3001 - The Final Odyssey by Clarke, Arthur C - 1999

New York: Del Rey - Ballantine Books, 1999. (viii) 263 pp. Special Millennium Edition. Trade paperback format. Light edge and corner wear with a short crease on the lower right of the front cover and a flat uncreased spine; no interior markings. This novel begins with a brief prologue describing the bioforms - dubbed the First-Born - who created the black monoliths. They evolved from primordial soup, and over the course of millions of years, became a space-faring species. Perceiving that nothing was more precious than mind, they started the evolution of intelligent species wherever they went, by increasing the intelligent species' chance of survival. After visiting Earth, the First-Born found a way to impress themselves into the fabric of space and time, becoming effectively immortal. Meanwhile, the monoliths - implied to have been forgotten by their creators when they ascended to a higher state of being - continued to watch over their subjects. . First Printing - First Thus. Soft Cover. Very Good. 8vo.