# Rendezvous with Rama By Arthur C. Clark **URL:** **By** Jarrett Wollstein **Published:** June 1, 1974 --- “In the twenty-second century mankind has begun to colonize the solar system, but the stars remain distant beacons in the sky.” In the twenty-second century mankind has begun to colonize the solar system, but the stars remain distant beacons in the sky. The busy complacency of the human race is abruptly shattered by the intrusion of a large new celestial body into the solar system. Massing over ten trillion tons, Rama is first identified as an asteroid. However it quickly becomes evident that Rama is not a natural object at all but the fantastic product of an alien civilization: an interstellar space ship 31 miles long and 12 and a half miles wide, a million times larger than any man-made vehicle. With more than a little forboding, the spaceship _Endeavor_ is dispatched to explore _Rama_. The crewmen discover a mind-boggling, cylindrical inside-out world within: complete with rivers, suns, cities and other, totally incomprehensible artifacts. Mystery after mystery confounds the explorers as the gigantic ship slowly comes alive. Set against the background of twenty-second century socio-politics, Arthur C. Clark again demonstrates his brilliant ability to combine science, fiction and suspense. Always believable, insightfully human, _Rendezvous With Rama_ is a truly exciting novel. _Reviewed by Jarret B. Wollstein / Science Fiction (303 Pages) / BFL Price $6.95_