Extraordinary sci-fi. Nothing comes close (MO, obviously), just in scale and scope alone. All in, what, 220 pages or so? And much more literal than the film, though both are equally brilliant.
Ended up reading all the sequels. Think 3001 was probably the last, with 2010 being best (film was good, too). Eventually read Rama and Childhood's End, both Clarke; they were pretty good, but nowhere near 2001.
I keep forgetting I've posted here! I read 2010 in a few sittings and enjoyed it enormously. Even though the films (2001/2010) are so very different in tone, they are both very satisfying to me in different and similar ways. (I just read that last sentence and realised it might be incomprehensible, sorry, but I hope you get what I mean.)
With 2010 (the book) it was very rewarding in that - again - we were given a much deeper understanding of the intentions and even maybe the 'consciousness' of the 'others', and
**spoiler** how Bowman had joined/merged with it and was almost guiding events. Interesting that Hyams chose to leave out the Chinese race to beat the USA/USSR mission, given their current moves into space. I rewatched the film after finishing the book, and even though I was a child of the '70s and '80s, I'd almost forgotten that tension between superpowers that overshadowed things during that period... (Protect & Survive, anyone?)
And watching the film again, I felt a poignant twinge that even as late as 1984, we still believed that a manned base on the moon and trip(s) to the gas giants were definitely on the cards for the human race within decades - what happened to that dream...?
Deep...
Not sure about whether to pursue any of the other sequels as I understand Clarke didn't write them - but happy to take suggestions from people if you feel I'm missing out.
Taf
