It seems that the quality of the writing is just going down with each subsequent book. While 2001 was a revolutionary book and a movie, the 2010 was a very good book and a movie, the 2061 is pretty forgettable book which is unlikely that anyone would make it into a movie anytime soon, because it is just not worth it.
Europa is in again, but also the Haley's Comet, which I didn't really see (or I don't remember) in 1986, when I was a kid, but apparently it was a big deal for A. Clarke and the first half of the book is about a mission landing on the comet and finding the regular stuff (gasses and geysers) there.
After a crash landing on Europa and some meetings with advanced local life, the Haley's comet crew is sent to save the Europa's hapless crew, which eventually happens. And yes, the core of gas giants is made of humongous diamonds. Maybe.
Eventually a message gets sent to the over-lord-uber-mensch-non-corporeal-anymore aliens, which is not good for the human race, as we've been deemed 'bugs', just like in the 'Three Body Problem.'
But we will have to wait for 3001 to see how that turns out.
The regular fear of death topics that Clarke cannot escape abound throughout. Clarke had a very long and pretty peaceful life (buried next tot he love of his life in Sri Lanka), but the fear of death is the defining characteristic of all humans, especially the little bit more accomplished ones.
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