Clarke let another writer take over for much of the book (the prologue does not say how much, but leads me to think "most of it"). You can see the influence of Clarke, and the later author's desire to both continue the story and keep the writing style. If this is mostly Clarke, that's fine. If this is mostly the later author, then this is very impressive.

Whereas the first Rama, [b:Rendezvous with Rama|112537|Rendezvous with Rama (Rama, #1)|Arthur C. Clarke|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1405456427s/112537.jpg|1882772], was a pretty pure science fiction that raised some "big picture" questions, this one goes more of the action/mystery/puzzle genre. The sci-fi is there, but not intrusive (and it was written later so some of the dead technology from the first one is gone, leaving 2018 readers less likely to laugh). Think of this as almost an Indiana Jones Discovers Another Civilization, and goes poking his head around, without all of the stupid alien crap from the 4th Indiana Jones movie that was never made (thank goodness). It also introduced me to a bit of poetry that, while not dealing mainly with mortality and death, I think would serve well as an epitaph. From Robert Herrick:
Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying;
And this same flower that smiles today
To-morrow will be dying.
The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.
That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.
Then be not coy, but use your time,
And, while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may forever tarry.

Book 1 awesome, book 2 not even worthly of the dollar bin at Walmart.

An excellent return to the future and the wonder that is Rama. I'm a huge fan of this series and how deep the tale is. An almost prophetic look at the future of humanity and the struggles the planet will face. Looking ahead to science,.economics, religion and politics and all this going on whilst humanity has a second chance to visit an alien world.

Rama... Rama... we hope you like Rama II!

Somehow this was written like English is Clarke's second language
You can read almost all of the dialogue in Tommy Wiseau's voice and pretend this is a sci-fi followup to the room.
Really really, just awful.

sorry girl she was just too boring - DNF

I read the "Rendevouz with Rama" book a couple of years ago when I was on a big Arthur C. Clarke kick and loved it. It was very science heavy, plot driven, and had an ending that I was completely on board with. The idea that an alien spaceship cruises right past us but could not care less about humanity's existence felt right to me. Just because an alien civilization is capable of making a spaceship as advanced as Rama, doesn't mean that they have noticed us in the galaxy; especially if their race died out long before Rama reached our solar system. It was the perfect use of a "make your own ending" ending (which normally I detest).

When I found out there were multiple sequels, I was a little surprised. I could see one more book where humanity learns who the Ramans were, but what else could you explore? Add to that the fact that another author wrote the majority of the sequels and I'm not very interested at all. However, I did find mint condition hardcopies of "Rama II" and "Rama Revealed" at Goodwill for $2 each, so I could not resist :)

I have only made it to about the 100 page mark in "Rama II" and boy am I struggling! The tone of this book is completely different. It is no longer plot driven or science heavy. We spend most of our time in the soap opera that is the cosmonauts' lives. Then, inexplicably one chapter jumps to four months into the journey to Rama II. WTF?! I had to go back and read the ending of the previous "Goodbye, Henry" chapter to make sure I didn't miss something (I took a couple of days off from reading this slog in between those chapters). We didn't get to see the launch, the first few days out in space, nothing... boom... they are at Rama II's doorstep. I thought, "OK, here goes the hard sci-fi action." But nope, we go off on a tangent about one of the crew members getting pregnant. *sigh*

I just can't do it anymore. I'm DNFing this book and probably won't continue the series (even thought I own all 4 now). I don't even know if I care to find out who the Ramans were in the last book (if it even tells us). I haven't been this frustrated with a book series since "Nomad"; which also focused on terrible characters rather than the fascinating science going on around them. I think I'll join the rest of the people that just assume the first book was the only one ever written.

Why the 2 stars? Because I (shockingly) did enjoy the chapter that posed questions to the Pope about how Christianity fit into the existence of the Ramans. I'm not an overly religious person myself, but I'm always fascinated by its role in society.