The Last Theorem

Consistent with the usual Arthur C. Clarke style. The Grand Galactics seem familiar and the story is at times humorous.

I was expecting more math theory - perhaps in an appendix, and I thought it would be play a larger role in the communication with the aliens since math is the universal language. The book is also naively optimistic about a nearly all powerful UN. It's still a fun read.

A nice finale from the master of science fiction. We're gonna miss you. Based in current times, this story rotates around a brilliant Sri Lankan mathematician, caught up in the events surrounding man's first move into truly becoming a space faring race (with the creation of the first space elevator) together with the plans for planetary annihilation of Earth by the Galactic...more

A nice finale from the master of science fiction. We're gonna miss you. Based in current times, this story rotates around a brilliant Sri Lankan mathematician, caught up in the events surrounding man's first move into truly becoming a space faring race (with the creation of the first space elevator) together with the plans for planetary annihilation of Earth by the Galactic Federation.   hide

Written tongue-in-cheek. Interesting premise, albeit a tad bizarre. I think the characters were the most interesting part of the story.

Disappointing...and I'm a big Arthur C. Clarke fan.

I had high hopes for this book, and I was disappointed. While I liked the book, I didn't love it.

2 brilliant sci/fi writers tell a fascinating story featuring the subject I had absolutely no interest in all through my school years. Suddenly, I want to learn all about math...at my age yet! Now that's a good novel!

I found the plot rather thin and uninspiring: I kept waiting for the plot to develop. It didn't generate much care in me about the characters, either. One of the characters, T Orion Bledsoe, is such an unbelievable, farcical straw man that they should have just named him Rambozo T Clown. That character alone nearly ruins the whole book because he's so unbelievably lame. I took off four...more

I found the plot rather thin and uninspiring: I kept waiting for the plot to develop. It didn't generate much care in me about the characters, either. One of the characters, T Orion Bledsoe, is such an unbelievable, farcical straw man that they should have just named him Rambozo T Clown. That character alone nearly ruins the whole book because he's so unbelievably lame. I took off four stars for the lame plot and characters. I added one star for the entertainment factor - it was entertaining enough to finish the book, anyway.   hide

Ah, Fermat's theorem and Job.... It was an easy read, even with the math. I was a little disappointed in the ending though, it got you to care about the other characters then left you hanging.