In his long writing career, Clarke has consistently offered his readers grand visions of the great beyond, and imaginative developments extending from both the known and the possible. Science fiction done well often combines science writing and sheer fantasy. In 3001: The Final Odyssey, Clarke closes the Odyssey tetralogy with a good mix of the real and the speculative. Yet the bold concepts of change in technology and social patterns his works pose often leave many unanswered questions about what might actually lead from present realities toward the Utopian future.

1. The first chapter of 3001 describes the work of a race of beings which eventually evolved past the need for flesh-andblood bodies or even sophisticated machines to contain their consciousness. As Clarke describes these superior beings, do they work as scientists managing experiments in laboratories? How efficient and attentive are they to the races they nurture? Should they...