Random Reflexions

It was some 20 years ago that I first read 2001: A Space Odyssey. And two years later I watched Stanley Kubrick's genius at work in the film adaptation of the novel and was completely blown away in delightful shock and awe. It was as if someone had taken the dreams and my imaginary travels into space, feeling its deafening silence, making contact with the Monolith and whispering "My God, it's full of stars" as did David Bowman, and made it real - just like that.

Several months later I picked up the first book of what would eventually be a four part series, that would have me engrossed for many days and years, from my dad's library of SciFi. Rendezvous with Rama, and the rest of the series kept me in constant wonder and always expecting to see a film adaptation which, of course, never came. I later went onto purchase the Rama computer game.

Arthur C. Clarke's brilliant science fiction have been a staple on the book shelves at our home ever since I could remember. Along with the sequels to 2001: A Space Odyssey and the Rama series I've read some 26 of his works.

Without a doubt, he leaves a colourful legacy of creativity, brilliance and astounding visionary prowess. But in my opinion, more than anything it is how his work, both in fiction and research, had advocated and popularised scientific thought in the last century that he should be remembered for. True, it was he who first envisioned the geostationary communications satellite and it was he, in his remarkable novel Rendezvous with Rama, that saw the creation of an asteroid detection system. But on a more personal level, it was his tremendous body of science fiction that would pave the way and condition my mind, as I hope it had done for others, for scientific thought.

I once had the privilege of dining just a table away from the great man but was at a loss for want of courage to go and ask for an autograph on a napkin. How I wish I had now.

Arthur C. Clarkes vision and brilliant mind and his always positivist outlook for the future of mankind has undeniably influenced modern technology and life. His name will be remembered along with other great geniuses as Newton and Galileo and Einstein. Without him, the world is truly at a loss.

"The only way of finding the limits of the possible is by going beyond them into the impossible." - Arthur C. Clarke