Rama Revealed

[pimpdaddy]

I was a little dissapointed that the identity of Maria was never fully explained. I was hoping I didn't understand it fully and that someone could explain it to me. (on the last few pages I was hoping for a revelation and didn't recieve one)

 

[Lacedaemonian]

Welcome to the Chronicles mate, feel free to post an intro in the Introduction section so that the other members of the cult can aquaint themselves with you.

I have never read any Arthur C Clarke but I am sure that there are many here who can help you with your questions.

 

[skbass]

I was also disappointed with the significance of Maria not being explained. Sometimes I was lead to believe that she was a reincarnation of a major character (like Nicole or one of her children), or that she was bred from Nicole's or her youngest daughter's DNA. Or maybe even Richard's DNA from the experiments he went through.

Here are other things that I was SURE would have to be explained, but weren't:
How Maria and her parents ended up in that octospider "zoo".
The significance of more structures inside RAMA.
The meaning of that mural that Nicole saw in the octospider domain that depicted an octospider stomping on other species, including one that looked like Nicole.

And here's a BIGGY... In the first book, "Rendezvous with Rama", the building that a few of the crew entered in New York (I think) that had pictures or diagrams of alien tools, clothing, etc. seemed VERY important. But there was never ANY mention of this in the next 3 books. That was weird to me.

Even with all of these question marks, I really enjoyed the series. I would love to discuss it further if anyone is up for it.

-SK

 

[Shoegaze99]

I would love to discuss it further if anyone is up for it.

My take on the follow-ups to Clarke’s incomparable Rendezvous With Rama is very simple: I pretend they don’t even exist.

Honestly, I thought they badly trampled on the air of mystery and awe Clarke created with the original story, turning the sense of wonder on its head in exchange for a bloated space soap opera that dragged on and on and on. Gentry Lee, at least with these, is not a good writer (Clarke penned none of these books, he merely laid out the concepts for Lee to write.) As I said in this post, I also suggest that people stay away from the sequels.

 

[Werthead]

I believe Maria's identity is explained in full in Gentry Lee's other novels that take place in the same timeline as The Rama Cycle. They are called Bright Messengers, Double Full Moon Night and Tranquillity Wars. They are not available in the UK.

The sequels I thought were okay. Not brilliant, not as great as the original Rendezvous, but not that bad. The biggest weakness with them is that the explanation we are given for Rama in the sequels doesn't gel with the hints Clarke laid down in the original novel. OTOH, Clarke has basically written off the sequels as 'a' version of what happens next (the same with his Odyssey novels), so if you don't want to accept them as canon you don't have to.

 

[JPMCCLOUD01]

What I here is all good, but as it has been some time since I finished reading one of the best and provocative book series ever. I would like to point out one thing whether directly or indirectly part of the Rama world and that is that Gentry Lee is a good part of the Arthur C. Clarke tales of Rama. Bright Messengers and Double full Moon Light added to a viege, And I mean viege history of the Rama history and bye doing so answered some big questions of how their world came about. Some of the contents of the Whole series is Close n counter esque. i dont't Know about you guys but I wish their where more of these books to enjoy. If they did a Movie I would be first in line

 

[Threepwud]

I read this series about 10 years ago and loved them all! I was 15 at the time and just loved all the questions but I'll admit to being disappointed with Rama Revealed simply because I thought it explained too much. All the mystery was gone and thus my excitement had gone with it.

 

[manephelien]

I must admit that I enjoyed Rendezvous with Rama much more than any of the sequels. I've never been tempted to read any books Lee wrote solo, either.

 

[Lyrebird]

My take on the follow-ups to Clarke’s incomparable Rendezvous With Rama is very simple: I pretend they don’t even exist.

Honestly, I thought they badly trampled on the air of mystery and awe Clarke created with the original story, turning the sense of wonder on its head in exchange for a bloated space soap opera that dragged on and on and on. Gentry Lee, at least with these, is not a good writer (Clarke penned none of these books, he merely laid out the concepts for Lee to write.) As I said in this post, I also suggest that people stay away from the sequels.

Wow! And I thought it was just me!

Well, maybe I don't feel so strongly against the sequels, but they definitely spoiled the story for me. Rendezvous With Rama is best read by itself.

 

[JDP]

It's been a while since I read the series, but I thought that it was implied quite strongly that Maria and her family had been created by the octospiders from DNA taken from Simone or one of the kids (it couldn't really have been Richard when he was captured because Maria was coloured). Wasn't one of the kids taken by them at some point? I can't remember the girl's name. That's who I thought it was though.

 

[a-champ-production]

I am just finishing reading Rama Revealed and I enjoyed the series. Actually it took me a while to actually start reading Rama 2 because it took ages to set everything up. After a few attempts I finally got myself reading and I was hooked. Also about Maria, Richard was captured by the older Octospiders and apparently his sexual organs were being experimented with so maybe Maria's mum is Richard's daughter???? It could explain way Max was surprised by Maria's brightness at a young age. But I have no right to say anything about that until I finish the last chapters, lol. But guessing from the replies so far he doesn't "Reveal" who she is. Anyway I give Gentry Lee's writing a thumbs up.

 

[zatchstar90]

i personally like Rama II because it had quite a bit of Thia lineage and Clarke/Lee kills off half the newton team (most i did not like).

i have not got close completing rama revealed yet so i could be way off. Maria could be either an offspring of Patrick and Nai, or could have been taken some how from the node as an offspring of Simone and Micheal O'toole.

I can not come close to imagining how much time the authors put in to come up with the Octospider society!

 

[CosMoth]

I thought Maria and her family were one of two options: 1. genetically bred specimens that resemble human beings, but are not; AND/OR 2. that they are another species which the Octospiders preserved in their 'zoo' (just as they did the Avians, Myrmicats and Sessiles), and their humanoid appearance is merely coincidental. There is mention of their appearance being similar to St. Michael of Sienna (whom I personally adored as a passing character and/or memory throughout the series). I believe that St Michael was one of these engineered/interstellar humanoids (he appeared after Rama I and many of his speeches discussed Rama and its spiritual significance), and that Nicolle encountered the image of this species first on the large painting in the Alternate Octospider domain, and then discovering Maria, who wore the same medallion that St. Michael of Sienna did. I think Lee made enough hint at this point, so it works for me.

 

[lhversaw]

I am just finishing reading Rama Revealed and I enjoyed the series. Actually it took me a while to actually start reading Rama 2 because it took ages to set everything up. After a few attempts I finally got myself reading and I was hooked. Also about Maria, Richard was captured by the older Octospiders and apparently his sexual organs were being experimented with so maybe Maria's mum is Richard's daughter???? It could explain way Max was surprised by Maria's brightness at a young age. But I have no right to say anything about that until I finish the last chapters, lol. But guessing from the replies so far he doesn't "Reveal" who she is. Anyway I give Gentry Lee's writing a thumbs up.

Keep in mind that the two books by just Gentry are prequels to the Rama books and not Sequels. While I have not read them yet Hearing that they reveal the origin of Maria and knowing they are prequels to the Rama books keep that in mind and there should be less confusion. I mean if those are prequels then how could Maria really be Richard's Daughter if she was already there before Richard and Nicole? I think if you remember the prequel factor that gives you the answer.