Hugo Award Best Novel Winner
Rendezvous with Rama
by Arthur C. Clarke
Summary
When a vast cylindrical object enters the solar system in the twenty second century, a human crew is dispatched to explore its hollow interior before it vanishes back into deep space. Clarke devotes the story to the wonder and rigor of discovery, charting the alien craft's landscapes, mechanisms, and mysteries while resisting easy explanations for its purpose. The novel is a model of hard science fiction grounded in plausible physics and a sense of cosmic awe.
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Historical Context & Significance
Rendezvous with Rama won the Hugo, Nebula, Locus, British Science Fiction, and John W. Campbell awards, a rare sweep of the field's major honors.