Rendezvous With Rama makes no bones about being the start of more upcoming Rama adventures. It moves along slowly and intricately, revealing bits and pieces about Rama, but not much about its characters. We discover the inside of Rama at the same time the characters discover it, as if we're part of the crew. In the end, we are left with a quaint story about alien discovery that practically screams to us "the sequels are coming!" I suspect the sequels are needed to fulfill the grandeur of the Ramans' master plan.

I love Arthur C. Clarke not for his prose, but for his ideas. I found Rama to be a quick and easy read, and the plot digested well. The part with the missile got a little outrageous and unnecessary, but that doesn't take away from the rest of the book.

A mysterious object enters the Solar System and is determined to be artificial. A investigatory party is sent out to great it and a rip roaring adventure ensues. Rama is a first class adventure / discovery tale containing many wondors for the reader to unpack and ponder.

There is no real protagonist in this book only a fascinating exploration of Clarke's fabulously detailed world.

10 out of 10 - Sweep, scope and grandeur; Rama has it all. A marvelous and mysterious adventure with much to recommend it. Remember Ramans "do everything in threes" so the promise of at least two sequals is made in the first book. A thoroughly enjoyable read and a rip roaring yarn.