ClarkeÆs steady output of science fiction has combined a strong technical knowledge with more rounded characters than some of his contemporaries of the "golden age". Often his books feature an advanced alien presence, rarely malevolent, but not exactly sociable either. Although he is down on organised religion, thereÆs often a mystical quality to his writing. His best known work is the series beginning with the book of the film 2001, A Space Odyssey, while he gained wider exposure with his widely-seen Mysterious World TV series. Clarke has lived in Sri Lanka for many years, where he is involved in the university and a sub-aqua business.