From Publishers Weekly
This final volume of the Rama tetralogy chronicles the end of the spaceship's intergalactic odyssey; a five-week PW bestseller. Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.


The publisher, Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc.
On its mysterious voyage through interstellar space, a massive alien starship carries its human passengers to the end of a generations-long odyssey. But the great experiment designed by the Ramans has failed, and Rama III has become a battleground. Fleeing a tyrant, a band of humans ventures into the nether regions of the ship, where they encounter an emerald-doomed lair ruled by the fabulously advanced octospiders. As the octospiders lure the humans deeper into their domain, the humans must decide whether the creatures are their allies of enemies. All the while, Rama III continues its inexplorable journey towards the node, where the climax of their voyage awaits the stunning revelation of the true identity of the beings behind this glittering trek across the cosmos.

ANNOTATION

The long-awaited, New York Times bestselling conclusion to the epic Rama series. A massive starship of alien origin arrives at the end of its generations-long journey, at which time its human passengers confront a sinister evil, and discover the identity of their hosts--the Ramans--and their ultimate plan for humanity.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In the long-awaited conclusion to one of the most heralded science fiction series ever, Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry Lee reveal the ultimate Raman plan for humanity. The Hugo and Nebula award-winning Rendezvous with Rama, the bestselling Rama II, and The Garden of Rama were only the prelude to this stunning conclusion to an epic journey. On its mysterious voyage through interstellar space, a massive, alien starship carries its passengers to the end of a generations-long odyssey. For the great experiment conceived by the Ramans has failed. Rama III, with its carefully designed Earth habitat, as well as environments to house other intelligent species, has become a battleground. Instead of creating a utopia, the human contingent has brought forth a tyrant who seeks to conquer the other sectors of the vast Raman ark. Cosmonaut Nicole des Jardins, a lone voice for reason who is now jailed and awaiting execution, is aided in a daring escape by two tiny robots. On New York Island, the dark, brood deserted city in the midst of Rama III's cylindrical sea, Nicole is reunited with her long-lost husband, Richard Wakefield, whom she'd given up for dead. Joined by their children and other rebels from the Earth sector, Nicole and Richard enter New York's labyrinthine underground aboard a ghostly subway hoping to find the ship's secret inner workings. What they find instead is the emerald-domed lair of the technologically advanced species that rules this fabulous subraman world: the octospiders. These arachnidlike creatures are luring Nicole and the rebels into their domain, but the Earth group is divided as to whether the octospiders are allies or enemies - and anxious to discover the fate of two of their group abducted by the enigmatic aliens. Yet even as this drama unfolds, Rama III continues its inexorable course to its final destination: the Node. To some, the Node is a vast engineering station; to others, it is a place of wonder and miracles. From here a powerful force ha

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

This final volume of the Rama tetralogy chronicles the end of the spaceship's intergalactic odyssey; a five-week PW bestseller. (Feb.)

Library Journal