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vruben62's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
mark_b's review against another edition
4.5
Clarke writes about big things in Childhood’s End. It’s 1950s sci-fi from start to finish. I found the first half of the book less challenging than the second half: or maybe my interest grew as the Overlords’ motives were gradually revealed. Some of the minor details were amusing: Flying cars! Cocktails! The end of poverty! Other 1950s features were more problematic: casual racism, and Clarke’s handling of the role of women. These take away from an otherwise good read. Recommended.
goobearmilltato's review against another edition
4.0
I was a bit disappointed that a major plot point that drew me in during the first third of the book was only paid off with a sentence or two at the very end, but by that point I was just happy it had a payoff at all. Overall I enjoyed the book quite a bit, but the three major sections of the story sort of broke up the flow for me.
Each one would build to a point where I became very absorbed and interested in the what would happen next, and then it'd move to the next section and thus a different set of major characters and plot points. In the end, all of these things came together and had a purpose, but the payoff didn't blow me away, merely satisfied me.
So, in the end everything came together alright, but getting to that point was a little bit frustrating. Still completely worth reading. I also think it'd make a pretty awesome movie if someone did it right.
Each one would build to a point where I became very absorbed and interested in the what would happen next, and then it'd move to the next section and thus a different set of major characters and plot points. In the end, all of these things came together and had a purpose, but the payoff didn't blow me away, merely satisfied me.
So, in the end everything came together alright, but getting to that point was a little bit frustrating. Still completely worth reading. I also think it'd make a pretty awesome movie if someone did it right.
tanya_the_spack's review against another edition
4.0
Very enjoyable. I remember reading and liking it in high school, but couldn't remember anything about it. I am happy it is just as good now. Considering how old the book is, the story holds up remarkably well. Interesting and melancholic.
curiouserrr's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
tylerlth's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
midici's review against another edition
4.0
First book I've ever read by Arthur C. Clarke, which is clearly overdue. Obviously I should have read his stuff before now, because I really enjoyed this one.
Childhood's End sees Earth being "invaded" by seemingly benevolent aliens that they refer to as The Overlords. These beings bring peace, prosperity, technology - they essentially solve all the world's problems. This creates its own set of consequences. Some are unintentional - the loss of religion, the stagnation of cultural artifacts like art and music and such.
For the first fifty-ish years or so, no one ever learns what these overlords look like. When they finally reveal themselves they appear to resemble the human notion of a devil, with horns and leathery wings and barbed tails. It is much, much, later that humanity learns why they came in the first place. The Overlords allow humans to do whatever they please, as long as they aren't hurting each other or other living beings on Earth (animal abuse becomes non-existent). The only thing they do not allow is space travel.
The book is interesting for the way it imagines the history and culture and way of life on Earth changing and adapting to the situation. The various attitudes towards the overlords, the way the aliens collect Earth specimens to send to museums on their home planet, the descriptions of fantastical types of technology - these things are all done really well. I especially liked Jan's stowaway section, as he describes the planet that the Overlords live on which is drastically different.
There is no happy ending, of course. The overlords came to Earth for a purpose, and eventually it becomes clear. The Overlords are ruled by a non-material sentient being they refer to as the Overmind. When the Overmind finds a sentient species that may one day transcend their mortal bodies and join the Overmind, it sends the Overlords to ensure that the ascension or transformation actually occurs.
The Overlords refer to this as the next step in evolution, and their own species is an evolutionary dead-end. They say it was necessary to ensure that the humans never discovered on their own the symptoms of a species capable of transcending - things like telekinesis, or astral projection - because if not done properly they could have transformed into something monstrous and unstoppable. They did this by bringing about a golden age in humanity so it completely abandoned any sort of mysticism that might have prompted investigation. It is possible the Overmind/Overlords told the truth in saying that on their own the humans' next stage might have gone very badly without guidance - or maybe the Overmind doesn't want competition and having humans shepherded to their fate ensured they joined the Overmind and didn't become their own, independent, free-floating consciousness. Who knows.
In any case this evolution is terrible and terrifying for those who don't change, ie. the adults. It's like a cascade. As soon as one child made the jump, every child under the age of fifteen did as well. They no longer really existed within their bodies, their minds venturing to farther and stranger places. They don't eat or sleep or do what material beings need to do to live. The realization that this means the loss of humans as a species drives the rest of the world to despair. Within a generation there is no one left on Earth except for the children, who are learning or being taught in some strange way by the Overmind, and a few Overlords who are studying the phenomena.
The last living human on Earth, Jan, thinks that while depressing, it is also worthwhile that their species, in some sense, is joining the Overmind and becoming part of the wider universe. He feels sorry for the Overlords that will never be able to accomplish this. He is there as the human children finish the first step in their training and destroy their home planet as they leave.
Childhood's End sees Earth being "invaded" by seemingly benevolent aliens that they refer to as The Overlords. These beings bring peace, prosperity, technology - they essentially solve all the world's problems. This creates its own set of consequences. Some are unintentional - the loss of religion, the stagnation of cultural artifacts like art and music and such.
For the first fifty-ish years or so, no one ever learns what these overlords look like. When they finally reveal themselves they appear to resemble the human notion of a devil, with horns and leathery wings and barbed tails. It is much, much, later that humanity learns why they came in the first place. The Overlords allow humans to do whatever they please, as long as they aren't hurting each other or other living beings on Earth (animal abuse becomes non-existent). The only thing they do not allow is space travel.
The book is interesting for the way it imagines the history and culture and way of life on Earth changing and adapting to the situation. The various attitudes towards the overlords, the way the aliens collect Earth specimens to send to museums on their home planet, the descriptions of fantastical types of technology - these things are all done really well. I especially liked Jan's stowaway section, as he describes the planet that the Overlords live on which is drastically different.
There is no happy ending, of course. The overlords came to Earth for a purpose, and eventually it becomes clear. The Overlords are ruled by a non-material sentient being they refer to as the Overmind. When the Overmind finds a sentient species that may one day transcend their mortal bodies and join the Overmind, it sends the Overlords to ensure that the ascension or transformation actually occurs.
The Overlords refer to this as the next step in evolution, and their own species is an evolutionary dead-end. They say it was necessary to ensure that the humans never discovered on their own the symptoms of a species capable of transcending - things like telekinesis, or astral projection - because if not done properly they could have transformed into something monstrous and unstoppable. They did this by bringing about a golden age in humanity so it completely abandoned any sort of mysticism that might have prompted investigation. It is possible the Overmind/Overlords told the truth in saying that on their own the humans' next stage might have gone very badly without guidance - or maybe the Overmind doesn't want competition and having humans shepherded to their fate ensured they joined the Overmind and didn't become their own, independent, free-floating consciousness. Who knows.
In any case this evolution is terrible and terrifying for those who don't change, ie. the adults. It's like a cascade. As soon as one child made the jump, every child under the age of fifteen did as well. They no longer really existed within their bodies, their minds venturing to farther and stranger places. They don't eat or sleep or do what material beings need to do to live. The realization that this means the loss of humans as a species drives the rest of the world to despair. Within a generation there is no one left on Earth except for the children, who are learning or being taught in some strange way by the Overmind, and a few Overlords who are studying the phenomena.
The last living human on Earth, Jan, thinks that while depressing, it is also worthwhile that their species, in some sense, is joining the Overmind and becoming part of the wider universe. He feels sorry for the Overlords that will never be able to accomplish this. He is there as the human children finish the first step in their training and destroy their home planet as they leave.
gelateriaarnoldo's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
willand90's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
phil782's review against another edition
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
4.5