Childhood's End

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Summary: Mankind can only pray that this REALLY happens...!!
Review: Fantastic book! I almost wish this is what will happen to mankind (especially if we keep warring and never get around to colonizing the galaxy)! Listen up, reader, go out to your local used-book store and pick up a copy.

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Summary: Suspenseful, should be read by everyone!!
Review: This book is one of Clarke's finest. Agripping page turner with suprises at every corner. If you liked this book, you should check out Earth: Final Conflict.

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Summary: This is one of the best books I have ever read.
Review: This novel teases at your imagination. The book is a page turner, filled with joy and sorrow, life and death. I laughed, I cried, it was absolutely wonderful. The character development is very in-depth, but not so much to take away from the message of the novel itself. It's a book that really makes you think. The suprise ending really takes your breath away.

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Summary: In some ways it's as trippy as the movie 2001.
Review: I was reading Roger Ebert's review of 2001 & he was gleefully saying how it must've confused the heck out of Clarke. After reading this I'm not so sure. The ending of this ,especially, is every bit as surreal as that movie. The Clarke works I've read surprise me by advocating space travel, but not really seeing it as particularly meaningful or important. In general the Clarke works I've read ,including this one, go like this Atheism is celebrated in a way I find annoyingly preachy, man goes into space finds it wonderful, eventually space conquest doesn't seem like enough, ends with an understanding of people's need to believe in something a sort-of mystic atheism. If you're a non-atheist like me stick with Clarke's stuff because it's usually more even-handed than it seems at first. This book isn't really "New Age" since he was taking ideas from religions as old as the judaeo-Christian religions. One last thing I've noticed Earth Final Conflict is taking ideas from this book & putting it's own lame spin on it. Oh well I guess imitation's the sincerest form of flattery, by the way ideas expressed in Clarke's stories don't necessarily represent him.

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Summary: "The stars are not meant for man"??
Review: Although a good read - I found the conclusion of Childhood's End to be quite depressing. Mankind's destiny as envisioned in this work is not what I would consider an acceptable one at all. This seems to be the type of thing that the "gateway" cult embraced. I must still highly recommend this book, though. Its amazing to me that this was written in 1953. Take out the "overlords" and you have quite an intriguing parallel to the way things have actually turned out. Despite a lack of an abundant amount of "hard-science" you usually find in Clarke's books, he still proves to be a master story teller and plot weaver. This is definately not the best "science fiction" you'll come across - but you will see how it has influenced the "science fiction" of today. I couldn't help thinking of the "collective consciousness" of the borg in Star Trek......

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Summary: Excellent... pure Clarke.
Review: This book is one of Clarke's absolute best. It may be one of the shortest but it certainly is a good 2-3 hour read. Contains lots of symbolism and makes you really think about first contact with another species.

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Summary: Classic with minor problems
Review: I read this book three months ago and am already re-reading it. Problems first, praise later. The Overlords, while cool, know so much about human culture. Even monitering our radio broadcasts, they'd make mistakes. Also Clarke uses cheap religious symbolism. Couldn't the Overlords form be more original? Also, when the Overlords come, the world gives up it's independance overnight. It's really engaging though, and I was just nitpicking. If you enjoy science fiction, especially Arthur C. Clarke, read this book. (I'm happy for the introduction though. Otherwise, the ending might have made me believe Arthur C. Clarke believed that.)

Rating:
Summary: Definitely one of the top science fiction books of all time.
Review: I read this book twice.....once about 20 years ago, and the second time, about two weeks ago. I clearly remembered the salient features of the plot from my earlier reading, and was, therefore, not surprised with the ending. However, despite my familiarity with the book, it still utterly amazed me, especially in light of the many recent books, movies, UFO sightings, claims of contact with aliens, etc., that have occurred since I first read "CHILDHOOD's END" the first time. I recommend that anyone who has the slightest interest in science fiction read this book. In fact, I recommend everyone read this book! Although it first came out in the 1950s, this book is not a dated work, and that's what makes this Arthur C. Clarke masterpiece all the more brilliant. FIVE STARS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: One of Clarke's best.
Review: This book is great. All sci-fi fans must read it. It really drives the point home that humanity is insignificant as far as the universe is concerned. But it also gives us the hope that we have the ability to be so musch more than we are, even though that gift comes at a price.

Rating:
Summary: Chilling and entertaining
Review: The best of Clarke's offerings I've ever read (quite high praise indeed). Excellent to the non SF fan as well, from begining, and especially to end, no aspect will dissapoint