Do you have an interpretation of your own to offer? I merely posted the warning I would have appreciated myself.
There are a lot of better SF stories that neither you nor I will live long enough to get around to, including many written by the same author at a more-mature stage in his career. This one can safely be skipped in favor of one of those.
Not sure what to tell you. It has a satisfying ending and resolution as far as I am concerned. It's pretty plain on its face; I don't think an "interpretation" is needed.
It's obviously not the best Arthur C. Clarke story, but I don't think it's a waste of time to read it.
It's obviously not the best Arthur C. Clarke story
Exactly, and the ending is only one of several weak aspects. So why defend the story with a vague insult to another reader's acumen when they suggest, justifiably, that time spent reading it may be better spent elsewhere?
Someone unfamiliar with Clarke who reads this piece of junk may decide they don't want to waste even more time with The Nine Billion Names of God or The Sentinel or The Star, and I'm sure we agree that'd be a shame.
