Being one of the first sci-fi books I've read (save Hitchhiker's Guide series) this book was quite fascinating. It was almost believable, quite honestly. Clarke does a good job telling the story and it flows well. There really wasn't any parts that were slower than others. The book was never predictable for me. I do wish I could have gotten to know some of the characters better. That is the only thing this book lacks. Overall, I liked the book and will continue reading the series, though I've read the reviews for the next few books and have fairly low expectations.