Short Stories by Arthur C. Clarke, Including: The Sentinel (Short Story), the Songs of Distant Earth, the Nine Billion Names of God, I Remember Babylo[ SHORT STORIES BY ARTHUR C. CLARKE, INCLUDING: THE SENTINEL (SHORT STORY), THE SONGS OF DISTANT EARTH, THE NINE BILLION NAMES OF GOD, I REMEMBER BABYLO ] by Hephaestus Books (Author ) on Aug-26-2011 Paperback

DO NOT BUY THIS!! This is a glorified cv put together in a very amateurish way.the nerve of the publishers is beyond belief.if it ever comes back on the market be assured this is a rip off.

Words really cannot express how disappointed I am with this book. As a PhD applicant currently undertaking research, this book looked thoroughly interesting. However, I struggle to find a single redeemable quality within it.Firstly, including "articles" in the title is thoroughly misleading. In my understanding, an article is either a journalistic or academic piece of writing, generally reviewed/peer reviewed to check the quality of research and writing. Unfortunately, the content of this book does not resemble a collection of "articles" in any way, shape or form. Although providing a plot summary and character list may seem useful, for anyone that has read the books, this is of no discernible use. I have seen better quality A level texts aimed at 16-18 year olds, who, ironically, would probably be too young to be studying any of Ellis's texts at school/collage, making this book's existence both baffling and seemingly redundant.Secondly, the length - all 46 pages of it - reinforces the lack of any real attempt to include original/useful thoughts, or stimulate them within the reader. Not to say that length is a reflection of quality, but that when so much of the few pages are taken up by listing the characters and plot summary, there may as well be a section dedicated to describing the cover for all the surprise and use this offers. For nearly £18 before p&p, I can't decide if the pricing is insulting, hopeful, naive or criminal.Thirdly, for something described as "articles", suggesting at least an attempt at research and academic rigour, this could not be more elementary. You cannot produce a bibliography mostly comprised of wikipedia entries and expect that to count as "research". The only academic sources used that were not film databases and Wikipedia entries was a book review - sorry, no new information here! - and a text by Naomi Mandel. It saddens me even more that the writer(s) of this 'book' came across Mandel's collection, as it represents the complete opposite end of the spectrum of academic work on Ellis. To have read Mandel's book, and have implied the `book' I have just purchased is an academic text, or even warranted publication at all, is an insult to all other work currently available on Ellis. For this 'book' also to have cost me more than Mandel's text only adds further insult to this whole debacle.Basically, unless you have no interest in reading the books, don't have access to the internet, or have an IQ at the lower end of double figures, don't bother. Fair enough, the back of the book does mention the use of Wikipedia articles. But when you've already purchased the product - and waited over a month for it to arrive! - it's too little, too late really.