The Lion of Comarre & Other Stories

The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke #1

by Arthur C. Clarke, Michael Hugh Johnson (Narrator), Scott Brick (Narrator)

Arthur C. Clarke is one of the greatest science fiction writers of the century, and surely the most celebrated science fiction author alive. He is -- with H. G. Wells, Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein -- one of the writers who define the genre. Now, at the dawn of the year 2001, Sir Arthur C. Clarke has cooperated in the preparation of a massive definitive edition of his collected shorter works, which will be made available on audio in four chronological volumes, followed by a 30 cassette gift set, the most ambitious science fiction audio project in history. Brief introductions place each story in the context of Clarke's career. Fantastic Audio has acquired exclusive audio rights to this collection. From early stories like "Rescue Party" and "The Lion of Comarre," to classics like "The Star," "Earthlight," "The Nine Billion Names of God," and "The Sentinel" (kernel of the later novel, and movie, 2001: A Space Odyssey), all the way to later works like "A Meeting With Medusa" and "The Hammer of God," this immense volume encapsulates one of the great SF careers of all time.

Genres: Science Fiction, Short Stories, Audiobook, Fiction, Science Fiction Fantasy

Audio Cassette

First published April 10, 1968

About the author

Stories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.

Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.

He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.

Reviews

[Elar · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories have survived test of time really well. Only some of them felt really awkward.

[Olof · Rating 4 out of 5]

Difficult to believe these were written 1937--49. Other than some technological lingo being really off (or just a bit off) these novels echo fairly recent ideas (or at least I thought they were ;)). And most of them are REALLY good :) Respect to you, Sir ACC!

[Andrew Orange · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Lion of Comarre" by Arthur Clarke.
In substance it is an old script for the movie "The Matrix."
The main mistake of the author (as well as his fellow and competitor Isaac Asimov) is that people are biorobots who must create more advanced superrobots.
Such a scenario inevitably leads to the destruction or subjugation of people.
The option of the Matrix or Comarre according to Clarke is very likely in this case.
P.S. See also my review of Asimov's "Robots and Empire" on Goodreads.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Riju Ganguly · Rating 4 out of 5]

These are the classics that, with warts and all, had developed our notion about the great author. Some of them would appear rather dated. Some would be as bright as sunshine. But overall, the feeling that one would derive, would be of wonder— the very feeling that drives us towards science fiction.
Recommended.

[“Gideon” Dave Newell · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's fascinating to see in this collection of Clarke stories, the evolution and refinement of his work. Some of the earliest stories such as "How We Went to Mars" (1938) read like HG Wells's "The Time Machine" in that an amateur gentleman assembles a remarkable machine that resembles a Victorian sitting parlor with wings and recounts a fantastic voyage. Thankfully, this is not requiring any attention to minor details such as hostile alien environments, zero-G and high-G acceleration, etc. I can excuse this because the tone of this particular story is tongue-in-cheek humor. Other stories however, wave the magic wand of "Atomic-Power" to explain away any technological need the narrative may face- obviously anticipating much future success with the newly arrived science. The title story "Lion of Comarre" probably has the best example in the Atomic cutting instrument which is included in a list of common tools alongside a universal screwdriver. In other more serious stories, such as "Nightfall" (1947), Clarke addresses the terrifying self-destructive potential of Atomic power in the hands of mankind. The final story in the collection, "Breaking Strain" (1949) which contributed some of the ideas later seen in "2001: A Space Odyssey", makes a great bookend to "How We Went to Mars" in that it pays exquisite attention to the hard science details of orbital mechanics, the effect of weightlessness on the human body, psychological dangers of prolonged isolation, and more. The collection is at its best, however, when Clarke wrote in the freely fantastic realm of the unknown and unknowable extra-dimensional, such as "The Wall of Darkness" (1949) and "Technical Error" (1946). I found myself pausing after finishing each to wonder for awhile at the implications, as all good Space Opera SF should do.

[Zack Hester · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Lion of Comarre & Other Stories (The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke #1, 1937-1955) — Arthur C. Clarke

• Foreword — 4/5
• Travel by Wire! — 4/5
• How We Went to Mars — 3/5
• Retreat from Earth — 3/5
• The Awakening — 4/5
• Whacky — 3/5
• Loophole — 3/5
• Reverie — 5/5
• Rescue Party — 3/5
• Inheritance — 3/5
• Technical Error — 4/5
• Castaway — 2/5
• The Fires Within — 2/5
• Nightfall — 2/5
• History Lesson — 3/5
• The Wall of Darkness — 4/5
• Transience — 3/5
• The Lion of Comarre — 3/5
• The Forgotten Enemy — 3/5
• Breaking Strain — 4/5

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book #3, "Rogue Cell", in the "A Grower's War" series came as a surprise because it turns out to be the final book in a trilogy. At the crawling rate the series had progressed in books 1 and 2, I'd figured there were two or three books needed to tie everything up neatly. Wrong.

The series tells the tale of the Baucom brothers, Roy and Walter, who are trying to fight the Coalition (an alliance between urban Blue staters, Russia, and China) which is working to quell uprisings by agrarian Red staters in the USA.

For some reason, rather than pad out the series an additional few books for mucho dinero, D. J. Molles opted to boost the storyline's velocity until the ending comes rushin

g up, resolving things nicely. There's a lot of action, and as in Molles's "The Remaining" series, a main character loses at least one tooth (I don't know why but having characters get shot or stabbed or whatever is bad, but losing a tooth seems like the author is demeaning his creations).

I liked the series well enough, but I think I'm done with D. J. Molles for a while. I couldn't connect with his protagonists because they never struck me as being particularly competent nor likable. I actually found, Goring, the ruthless Federal agent, to be much more fascinating and intelligent than anybody on the rebel side.

Still, Rogue Cell was a rousing climax to the series, so I'm giving it 5 stars.

Christian Rummel, the narrator, did a fine job of creating distinct voices for men and women as usual.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories gathers various published and unpublished works of Clarke's, some of which have influenced his later works.

It was an interesting experience to get bite-sized idea around which a small story was built, to either prove/disprove or simply explore the concept of it, an exercise, a sketch or even a whim.

[Elsabeth Marriott · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit hit and miss. I really enjoyed some of the stories while others just didn’t click. The lion of comarre was my favourite.

[Jeroen Huylebroeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's a good compilation, though let's say half of the stories are not that memorable.

[Isabel Jesson · Rating 3 out of 5]

First audiobook? Completed. Arthur C Clarke? Very smart.

[Kimberlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting read: all of Clarke's short stories over the course of his career (sometimes brtilliant, sometimes, not so much....). By reading the whole series one after another, the change and growth of his inimitable style through the decades can be truly appreciated.

[Mladen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wall of Darkness is one of the first science fiction things I've in my life(It was some Clark's short story collection) and I still remember it fondly. Still, the best one here is Travel by wire. To it seperately I give 5/5 stars.

[Todd Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lion of Comarre & Other Stories consists of a collection of early Arthur C. Clarke tales written between 1937 – 1949. The stories are surprisingly solid and universally interesting, a surprise given that some were written before Clarke was considered a professional writer. Very nice.