What's so great about A Space Odyssey ?

[paisiello2]

Someone mentioned Clarke's Childhood's End. I found a copy at the town dump a few years ago. I had never read it. Wow. Same basic sort of plot only much creepier.

Other than they are both about alien contact, I don't see how the plots are the same, even basically. I agree it is creepier, though.

 

[tfr000]

Other than they are both about alien contact, I don't see how the plots are the same, even basically. I agree it is creepier, though.

Vastly superior alien life shepherding the development of the human race.

 

[_PJ_]

Aas for the sequels, they explain the story in increasing detail. The last one, 3001 is not as good as its predecessors.

I could explain the whole premise of the series...encouraging the reader to stretch his/her imagination, which means you have to think. This is not Star Wars..

Spoiler

To be honest, I felt the whole series more "Independence Day" but without Will Smith.
Aside from the predictive power such as http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-24477667 I found that it was rather extreme that the incredibly ancient masterfully advanced alien species could be defeated so readily by a

 

[paisiello2]

Vastly superior alien life shepherding the development of the human race.

I guess I never thought about 2001 that way but it seems a reasonable interpretation.

 

[_PJ_]

I guess I never thought about 2001 that way but it seems a reasonable interpretation.

"Interpretation"?

It's the entire plot of 2001... There's no room for other interpretation when it's essentially spelled out that this is why the monolith's are deployed. Although I would not use the word 'shepherding', shepherds are not likely to terminate their whole flock just because they decide they no longer like the sheep...

 

[arabianights]

I read the book first, then saw the movie.

love the book but find the movie rather boring.