THE CLASSIC SCIENCE FICTION NOVEL THAT CHANGED THE WAY WE LOOKED AT THE STARS AND OURSELVES From the savannas of Africa at the dawn of mankind to the rings of Saturn as man ventures to the outer rim of our solar system, 2001: A Space Odyssey is a journey unlike any other. This allegory about humanity's exploration of their universe, and the universe's reaction to humanity was the basis for director Stanley Kubrick's immortal film, and lives on as a hallmark achievement in storytelling.