Book Info
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (August 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345470214
• ISBN-13: 978-0345470218
Synopsis
Two of science fiction’s most renowned writers join forces for a storytelling sensation. The historic collaboration between Frederik Pohl and his fellow founding father of the genre, Arthur C. Clarke, is both a momentous literary event and a fittingly grand farewell from the late, great visionary author of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
The Last Theorem is a story of one man’s mathematical obsession, and a celebration of the human spirit and the scientific method. It is also a gripping intellectual thriller in which humanity, facing extermination from all-but-omnipotent aliens, the Grand Galactics, must overcome differences of politics and religion and come together . . . or perish.
In 1637, the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat scrawled a note in the margin of a book about an enigmatic theorem: “I have discovered a truly marvelous proof of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.” He also neglected to record his proof elsewhere. Thus began a search for the Holy Grail of mathematics–a search that didn’t end until 1994, when Andrew Wiles published a 150-page proof. But the proof was burdensome, overlong, and utilized mathematical techniques undreamed of in Fermat’s time, and so it left many critics unsatisfied–including young Ranjit Subramanian, a Sri Lankan with a special gift for mathematics and a passion for the famous “Last Theorem.”
When Ranjit writes a three-page proof of the theorem that relies exclusively on knowledge available to Fermat, his achievement is hailed as a work of genius, bringing him fame and fortune. But it also brings him to the attention of the NationalSecurity Agency and a shadowy United Nations outfit called Pax per Fidem, or Peace Through Transparency, whose secretive workings belie its name. Suddenly Ranjit–together with his wife, Myra de Soyza, an expert in artificial intelligence, and their burgeoning family–finds himself swept up in world-shaking events, his genius for abstract mathematical thought put to uses that are both concrete and potentially deadly.
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to anyone on Earth, an alien fleet is approaching the planet at a significant percentage of the speed of light. Their mission: to exterminate the dangerous species of primates known as homo sapiens.
Steve’s Thoughts
“The Last Theorem” by Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl was Clarke’s last book; he died a few days after reviewing the final manuscript.
The title refers to Fermat’s Last Theorem, which has never been adequately proven. Now what is the last theorem and why is should be proven is one of the themes well explained in the book.
Typical of Clarke’s and Pohl’s books, Last Theorem had really strange aliens that impact the human race, this time for good. The story also includes new human technology that is used to help improve certain country’s governments. Silent Thunder is a weapon used by a secret branch in the United Nations to overthrow fanatical third world governments. A recurring idea is the space elevator which Clarke used in his 1979 book, The Fountains of Paradise.
This book is full of interesting details such as a brief history of Sri Lanka, Russian multiplication, and other math tricks. Also lava tubes in the moon where the new sport of flying takes place and solar sailing. The people in the story were, for the most part, intelligent and bright and caring.
All in all, it was a well written, pleasant and informative read. The science and math was explained enough to get the idea of it, but not bogging down in detail. It was enjoyable.
Review by Steve Oldner
My rating is 3 out of 5.
Special Thanks
This honor goes to Steve for reading and reviewing this book. He really adds a different perspective to J. Kaye’s Book Blog.
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12 comments:
oh that sounds sooo good!
My husband would probably enjoy this. Interesting review!
It's a low key sci-fi, not Clark's best, but still full of interesting ideas and math oddities. As with all of Clark's books, it does expand the thinking.
Hope you enjoy it.
I wondered if Clarke could still expand anyone's thinking at his advanced age (maybe I'm still a little burned from Heinlein's old-age meltdown).
great review steve.
though not my type of book, it does sound like an interesting read.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
Jeanne ~ Steve will be by here tomorrow to comment.
Naida ~ I am with you. When I saw this book, it had Steve written all over it. :)
This book is right up my husband's alley! Science fiction, theorems and the two authors all interest him.
Cindi
Jeanne,
I don't know of Heinlein's meltdown. While there are no scientific breakthroughs in the book, and some of the scf-fi facts he wrote about are in his past books, the global political situation and the aliens make this different.
Happy reading!
Thanks for the review Steve, even if it's not Clarke's best I will still give it a try. I still haven't read the last book in the Time Odyssey series, Firstborn. When I finish that one I will be ready to move on to this one.
Great review!
And two of our favorite authors.
Oooh, different aliens! I'm definitely checking this one out.
Icedream and bookdads - thanks for the kind words.
Jeanne, yes, these are very different and a welcome change from the aliens of the 80s and 90s.
Enjoy!
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