Childhood's End (1953)

I struggled a bit with this at first, but once I got into it, I really got into it. A towering work of imagination, truly excellent. ( )

Another high school Important Book. I lived with this in my head for a year or so. Clarke is like Phil Dick--a good man with the bones of a story, good at ringing them in resonant ways. ( )

Accidentally hit "remove from shelves" so I am rewriting the review...

A lot of amazing ideas in this book. Really ahead of it's time in a lot of ways. However, I wasn't crazy about all the different perspectives and the story fell apart at the end. Feel like it needed another draft. ( )

I started off thinking that I was not the right person to enjoy this book, but ultimately it drew me in. If you want to read it but you can’t stand it, I would skip the first third. To me it was basically a book about colonialism. In terms of the plot, it reminded me a bit of Octavia E. Butler’s _Dawn_ or “The Space Traders” by Derrick Bell, except initially it seemed to be from the POV that superior colonizers will make the world better. But ultimately it turns out everyone loses and both the colonizers and the “natives” (in this case, humans) are being compelled by a mysterious mental third force that no one can understand. I’m glad I read this interesting and imaginative sf classic despite the oink oink sexist and racist mindset of its day. ( )

30% complete - 4 stars - fairly interesting so far. an unasked for alien presence (the Overlords) is imposing peace and material fulfillment on a planetary level. the communication with humans is handled through the UN Secretary General. the big issues at this point: not everyone wants the outside imposition, the alien presence will not physically reveal itself.

ok, Karellen just revealed himself. Nice. nice twist Mr. Clarke.

40% - 3.5 stars - continues to be mostly engaging.

90% - 4 stars

100% - 4 stars - pretty cool ending. the human children join the Overmind, of which the Overlords are servants. ( )