First Edition cover

Try as I might I could not think of a more creative title for this post.  Attempting to find a few words or a phrase that would do this book justice is, well… quite impossible.  Childhood’s End by Sir Arthur C. Clarke is the best piece of science fiction I have ever read(PERIOD)

Originally published in 1953 (four years BEFORE Sputnik 1 was launched into space), Clarke was writing about a future guided by Overlord rule.  Somehow though, he was able to accurately portray the next 60 years of technological and human evolution.  Which is why, since its inception, many have called this work of fiction prophetic.  The version I read had an updated prologue written by Clarke in 1990 to bring it into the present where the Cold War was over.  On the cusp of true space travel, the Overlords appear and force utopian society onto humanity.  We don’t mind though, who would really resist true world peace?  But at what cost and for what purpose have these strange visitors given us such a wonderful gift?  That, and many other questions, are answered in perfect order.

What a tale it is.  Not just of mystery, but of human evolution and the supposed subjection of all mankind.  Clarke wrote light-years beyond his time-period and for what information was available to him, he was able to imagine future technology that wouldn’t exist for decades.   It may not have been in the form that we know it now, but one can easily see ideas for many modern marvels, the internet for one.

Another aspect which was truly enjoyable, was the socio-economic state which humanity is put into.  The author is able to create a truly believable “utopia” for human society, he takes into account numerous failings of the human condition and finds solutions to those issues via the Overlords.  World peace may not be a condition we can give to ourselves is a giant statement made, thus the need for our otherworldly governors.  Naturally many people do not agree with our destinies being ripped out from our control.

Childhood’s End takes place over a timespan of around 100 hundred years, where characters take a back seat to the overall story.  In most situations I have not enjoyed this sort of storytelling, but Clarke weaves a web so incredibly compelling that characters are little more than pawns and us readers don’t mind their bitterly minor involvement.  Despite these “minor” roles, the journey of each individual shared is still compelling in some degree.  The ultimate journey is of the man who escapes the space travel embargo and provides some of the most emotional subject matter in the later chapters.  Don’t get me wrong though, his ability to fascinate beyond care for any one character just goes to show his mastery of fiction, not some flaw in his writing style.  For this reason Clarke has been said to be the greatest science fiction writer of all time, I may not be able to whole heartedly agree with that statement, yet what I will say is that Clarke is one of the true master of the genre.

Not much else can be said about this book.  It’s amazing.  212 pages of smart, powerful and timeless science fiction.  The saddest thing though, is that many people will never read it.  Why?  Because for some ignorant reason science fiction isn’t taken seriously.  If there’s one sci-fi author anyone ever gives a chance, it should be Arthur C. Clarke.