The Hammer Of God

The Hammer Of God by Arthur C. Clarke

I think Arthur C. Clarke might be one of my happy places. I absolutely love his work, and always storm through his books. Sucked into a world of Hard Sci-Fi and fantastic themes. Characters who, while never wildly emotional, I always care about. World building that’s subtle but effective. A strong prose, and often interesting formatting. I’m definitely a fan, and The Hammer of God was more of this for me.

The story revolves around an asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth in the year 2110, and the crew of the spaceship Goliath sent to stop it, most notably, its Captain Robert Singh.

An asteroid heading to Earth isn’t unique in the genre, but it’s one of those conventions you always want Arthur C. Clarke perspective on. I like the bombastic Hollywood take on this sort of thing, but I also love Clarke’s more scientific and human approach. A more realistic take if you will. Sure, he wants to blow it up too, but he’ll give more detailed reasons why, while painting an absolutely gorgeous picture of space.

During the journey we learn about the Captain’s history, which is then used to show us more of how the future has evolved. Marathons on the moon, virtual memories, homes on Mars, our exploration of the solar system… mini pet tigers. We also witness Earth’s reaction to the impending doom, learning of horrific suicide rates and global meltdown, but also religious fanatics welcoming the apocalypse through a new religion that has developed over the years.

And as always, everything is wonderfully described in that way that only Clarke can. The science blending with the art. One moment he’s describing how a comet work, and next he’s painting it with such gorgeous words you’d think you’re looking at it. Hard Sci-fi can feel like a text book, but never in Clarke’s hand.

The Hammer of God is a beautiful book. Melancholy at times, but always focused on the human impact of such a monumental event. It’s an easy read with the short chapters, and while the book does jump around a little, I found it always neatly knitted back together. Any fans of Clarke should enjoy this one, but I think its a good general read for all with the story being less abstract (if that’s the right word) than some of his work like Rendezvous with Rama. A relatively short, quick read, and very captivating.