Arthur C. Clarke is one of the highest ranking writers of science fiction, and that position is deserved. Certainly 2001: A Space Odyssey is his major claim to fame with the general public. Rendezvous with Rama won, in 1975, the three highest awards given to writers of science fiction: the Hugo (from science-fiction fans), the Nebula (from science-fiction writers), and the Jupiter (from teachers of science fiction). The rest of his novels are good, solid science fiction.

Imperial Earth, his latest effort, belongs in this latter class: it is good, solid science fiction that has much interest and reads well but does not quite have the consistency and sweep of vision to overcome its flaws, to push those flaws far enough into the background so that they are virtually unnoticeable. The action occurs in 2276, during the fifth centennial celebration of the birth of the United States. Thus, one of the...