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Title: Boring beginning (you start with the UN?!), sad middle, very disturbing end
Review: Having loved 2001 and the sequels, I was very interested to read another book by Clarke. Until around page 21, when I realized there was going to be some kind of message in the book. Authors sending me a message usually = the plot is going to suck. Long story short--this book shows us what Clarke's idea of what a great afterlife it would be without a God. Oh, and if we all give up our individuality. So some Socialist undertones to the rampant Atheism throughout. And to those who say there's no pro-Atheism, anti-religious bias in the book? Take a look at humanity's "assistants" through the process. Subtle Arthur, very subtle. Ditch this waste of paper, and save yourself about 3 hours of wasted reading, and 1 to 2 hours of rampant depression after finishing it--this is the most depressing thing I've ever read.
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