The Last Theorem

The final work from the brightest star in science fiction's galaxy. Arthur C Clarke, who predicted the advent of communication satellites and author of 2001: A Space Odyssey completes a lifetime career in science fiction with a masterwork. 30 light years away, a race known simply as the One Point Fives are plotting a dangerous invasion plan, one that will wipe humankind off the face of the Earth! Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka, a young astronomy student, Ranjit Subramanian, becomes obsessed with a three-hundred-year-old theorem that promises to unlock the secrets of the universe. While Ranjit studies the problem, tensions grow between the nations of the world and a UN taskforce headed up by China, America and Russia code-named Silent Thunder begins bombing volatile regimes into submission. On the eve of the invasion of Earth a space elevator is completed, helped in part by Ranjit, which will herald a new type of Olympics to be held on the Moon. But when alien forces arrive Ranjit is forced to question his own actions, in a bid to save the lives of not just his own family but of all of humankind. Co-written with fellow grand master Frederik Pohl, The Last Theorem not only provides a fitting end to the career one of the most famous names in science fiction but also sets a new benchmark in contemporary prescient science fiction. It tackles with ease epic themes as diverse as third world poverty, the atrocities of modern warfare in a post-nuclear age, space elevators, pure mathematics and mankind's first contact with extra-terrestrials.

ISBN 0007290020   DEWEY edition DC22 ISBN13 9780007290024 (What's this?)   Pages 448 Publisher HarperCollins Publishers   Weight (grammes) 239 Imprint HarperVoyager   Published in London Format Paperback   Height (mm) 178 Publication date 05 Mar 2009   Width (mm) 111 DEWEY 823.914   Academic level General

'Arthur Clarke is one of the true geniuses of our time' Ray Bradbury 'Arthur C. Clarke is the prophet of the space age' The Times 'A one-man literary Big Bang, Clarke has originated his own vast and teeming futurist universe' Sunday Times 'The most consistently able writer science fiction has yet produced' Kingsley Amis on Frederik Pohl 'In his grasp of scientific and technological possibilities, Pohl ranks with Asimov and Clarke, but he has greater originality than either' Sunday Times 'I want to be remembered most as a writer - one who entertained readers, and, hopefully, stretched their imagination as well' Arthur C Clarke 'Clarke is one of the greatest imaginative writers of hard science fiction' New Scientist 'Arthur C. Clarke is blessed with one of the most astounding imaginations ever encountered in print' New York Times 'One of the truly prophetic figures of the space age! the colossus of science fiction' New Yorker 'The universe is full of wonder! and we reach out for such wonder! But none, surely, have succeeded so well as Arthur C Clarke' Stephen Baxter 'Clarke was a pioneer in so many areas, but one of his most interesting achievements was making scientific humility a unique core of "scientific" mysticism.' Greg Bear 'Clarke was one of the all time greats, and his books will be remembered for as long as people still read science fiction.' George R R Martin 'His impact, you might say, was indistinguishable from magic.' Scientific American 'No one has done more than Clarke in the way of enlightened prediction.' Isaac Asimov

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