

I love this book for its follow up in the series. Fantastic Science fiction author Isaac Asimov

As I was listening to this book I began to question why it was written. It wasn't until I realized it's a setup for the next part of the series. We meet some of the original characters and then all of the original characters. However, it's more like here's what's been happening here, what's going on and here's what we're going next. This is how the story unfolded for me. I enjoyed the story though at one point I would say 3x speed was a little too slow because the story slowed down. I had to pick back up. I would have liked the altar to go into more detail when they were bringing the grandson back. I'm just going to word it that way so it's not to spoil it for anyone. It will be interesting to see how the last story goes in this series. Considering it was written 20 years ago it will be interesting to see how much the author matches what is currently happening in our world. Plus who knows where we're really at with space travel with all the secrets our government keeps from us.

One of the best sci-fi series ever written.

I did not enjoy this one. Seemed like allot of filler just to setup the final chapter. I will read 3001 to complete the series.

Paperback came quick and in much better condition than I expected. Thank you.

This was another great book from Arthur C. Clarke. Only the main character returns in physical form. The story was very interesting. Also interesting that some of the ideas written in this book actually turned out to be real and by the real people who the author refers to. It would seem that Arthur C. Clarke was able to envision things of the future, much like H.G.Wells. Unfortunately, many of the dates have already passed, but who knows if they may still come to pass in the future. It was interesting that the author chose to repeat an entire chapter, just like in the prior book 2010: Odyssey Two.Over all, another great book. I very much enjoyed reading this book and I highly recommend it. I am looking forward to reading the last book in this series 3001: Odyssey Four.

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.

Despite a somewhat negative technical evaluation, this book is a definate 4 for readability and entertainment value. Clarke goes to great lengths to continue to clarify what he started in 2001, the book holds your interest to make it both quick and a good read to the end. That is what a good book is all about - it was fun.2010 brought a lot of clarity to those who didn't quite get it with 2001. Although, if you actually read 2001, Clarke does have an eye for scientific detail with a few factual anomolies.2061 seems like he was trying to over-clarify points from his previous work (the fate of Bowman and HAL, etc.) 2061 doesn't seem to have the spark that activates the readers imagination the way his previous work does; it became too predictable.In my opinion, Clarke embarked on the path of Asimov and Herbert - great writers in their forte who I enjoy immensely; however, the more they try to develop an epilogue for a great work, the more predictable they become until either their apathy (or ghost writers ineptitude)towards the characters and plot begin to produce a script that is colored in pallor instead of an engaging prisim of mental imagry. In 2061 Clarke fell a little short in developing a construct that blurs the boundary between fact and imagination.All of this said, it was still quite an enjoyable and informative continuation from where 2010 left off. I also think it will make a great movie some day.