The Last Theorem by Arthur C. Clarke, Frederik Pohl Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of The Last Theorem
Book Review: Clarke's swan song
Summary: 4 Stars
This last book by Clarke, co-written with Frederick Pohl is a vehicle to explore the themes that Clarke has covered through his fiction in the past.
There are all-powerful aliens, much like those behind the monolith in the space odyseey series. There is human transcendence (Childhood's End) and aliens and humans as software entities (Bowman & Hal by 3001). The space elevator theme, again from one anchored in Sri Lanka (The Fountains of Paradise) and solar sailing, from which the solar sail race is lifted from almost whole cloth from the short story (The Wind from the Sun), maths (the Ghost from the Grand Banks), and Sri Lanka as a setting. Achieving world peace has been one of Clarke's themes in both fiction and non-fiction and here we have a resolution that is used for both our parochial salvation and for that of the whole planet, when the aliens come to destroy it and us to prevent our contaminating galactic culture.
The story ends on a very positive note. Humans are saved, not by some technological cleverness, but by our understanding that we can kill, but we need not do that if we wish. That technology can be used to put targeted human societies back to the stone age. Clarke is saying that if we want to act like Moonwatcher's descendants, then maybe we can oblige you by taking away your technology to do harm in a civilized world. While Clarke shows some misgivings about the consequences of that (shades of Childhood's End), the reward is compelling, humans transcend to become the new caretakers of life in the galaxy and even get to criticize their erstwhile overlords. Thus we are judged by our 'superiors' and eventually found fitting, even as our protagonist, and Clarke, is an atheist and therefore believes in no ultimate being. A metaphor for humans to transcend religious superstition and grow up?
Fermat's Last Theorem, which plays an early role in establishing the main character's credentials to be part of the plot plays no role throughout most of the book. Our protagonist never solves another mathematical problem thereafter. But although the book's title refers to this mathematical puzzle, I am guessing that what Clarke was hinting at in the title is that if we as humans can learn to live in peace by the simple "golden rule", that this is the last theorem of life for us to solve.
It is a nice thought that Clarke died as an optimist for our future, not a pessimist. I hope he is right.
Book Review: Clarke's swan song
Summary: 3 Stars
Like so many others, I was sad to learn of Arthur C. Clarke's passing earlier this summer. I started reading his books in junior high school, almost 30 years ago now. I wish I could say that his more recent efforts (the second and third entries in the "Time's Eye" series, and this one) lived up to his earlier outings, but such is not the case. As others have noted, this book contains many of the same themes as prior works, woven together just slightly differently. Ultimately, the story never really grabbed me the way Rendezvous with Rama, City and the Stars, Songs of Distant Earth, and so many other stories did -- perhaps because I'd seen parts of it all before, from the same man.
That said though, Clarke was always an optimist about the future of the human race, and this story most certainly ends on an optimistic note about humanity, thus perhaps providing a fitting coda to his life. Rest in peace, Mr. Clarke. You and your outlook will be missed.
Book Review: Classic Clarke
Summary: 5 Stars
This is the Arthur Clarke type of storytelling that I grew to love through the years. Wonderful story, interesting character development (thanks to Pohl) and great scifi mind candy to chew on. Highly recommend it. The audiobook version is done with the Sri Lankan accents that made it almost like a radio play. Nice bonus.Book Review: Disappointing swan song for Mr. A. C. Clarke
Summary: 1 Stars
I'm a long time fan of Arthur C. Clarke's SF pieces, and I am saddened to have to say that The Last Theorem is very poorly written and edited; the story line in the early part of the book starts out promisingly enough, but loses steam in the middle for no apparent reason, and close to the end there seems to be an entire chapter missing then the book jumps to its concluding chapter. For those who respect the lifelong contribution to SF by the late Mr. Clarke, please stay away from this book, and re-read his earlier novels that made him so famous.Book Review: Disapponted
Summary: 1 Stars
The story starts of as being very interesting but lacks cohesiveness as it develops. A number of interesting sub-plots are never fully developed. For example it seems that Ranjit's son though disabled has some extraordinary abilities but these are never developed. The Grand Galactics biology is never explained and it is never explained what development mankind makes that the Grand galactics are so ready to quit and transfer the job of galactic governance to the human race.
I got a distinctly anti-American sentiment throughout the book. Towards the end, the US Government and its President are portrayed as a bully. I thought that this was a little out of place in a science fiction work whether or not you think the US Government are "good" guys or bullies.
Since the protagonist was a Number Theorist, I was expecting some connection with the beauty of Number Theory with the way the Grand Galactic and other advanced aliens think, but this was never developed.
I was not sure of why the sub-plot of Ranjit's capture by pirates and his torture was introduced other than that he developed the Fermat's Conjecture proof under the duress of torture and captivity.
All in all Last Theorem is disappointing as Arthur C Clarke's "Last Book."