Written by Arthur C. Clarke, author of "2001: A Space Odyssey" (among many, many others), "Rendezvous with Rama" is considered by many one of his finest works and a contemporary classic in the genre of hard science-fiction. It tells the tale of a ship and its crew tasked with docking with and exploring the interior of a mysterious alien vessel nick-named Rama. The story approaches such a momentous event from a variety of perspectives, including the political, scientific and philosophical. It mostly withstands the test of time and offers an interesting mystery that keeps the reader wondering.