The Last Theorem

[spoilers]

I really wanted to like this book. Two grandmasters of science fiction writing together. Clarke is one of my favorite author's of all time. I haven't read any of Pohl's solo works.

This book is somewhat interesting. It follows the life of Sri Lankan mathematician who ends up solving Fermat's Last Theorem. The problem is that the book doesn't seem to have any real point. The main character goes through life, some things happen. He gets kidnapped. He gets imprisoned. He solves a math problem while imprisoned. Aliens sort of show up. He has a daughter. She wins a medal at the olympics on the moon. He has a son. His son is an autistic savant. Aliens decide to leave us alone. He downloads his mind into a computer. Book ends.

Writing the list, it sounds like this book should have some really cool parts. But all of it falls flat. None of the events feel all that important or dramatic. And the book just sort of wanders around unfocused.