When a large black slab is found buried under the surface of the moon, Heywood Floyd becomes nervous about what it could mean for the future of the human race. Could whoever—or whatever—buried the slab come back for it now that it has been unearthed? If they do, will they be friendly or a hostile race bent on destroying the Earth and it’s inhabitants? To see if they can discover any of the answers to these questions, a team of astronauts is sent on a mission to Saturn where it is the believed the slab originated from. But what they find there is far beyond what they expected.

2001: A Space Odyssey would have to be one of the ultimate science fiction books out there. It gives the reader a look into the outskirts of the solar system with a descriptive narrative that easily transports the reader aboard the space ship with the astronauts. Not only that, but this is a book that really made me as a reader think: What would happen if we could send individuals out to Jupiter or Saturn and study the planets up close? What might we discover if we were able to colonize the moon? This book opens up a lot of doors for questions and would be good material for young adults to delve into and discuss.

I’d highly recommend 2001: A Space Odyssey to anyone who loves science fiction and space exploration. It’s not too difficult of a read and is full of amazing imagery sure to captivate and inspire readers of all ages.