Reviews

Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

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ndenitto's review

2.0

Ehh. I actually did like the individual portions of this book, but overall the parts are better than the whole. Earth is visited by aliens that humans refer to as Overlords. The Overlords usher in a Utopian society through mostly peaceful means, but frustrate humanity by not revealing themselves or why they have come. Part one is mostly about a character trying to sneak a peek at the Overlords. Part two is about a different character coming up with a plan to reach the Overlords home planet. Part three is about a human "rebellion", in which artists create their own little society that encourages human imagination to thrive (something that has stagnated since the arrival of the Overlords).

This book just didn't do anything for me. It deals with a grand theme - discussing man's place in the universe - but does so in a way that I just didn't connect with. It was kinda dull. I was especially disappointed in the ending when we finally discover why the Overlords have come.

angela_h32's review against another edition

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4.0

4 Stars

joshuadysart's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

hstapp's review against another edition

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3.0

I enjoyed the book, though its dryness and lack of a main character can make it a bit boring. Actually, quite boring. The end of the book, where Jan becomes our main character for a while helps bring you into the story more, and lets you begin to enjoy the book. Then it ends. The biographical piece written by Clarke himself is fairly interesting as well, in a stodgy kind of way.