The fountains of paradise

330 pages

English language

Published Nov. 10, 2001 by Warner/Aspect.

ISBN:
978-0-446-67794-3
Copied ISBN!
OCLC Number:
45963217

View on OpenLibrary

4 stars (7 reviews)

In the 22nd century visionary scientist Vannevar Morgan conceives the most grandiose engineering project of all time, and one which will revolutionize the future of humankind in space: a Space Elevator, 36,000 kilometers high, anchored to an equatorial island in the Indian Ocean.

18 editions

Review of 'The fountains of paradise' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

two words: space elevator....

short plot description: in the not so far future a very determined engineer wants to build Earth's first space elevator on the site were about 2000 years earlier a king build another marvel of engineering but has to overcome many obstacles, both scientific and political...

my thoughts: Clarke at his best. Science is sound as always but also presented in a non-boring fashion, the subplot regarding the building of the palace 2000 years early is interesting, the characters don't annoy me in the way they sometimes do in a Clarke novel. Only the subplot regarding alien visitors (similar to the first Rama) feels tacked on and it seems to me that Clarke used this device only for some preaching of his opinions.

All in all a very good book for everyone who likes science based sci-fi

avatar for Chetana

rated it

4 stars
avatar for DeadDino

rated it

4 stars
avatar for paraic

rated it

3 stars
avatar for timberry

rated it

5 stars
avatar for DerekCaelin@bookwyrm.social

rated it

3 stars
avatar for masyukun

rated it

4 stars

Subjects

  • Elevators -- Design and construction -- Fiction
  • Mountains -- Religious aspects -- Fiction
  • Monks -- Fiction