Rating: 
Summary: great science fiction
Review: Remarkable that this was written in the 1950's. There are few stories that make your mind gasp. For me this was one of them. I wish I could give something back to this man. Does anyone out there sell coupons for Sri Lankan mai-tai's?
Rating:
Summary: Something special
Review: You know, i am sick of books in wich Aliens are slimy evil creatures whit no brains. These book, however, is something special. Aliens are good and they want to help human race and they are powerfull, but "Overmind" is still waching there every move. Beautifull book in wich i enyoed very much contains all what the good book must have.
Rating:
Summary: Quite Frankly Terrifying.
Review: A giant spaceship appears just before mankind's first venture into deep space, and mysterious aliens that will not show themselves become the benevolent masters of Earth. Then everything changes when they do show themselves, and they look like the devil. Children begin having dreams of places on the other side of the universe that they could not know about, all the while gaining frightening telekinetic powers. And the children shall lead them....into extinction. This novel is frightening beyond words. You gotta read it!
Rating:
Summary: The best Clarke book I've ever read!
Review: This book has everything from great character detail to an exciting story plot. It also carries the theme of don't judge a book by its cover. It doesn't drag on with details like 2001 A Space Odyssey. It's based on Earth and easy to relate to. If you've seen the movie "Independence Day" you'll enjoy this book. I loved the evolution ideas as well they were really extraordinary.
Rating:
Summary: What a nice change from the ordinary end of the world story!
Review: What a nice change of pace from the usual end of the world story. Instead of the Aliens coming to enslave the human race (or destroying it so they can find a new home to engulf all of the natural resources from and leave only to do the same to countless others in the universe) they prepare the human race for better things. Of course this means the end of mankind as we know it but in the end it is for the best. Though I thought the book to be a bit choppy, (meaning that in some parts he did not give a detailed account of the outcome from some key situations) but never the less Clarke gets across his views well and I give this book nothing but praise. The characters were great and never did I feel that a certain name didn't fit the personality. Read this book. It isn't very long, so just take a day or two out of your time and give it a go. Either you'll be done with it by then or you won't be able to put it down.
Rating: 
Summary: Not bad!
Review: I really did except more out of this book. It wasn't dissapointmenting, but Clarke's writing style is indeed interesting. What I did find out about him is the fact that he tends to use scientific things as an example of how the incidents occur in his story. It was interesting, but I must say that Clarke's name picking is absolutely awful. Overlords??? Overminds??, the supervisor being called Karellen???, Karellen sounds way too wimpy to be the supervisor!! He's name picking is absolutely awful
Rating: 
Summary: Not so classic
Review: I had greater expectations for this book, but I found myself disappointed. The surprising revelations that the various characters make as the book progresses were entertaining at first, but towards the end I found myself growing wary of new developments. What's worse, some of the key elements that I'd like to see included in the storyline are either mentioned briefly or ignored completely. Why is it that poverty, crime, class structure and religion are simply "eliminated" as soon as the Overlords present themselves? It's like the author intentionally explained away certain issues in order to focus on what he believed to be more "important" ones. And as I read, I began to feel like Clarke didn't really know how to draw a satisfying conclusion or deal with his assortment of loose ends. But perhaps I could have overlooked these flaws if the book hadn't seemed so hopelessly dated. With every page I turned, it became more and more apparent that the novel was written prior to 1970. In general the overall impression was that I'd be better off reading a different book, like, say, 2001: A Space Odyssey(?)
Rating:
Summary: Unique, Enjoyable, but Juvenile
Review: Childhood's End is easy to read and highly engaging. Like so many of Arthur C. Clarke's writings, its scope encompasses the entire history and future of humanity. It includes a couple of delightful mysteries and a fun explanation of a nearly universal myth. The ending is unsubtle, but Clarke expertly leaves much for the reader to judge and think about.One speculation is particularly thought-provoking, and worthy of a novel in itself: what would be the consequences if, by chance, the physical form of alien visitors had a deep-seated meaning within some or all human cultures? Unfortunately, Clarke's develops these consequences only superficially. The novel has not aged well. Clarke describes characters and relates events in a sufficiently juvenile manner that the impact of the ending is significantly reduced.
Rating:
Summary: Childhood' end is masterly written and a joy to read.
Review: Clarke's brillance shines through in this tour de force. I enjoyed someone who delivers on every page. When one understands that it was written in the 50's and easily conveys a 90's mentality you realize what insight and foresight Clarke had. His psychological and spiritual themes are also thought provoking and stimulating. Childhoods'end twists should not be given away. It is a masterly written joy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Read it!
Review: This is one of the most entertaining and imaginative science fiction books I've read. Clarke uses suspense masterfully and keeps his diverse story segments brief. The initial theme is fascinating and you find yourself wanting desperately to find out what happens in the next chapter. It will not end in any way you might imagine. A wonderful book.
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