The Last Theorem

I agree with almost everything that has been said by the two main reviewers, but I'll put it more simply. A great premise: the light waves (and other advanced waves) from the 1945 bombs in Japan reach the guardians of the universe, and it is determined that Earth (which has always been watched closely) must be sterilized.
That means us. The sterilizers start toward earth years ago (60??), and arrive in our solar system at about the same time as earth discovers a way to make our planet peaceable (or nearly so).

Will the galactic cleansers back off, or eliminate us anyway?

This could have been a thriller, a tense book of the Michael Crichton or Larry Niven or Alastair Reynolds type, that kept you on the edge of your seat. But it too often plays to the comedy aspects of the other galactic races, and basically tries to be too cute.

I give it three stars for the first 90% of the book, and one star for the sappy, we are the galaxy, 13001 space odyssey ending.

The story starts of as being very interesting but lacks cohesiveness as it develops. A number of interesting sub-plots are never fully developed. For example it seems that Ranjit's son though disabled has some extraordinary abilities but these are never developed. The Grand Galactics biology is never explained and it is never explained what development mankind makes that the Grand galactics are so ready to quit and transfer the job of galactic governance to the human race.

I got a distinctly anti-American sentiment throughout the book. Towards the end, the US Government and its President are portrayed as a bully. I thought that this was a little out of place in a science fiction work whether or not you think the US Government are "good" guys or bullies.

Since the protagonist was a Number Theorist, I was expecting some connection with the beauty of Number Theory with the way the Grand Galactic and other advanced aliens think, but this was never developed.

I was not sure of why the sub-plot of Ranjit's capture by pirates and his torture was introduced other than that he developed the Fermat's Conjecture proof under the duress of torture and captivity.

All in all Last Theorem is disappointing as Arthur C Clarke's "Last Book."

Poor Clarke has been on a downward slide for some time. From the early promising days of Rama and 2001 we have descended to clap trap (the gun destroying thing was THE worst) and repeats and more repeats. Some people just can't quit when they're ahead!

Believe me, this is classic Clarke and Poul and since both are classic sci-fi writers you know pretty well what you get except in this case the product is definitely lacking. There are subplots (the son) that are given time and attention and then dwindle away. There are the usual scientific questions such as Fermi's - "IF they're out there why haven't they come?" Dozens - no, hundreds - of authors and scientists have attempted to come up with a satisfactory answer and so far, few have succeeded like the biologist who declared that we are unique and alone. That is by far the best definition.


Clarke's real problem (and Poul's) is that they are not current on what's "in" with today's science fiction - nanotech, Singularity, virtual reality, biotechnology and robotics. Clarke is a certified engineer and in a way, he has always written like one. His characters have a somewhat pedantic quality and indeed, characterization is the weakest element in his writing. Poul, too, is a classic writer - space ships, aliens, war and the like. It's not the subject matter or the writing that's old (but instead, the ideas are dated. My advice - get one of the older books and enjoy a good read.

My grade - D-

The Last Theorem (2008) is a standalone SF novel about Fermat and aliens. It is set in a universe where civilizations exist further than the mind can conceive. Within our galaxy, the Grand Galactics rule with some fairness and much wisdom.

In this novel, Ranjit Subramanian is a Tamil, but his best friend is Sinhalese. This difference means nothing to Ranjit and Gammi Bandara, but means much to their people on Sri Lanka. For a long time, the friends do everything together, but one day Ranjit's father summons him to the temple.

Ganesh Subramanian is chief priest of the famous Hindu temple of Tiru Koneswaram in Trincomalee. Ranjit loves and respects his father very much. But Ganesh tells him that his friendship with a Sinhalese is causing some dissension within the temple. He gives Ranjit the choice of shunning his friend or being shunned by Ganesh.

Ranjit sorrowfully chooses to stay friends with Gammi. Like the matter of religion, Ranjit disagrees with his father and goes his own way. But he is going to miss the conversations and kindness of his father.

In this story, Ranjit is obsessed with Fermat's Last Theorem. He has been studying the subject for years. Although a freshman at the university, he has little interest in other subjects. Even the math courses are rather boring, either because of their familiarity or their irrelevance to the Theorem.

Then he takes Astronomy 101 from Joris Vorhulst. His teacher has a doctorate from Caltech and worked at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Yet it isn't his education that captures the attention of his students, but his enthusiasm. From the first day, Ranjit and most students spend hours researching topics for the next class.

During his summer vacation, Ranjit meets a family living in a house on his father's property. The father is incarcerated for possession of stolen goods and his family is hard pressed to survive. Ranjit takes care of the four children for their mother while he works nearby.

One day the mother has found work near the docks and Ranjit drives the family there in the temple van. He drops them off, but later he sees the youngest waving to him and meets their father. He is lured aboard a ship and kept captive until pirates take over the liner.

Ranjit is eventually accused of being one of the pirates and taken far away to a prison where he is kept for a long while. In between his torture sessions, Ranjit starts thinking even more about Fermat's Last Theorem and develops a proof of its validity. After his return to civilization, he publishes his proof and becomes a celebrity.

This tale relates the dangers of human militarism within the Grand Galactic domain. Aliens are coming to devastate the Earth. Only luck will prevent the destruction of humanity.

The future society in this novel includes many of Clarke's innovations, providing an ambiance not found in the works of lesser writers. Pohl also contributed ideas from his previous works, including computerized personae. He probably added the parts about Fermat's Last Theorem.

Still, the novel feels more like Pohl than Clarke in many respects. Pohl has always been better at characterization than Clarke and it shows in this work.

The story is mostly about friendship and love. Ranjit not only keeps his best friend, but also meets a woman who captivates his mind and emotions and gives him very lovable children. Enjoy!

Highly recommended for Clarke & Pohl fans and for anyone else who enjoys tales of mathematical investigation, galactic domination, and abundant romance.

-Arthur W. Jordin

In literary terms this book don't get close to the effect of smoothness and continuity that one saviours from Arthur C. Clarke's masterpiece, _2001: An space odissey_. I doubt ACC had an actual role in preparing the text. As for the scientific stuff, the idea of out-of-body life was better laid out and explored in _2001_.