Este libro me peracio facinante. Es una historia que refleja mucho de nuestros problemas y posibles solitiones ... pero cuanto nos costaran esas soluciones? y que quedran los Overlords con la humanidad?

En este libro se combinan dos especulaciones clásicas de la ciencia ficción: Cómo será nuestro primer encuentro con otra raza inteligente, y el futuro de los seres humanos (como especie).

Los visitantes de otro mundo, en este libro, son benévolos y llevan a la humanidad a una edad de oro... Pero este es sólo el principio para un salto mayor aún.

Además de este drama que se desarrolla a lo largo de décadas, varias historias individuales se despliegan y agregan color al total.

Es un libro que yo disfruté mucho, un buen argumento (incluso con un poco de suspenso), y con un regusto de melancolía por la infancia que dejamos atrás.

Arthur C. Clarke is, of course, mainly known for his stellar science fiction, but he has also published numerous volumes of non-fiction, and this is one of his better and more important works. There is so much information packed into this book it is unbelievable. Clarke details the early history of astronomy and astronomically and scientifically important concepts relating to future space flight in early science fiction works. He then goes on to describe the Moon, planets, and much of the solar system (and indeed, beyond) in detail, including possible ways of reaching and colonizing them and the various uses each would provide. Arthur also details the history of the space program (on both the American and Russian sides) up until the time the book was published. The reaching of the moon is explained in detail. He then spends quite a bit of time speculating (as always, on solid scientific ground), and he touches on many other important subjects along the way - Relativity, the usefulness of space exploration to the layman, early rocket history, and so much more. There are also several highly useful charts in the book (escape velocities of the various planets, the size, gravity, lenght of day and year, etc. for the various planets with respect to Earth, etc.) that serve to illustrate his words. The writing is never overly technical, but is written in such a way that anyone (from the layman to the scientist) can enjoy it and learn from it. It doubled my knowledge of astronomy. Highly recommended.

Arthur C. Clarke's The Promise of Space is right up there with Cosmos. Written in 1968, it's quite dated. For example, it says that we could have a manned mission to Mars by 1975. This, unfortunately, never happened. In 1975, we had Apollo-Soyuz. It also says that we can get to the closest star, Alpha Centauri, in ten thousand years. I'm not a scientist but in my layman's opinion, if we could put a man on the moon, we could probably build a starship capable of traveling faster-than-light to take us there. Orion could probably be converted to go faster than the speed of light. Although according to Einstein, this is impossible, it shouldn't stop us. If we can develop a drive system capable of taking us to the nearest stars. The so-called "experts" say it's impossible to go on a star trek. These are the same "experts" who said: "If God had intended for man to fly, He would have given him wings." World War II, more than anything, got us to the Moon. It was the V-2 that got us there. The progression was V-2, Atlas, Titan, and the Saturn V. Still the tallest rocket ever built. We must build starships capable of FTL travel. Space travel's been a staple of science fiction since the 1930s. The Promise of Space starts with a history of the space program up until 1968. It ends with speculation about the future. Read this book. Then read Carl Sagan's Cosmos and this is important for you high school students, drop me an e-mail book report, don't worry. You won't be graded on it. I'm not a teacher.

Because it is a real classic of science fiction, but not just a genre-representation. It's a fine piece of literature, sci-fi or not. It tells the story of David Bowman and his travel to Saturn. His mission is to find about the first extraterrestrial signal of intelligence, detected in a monolithe which has sent it from the Moon to Saturn. On their way, Bowman and his colleague share the command of the spaceship with a computer, HAL, which suddenly awakes to life and consciousness. HAL goes mad and tries to destroy the mission, for reasons that will keep you thinking for a long time, with no clear result. Although you probably know the plot, I don't want to ruin it for other people.

This is a chilling book, enigmatic, disturbing and almost criptic in its overwhelming ending. It speculates about technological advancements, about the risks of artificial intelligence, and it opens the door to unsuspected and strangely verosimile possibilities about the Universe. If you haven't done it, see also Kubrick's movie: watch the Universe dancing Strauss's the Blue Danube and Bowman crossing into another dimension.

Brilliant! This book is really REALLY good, exciting and engrossing! I could hardly stop reading it the whole weekend! A brilliant follow-up to 2001! I heartily reccommend you buy this even if you're not a big sci-fi fan.

Was quite suprised with this book. Blake and the crew of the "Ventris" are taken on board of the the Worldship that was Amalthea, joining Sparta who had made contact with the alien, Thowintha. The alien entity on board takes them on a journey of knowledge through space and time, which changes many things for them, perceptionally and in Sparta and Blake's case, physically (gills are somewhat handy when living in a vessel that is filled with water). The finale of the book leaves a lot of questions, and you sit back a little thinking, "ok, how?" but typical of Preuss's good work, it is a very enjoyable story.

Though most were about time travel,I liked the FogHorn and Our lady of the saurapods.Though Strata,didn't have anything to do with dinosaurs.But still a great book!

It is an interesting experience to read short stories from an author like Clarke. The stories in this book are as grande and impressive as the novels he writes. This collection also shows the remarkable breadth in imagination and talent that he also possesses. A good read that I recommend to anyone who takes interest in science fiction that is scaringly close to reality, and in philosophy.

I originally read this book in the 1960's. I remember when I was done all I could think was,is there going to be another book? You see I couldn't get enough. Somewhere between then and the early 90's I lost the book. I bought it again in a revised version which I didn't like quite as well but it was still very good. The thing about this story is I actually felt as though I was there. If you haven't read "The City and the Stars" I highly recomend it. It is a timeless work that in my mind is one of Arthur C. Clarkes best works. It was probably the one book that led me to be a science fiction reader. I did read the english version.

I found this recording very entertaining and plan on buying the other volumes as soon as I can lay my hands on them. The readings are excellent, and I have spent much time sitting next to my stereo, simply taking it all in. A wonderful buy...

This book is the most amazing and wonderful book I have read in ages. Arthur Clarke clarifies my thoughts on religion and many other ideas that I have had for a very long time. I was brought up in a very strict christian home by my widowed mother and although she did her best for me, for which I am very grateful, her religion and her church left me with a load of old baggage which I am now just starting to get rid of. I am 66 years of age and love this book.