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Summary: Profound statement on humanity's role in the Universe
Review: Author Arthur Charles Clarke is renowned as one of the greatest science fiction writers of all time. His "2001: A Space Odyssey", written with and filmed by Stanley Kubrick, is viewed as one of the seminal works in science fiction history. Obviously, Clarke didn't make his career out of one single book (and movie). He has been quite a prodigious, and proficient, writer. In addition to writing three sequels to the "2001" saga, he also wrote the best-selling "Rama" series, numerous single novels like "Hammer of God" and "Songs of Distant Earth", and untold numbers of short stories. His stories have won just about every conceivable award for this genre and have achieved the dual goal of garnering critical praise and popular approval. Of all his novels, though, it may be one of his earliest that still stands as his best.
"Childhood's End" was first published in 1953, a time when the cold war was in full form and people were beginning to truly look towards the stars for other life and possibilities for exploration. "Childhood's End" tapped into that fertile imagination to craft a story of profound scale and meaning. It begins one day when numerous spaceships suddenly appear in the sky above Earth. They are flown by an alien species referred to as the Overlords. The purpose of their journey to third planet of the Solar System is subject to much speculation and fear. These aliens seem to be a benevolent race that only wants to help humanity solve the problems that plague it. In fifty years, these Overlords will end ignorance, poverty, war, and disease. To what end do they do this, though? The absence of any obstacles and struggles renders humanity complacent and inert. Is this designed to make Earth pliable for invasion, or is there a greater, more benevolent purpose behind these actions by the Overlords?
"Childhood's End" is an appropriate title as it references the end of humanity's childhood. The Overlords are on a quest to condition the people of Earth for it's new role in the order of the Universe. Current humanity will not be able to handle what is asked of them, but through the generations they can be evolved to be prepared to take their next step. "Childhood's End", in the space of a mere 224 pages tells the stories of the different steps of this evolution in an episodic manner that is rich in detail and profound in meaning. Clarke is fascinated by the potentials of human destiny. Sometimes, as with "Light of Other Days", he is not as successful in realizing that destiny as he is in other stories. "Childhood's End", though, extraordinarily realizes what humanity can become and its importance to strive towards that. "Childhood's End" is as relevant and compelling and novel in 2003 as it was in 1953.
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Summary: A Clarke masterpiece!
Review: Somewhere in the mid 70s, I finally read Clarke's "Childhood's End", a book recommended to me by the clerk/manager of a local science fiction/fantasy book store. I was pretty much a lifelong fan of Clarke's due to "2001: A Space Odyssey" anyway, but this novel cemented that. This book's plot will remind an awful lot of people of "The Village/Children Of The Damned" movies, derived from the novel "The Midwich Cuckoos", another sci fi classic published a bit later. The children here are also bred for excellence in everything, specifically mental acuity, by mysterious, supposedly benificent aliens, a major subplot shared by both books. This story follows the fortunes of mankind in general, and the hand-picked and germinated children specifically, as the entire world lives under the benign rule and nurture of the aliens. The world essentially turns into a Utopia that nonetheless has a few skeptics fomenting rebellion amongst normal humans. Clarke has given so many classic concepts to the world of sci-fi, he puts both Asimov and Roddenberry to shame. Science fiction just might still have been mired in Jules Verne and 50s monster flicks if it wasn't for him. This is probably his first major conceptual contribution to the field. As a Clarke fan, I highly recommend this book, a classic for all time, and I am patiently waiting for the day when this book is finally made into a faithful movie adaptation! (Something Columbia-Tristar promised a few years back, as a matter of fact, with nothing even being rumored to be in production so far!) My God, it's full of stars!!
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Summary: Innocent look at a First Encounter
Review: Clarke has returned to the "First Encounter" theme several times and from several points of view. They all have one thing in common though - the workings of the alien races are at first utterly mysterious, a puzzle for humans to solve. But slowly, over time, we learn the true purpose (always something other than what is generally conceived). At least he does not fall into the trap of an INDEPENDENCE DAY or any of the numerous copies in which Zoogoo from the planet Glowboh tells us mean Earthlings to stop our atomic testing or we will be destroyed. Perhaps Clarke is trying to say that the difference in cultural perspectives are so great as to make it difficult to understand the workings of such higher beings. This is a rather innocent book that has retained its charm. Of course, the weak points are character development, the strong points being the plot line itself and the ultimate realization of our destiny.
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Summary: Wonderful, Fantastic, and just plain Great!
Review: I loved this book. Personally, it is my favorite Arthur C. Clarke Novel. Whatever you do, though, don't read too many reviews that describe the plot, as your enjoyment of this book will suffer if you get too many hints about what is going on. The real joy is exploring how things unfold, and how the storyline progresses -it is basically about Mankind's reaction to Aliens coming to earth. (And that's ALL I have to say about the plot!) It is just one of those cool books where more and more things unfold, and things start to get eerie and interesting, and at the very end the book comes to a fantastic close with a "punchline" that throws everything into a new light (kind of like in movies like "The Usual Suspects" or "The Crying Game".) If you loved any of Clarke's other books like Rendezvous with Rama, 2001, the City and the Stars, and The Light of Other Days, then this book is definitely something you want to give a read. And if you've read this book and are looking for others, then the ones I just mentioned are also reflective of his best work.
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Summary: Amazing
Review: This is yet another book I would tack up there as being among the best. Even though this was written in the early 50's, the language Clarke uses makes it feel new. It's concise, to the point, and eeirly prophetic. It accomplishes a very hard task as well: merging the idea of evolution with the idea of God. Clarke pulls it off, and demonstrates why he is among the best writers, sci-fi or not, who has ever lived. Read it now!
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Summary: My introduction to science fiction; Still a good read
Review: As a young boy many years ago, I came across this book in the library. As I was interested in science, I thought I'd give this book a chance. It was the start of a life-long interest in science fiction. Years later, I picked the book up again (having purchased it for my own library.) I read it through again, and was pleased at how much I still liked it. The plot has been summerized many times before, but I do want to say that Arthur C. Clarke is a master storyteller, and I thank him for introducing me to the genre of science fiction. Recommended.
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Summary: A Classic in the Sci-Fi Genre
Review: Arthur C. Clarke is the master on the science fiction genre, and Childhood's end is one of his greatest works. The book begins with humanity near the possiblity of nuclear destruction, and just beginning to look to the stars for their future. However, the hope for conquest of the stars is shattered when a fleet of alien ships suddenly appears over every major city on the planet. The aliens are far more technologically advanced than man, and their intellect is unmatched. Instead of having the aliens take over the planet and enslave humanity, however, Clarke has the aliens(dubbed the "overlords" by the citizens) request only a few things- abolish war, poverty, segregation, and cruelty to animals, and set up a global nation. With these obstacles removed, humanity enters a golden age, and earth is a utopian society; yet the Overlord's still keep their true reason for visiting earth secret.
Childhood's end is engrossing, read it in one sitting. The ideas that Clarke puts forward are classic, the characters, such as the enigmatic Overlords, are original and captivating. With the overlords, Clarke has set up an alien race unlike any other in science fiction. Earth doesn't know the intentions of the Overlords, and neither does the reader, making the Overlords mysterious and magnificient at the same time. The Overlords are a key part on the book, and one of the reasons that make it a classic. The ideas Clarke has in the book(despite the caption in the front that reads" the opinions expressed in this book are not those of the author") make you think in a different way, and put a new spin on the history and future of humanity. The ending, which I won't spoil, is both great and sad at once, very bittersweet.
Childhood's end is a classic, and the ideas that Clarke had about the future are far-reaching, and some of the aspects of his future earth can be seen in our modern culture. The only problem with the book is its slightly dated beginning, however the rest of the novel more than makes up for it. Childhood's End has influenced everything from sci-fi movies like "Independence Day" to computer games, and even a Pink Floyd song. I highly recommend it to any fan of the sci-fi genre, and to anyone looking for a new perspective on humanity.
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Summary: Old Myths rewritten as a Sci-Fi
Review: I think most people have missed the point of this great work.
In this book, Clarke re-tells the old Christian-Islamic creation myth from a mystic point of view in a Science-Fiction novell!
According to this myth, man has a divine gift in him that allows him to finally join in with God , where as the Devil, though the archangel, made of fire instead of clay, can never reach this phase. Though by God's plan it serves His great purpose of making that final union of Man and God possible.
Clarke takes this , wraps it up in a Scientific world-view, even explains the origin of the above myth in its plot's context, in the mean time makes fun of all the prosaic results of the very same myth, and finally portrays the union in perhaps the most fascinating way ever told!
If this is not masterpiece , I don't know what is! He also gives us a hint at the very first page where he writes :"the opinions expressed in this book are not that of the author".
Ofcourse they're not!
Clarke is a scientifically minded atheist, who uses the very core of modern religions to write a science fiction master piece!
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Summary: Sci Fi or does it matter?
Review: Some critisize Childhoods End because it is merely a Sci Fi story, a book of ideas. Despite what others say, I believe Childhoods End deserves the title of a classic. It contains some of the most intriguing and mind bending ideas I have ever experienced. These ideas are not only explained, but they are delivered in a fashion that forces the reader to examine them. An excellent work in my mind, give it a try.
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Summary: Not as good as his other famous books
Review: I'm a big fan of sci-fi and deem Clarke as the best author of the category. But after reading great novels such as Rendezvous with Rama, 2001, 2010 and Fountains of Paradise and also having read good reviews about Childhood's End, I was expecting more of it. This book does not follow the good old Clarke's hard sci-fi. The story begins with an alien invasion pretty much like Independence Day film, which is something that even Clarke don't think it is possible. Of course the fact that UFOs are not plausible does not mean that we cannot enjoy a story about it, but it's important to inform clarke's readers that this book is different from what they would expect.
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