The third of four Rama novels, The Garden of Rama includes Arthur C. Clarke's and Gentry Lee's continuing speculations into human contact with extraterrestrial intelligence. The novels depict an advanced civilization reaching for contact with human spacefarers, during which time various forms of governments on Earth are inconstant in sustaining new technologies both on the planet and in space, which ultimately would be of great benefit to humanity.

Sexism and racism within human society, the inability of humans to grow past lusts for money, power, sexual gratification, and the prideful assumption that humans hold superiority to different or "alien" societies even when they are obviously highly advanced in technology and culture are all salient issues in the novel.

The authors' use of characters highly trained in computer science, robotics, medicine, and astrophysics, shows emphasis on discipline and creativity in rational, scientific inquiry and practical application of...