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A review by libellum_aphrodite
Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke
3.0
[spoilers ahead] On one hand, I very much enjoyed the big questions in this book, particularly, how does, first, Utopia, and, later, the loss of all future generations impact man's motivation and inspiration and behavior? I feel some may want to draw a moral to current times about the dangers of nuclear self-annihilation, but I think that misses the more interesting question of what is sacrificed when struggle, whether between nations or against other forces of strife, is removed.
On the other hand, I didn't care much about the characters. My sadness was very shallow when George and Jean's children are the first to disconnect, and I couldn't muster much of any emotion about the joining of the human race to the Overmind. Nor did I feel too sorry about the Overlords' apparent exclusion from full melding with the Overmind.
All in all, very interesting academically, but I very much missed having a sense of empathy and investment with the characters, which gives these types of stories their real power.
On the other hand, I didn't care much about the characters. My sadness was very shallow when George and Jean's children are the first to disconnect, and I couldn't muster much of any emotion about the joining of the human race to the Overmind. Nor did I feel too sorry about the Overlords' apparent exclusion from full melding with the Overmind.
All in all, very interesting academically, but I very much missed having a sense of empathy and investment with the characters, which gives these types of stories their real power.