this post was submitted on 05 Sep 2024
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It makes me happy to see Rama mentioned here! I read the first book in the series when I was 8 or 9, and it's what really hooked me on science fiction. Like, I had to read it with a dictionary open because some of the language was way too technical for me, but I was absolutely enthralled.
Other people who've read it and who I've talked with seem to be split over whether the first book is better than the sequels, or the other way around. I prefer the sequels, my wife prefers the original. Do you have a preference?
As a child, I greatly preferred the original. A lot of the emotional subtext from the sequels went over my head (since I was raised in a very emotionally repressed environment), but I could totally grok the cold, somewhat impersonal nature of the first book. It was easier to imagine myself in this huge alien structure when I could understand the characters. Nowadays I think I'd probably prefer the sequels since I derive a lot of enjoyment from interpersonal drama and conflict. I'll admit that it's been ages since I've read them, so I can't say for sure.