THE LAST THEOREM

The reviewers have been way too harsh on this novel by the great Arthur C. Clarke. Readers must remember that Clarke was 90 years old when he started this book, became ill, and turned over his unfinished manuscript to 89 year old Frederik Pohl. I liked the book. Okay, there were some reoccurring themes, such as the skyhook elevator, the solar Yacht race, and the concept of an older controlling species as in the Space Odyssey novels.So what! For some readers, this is the first Clarke novel they've read. Days before Clarke died, he saw the final product and approved it. That's good enough for this reader.

The story centers on Sri Lanka in the near future. The main character is Ranjit Subramanian, a young math addict. His ambition is to solve Pierre de Fermat's Last Theorem in the short form, using only what was known to math in the year 1637, unlike the 150 page modern proof by Andrew Wiles. He enters college as a young man concerned about world violence. Unfortunately for Earth, so are the Grand Galactics, located thousands of light years away. Ranjit, visiting friends aboard a cruise ship, is kidnapped by pirates and when rescued by an unknown country, is mistaken for a pirate. While he spends two years in prison, he solves the Last Theorem. He is rescued by his childhood friend Gamini Bandara, now a member of the United Nation's 'Pax Per Fidem' (Peace Through Transparency). Ranjit becomes a famous professor, marries his childhood sweetheart Myra and has two children. All is well.

All is not well! The Grand Galctics have seen the nuclear explosions on Earth and decide that the humans must be liquidated. They dispatch the aliens known as the One Point Fives in a massive armada navigated by another A.I., the Machine-Stored. Earth is being spied upon by a third alien race, the Nine Limbeds. It will take the time equal to a full human generation to travel to Earth from their planet.

The last two-thirds of the book deal with the rest of Ranjit's life, Earth's effort for world peace, and the long voyage of the Grand Galactics closing in on their target. What will happen? Can Earth get a pardon or is it doomed? The ending is unexpected and thrilling. Unlike 2001: A Space Odyssey, the ending is very understandable. I'm sure there would have been a sequel had Clarke not died. The pipeline of Clarke novels is closed, but now is the time to catch up on all his wonderful previous novels.

RATING: 4 out of 5 stars

Comment: Both Arthur C. Clarke and Frederik Pohl are Science Fiction Grand Masters. Clarke was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998. Some of Clarke's famous novels include the four 2001: A Space Odyssey books and Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke was a confirmed atheist, and as per his will, he wanted no religious rites or icons at his funeral.