This engaging, quasi-apocalyptic romp is one of Arthur C. Clarke's lesser known creations. With subtle reference to the ancient Babylonian text E'numa E'lish, Clarke catalogs the human race as they undergo a spine-chilling transformation, overseen by the devilish "Overlords."

While the small physics references are a delight (and accurate, as Clarke was a physicist in his post-secondary schooling), the overarching story is profound and saddening. Humans, being emotional entities, ca... (show more)

This engaging, quasi-apocalyptic romp is one of Arthur C. Clarke's lesser known creations. With subtle reference to the ancient Babylonian text E'numa E'lish, Clarke catalogs the human race as they undergo a spine-chilling transformation, overseen by the devilish "Overlords."

While the small physics references are a delight (and accurate, as Clarke was a physicist in his post-secondary schooling), the overarching story is profound and saddening. Humans, being emotional entities, can't help but be swallowed by the insignificance that one race holds.

Clarke has done a fantastic job. A magnum opus that will hold you until you read its last sentence. (show less)

A short novella touching on the human's tendency to go to great lengths to avoid confronting the ineluctable approach of death. Tolstoy has done a brilliant job highlighting the transition of an embittered man, who was put on death's doorstep unexpectedly, into a man who's enlightened as the the passage of death becomes an exciting journey.

Unfortunately, in today's society, we all know about the light at the end of the tunnel, and sadly this is the metaphor that Tolstoy uses. Because of thi... (show more)

A short novella touching on the human's tendency to go to great lengths to avoid confronting the ineluctable approach of death. Tolstoy has done a brilliant job highlighting the transition of an embittered man, who was put on death's doorstep unexpectedly, into a man who's enlightened as the the passage of death becomes an exciting journey.

Unfortunately, in today's society, we all know about the light at the end of the tunnel, and sadly this is the metaphor that Tolstoy uses. Because of this, the climax can come off as trite, because we've all been inundated with that comparison. What one must do is imagine that he wrote this book in 1886 before the "light at the end of tunnel" became overwhelmingly banal. Therefore, the "light" notwithstanding, an enlightening read that has buddhistic/christian tendencies brilliantly intermixed. (show less)