Status Updates From Rama II (Serie Rama 2)

In the chapter “Dawn” the cosmonaut team penetrate Rama II and begin to set up several bases in the darkness. The Life Science officer opts to stay behind and process the data she has uncovered along with her own observations. The journalist narrates as the teams descend when Rama’s lights come on. This is all e pected. And then the lights go off.

The chapter “Pandora’s Cube” has Nicole reviewing data she was handed by a high British monarch. The information paints a very problematic portrait of the American scientist who is now in charge of the expedition and a Russian cosmonaut. As noted what is especially problematic is not that these details themselves but that they were excluded from the official doses given to her by the government.

Nicole des Jardins, who I expect is going to work out the murder of the commander. Is depicted as enduring an African rite of passage almost cost her like. It reminded me of Spock in “Yesterday’s Son” and made me guess that the original author of that work knew of this tradition. She came through it but I was displeased with the practice.

As if the soap opera dynamics of this new crew were not complications enough, now comes the death of the ships Commander. Meanwhile what is obvious to me is that this is not an accident this is a terrible murder that used misdiagnosis and a tampered surgical robot to achieve its end. Where is Hercule Perot when you need him?

The dysfunctional nature the crew in this novel is annoying to me. Something this big, even if it is the second time around would not be left open for a brew for a reality TV drama.