Childhood's End

By: Arthur C. Clarke

Narrated by: Eric Michael Summerer, Robert J. Sawyer - introduction

Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city - intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began.

But at what cost? With the advent of peace, man ceases to strive for creative greatness, and a malaise settles over the human race. To those who resist, it becomes evident that the Overlords have an agenda of their own.

As civilization approaches the crossroads, will the Overlords spell the end for humankind...or the beginning?

BONUS AUDIO: Includes an exclusive introduction by Hugo Award-winning author Robert J. Sawyer, who explains why this novel, written in the 1950s, is still relevant today.

©2001 Arthur C. Clarke (P)2008 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"In Eric Summerer's capable hands, the plot of Childhood's End is smoothly presented and fully credible. He highlights the patient nature of the Overlords, which has caused humans to become ever more complacent. Summerer excels at delivering the aliens' quiet and intensely engaging dialogue with people. His nuanced performance creates a growing feeling of uneasiness in the listener as the Overlords' insatiable curiosity and watchfulness begin to suggest something less than benign at work." ( AudioFile)

Absolutely breathtaking...

This was the first Arthur C. Clark novel I have ever read. After watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't "get" what was going on in this novel. However, the book totally blew my mind and left me feeling awe and wonder in the concluding chapters. This is a must read!

wow

tough to believe this was written 30 years ago, arthur c clark was way ahead of his time. extremely imaginative, highly introspective. blew through this audiobook in a couple days. highly recommended.

An Apocalypse with a para-human twist

I understand that 'Childhood's End' is deemed to be Arthur C. Clarke's best scifi novel. That I cannot confirm or deny, as this is the first book of him I listened to. I was pleasantly surprised. Clarke is able to make the human race and not a single person the real main character of the book.

When the 'Overlords' (an alien race) suddenly arrives on earth, they interfere with the politics of 20th century mankind. All this is to seemingly benefit the human race as nations have to turn from conspiracies and talk of war and actual war and fall in with the new 'government system' they brought with. But does this mean that the 'Overlords" intent are noble. At the end of the book this is the conundrum that you have to figure out for yourself.

In Clarke you discover a maestro has been at work. The story is easy to follow and feels realistic. While a bit old, it is still thought provoking.

The narrators did an exceptional good job in reading the book.

The book comes highly recommended.

Beautiful, elegiac.

This is a beautiful gift from Arthur C. Clarke. What a vision. Beautifully written and beautifully read by Summerer. Sci-fi at its best.

Interesting View of the Future

This was an interesting story. I particularly enjoyed his ideas from the 1950s of what the 21st century and beyond would look like. I was amazed at his foresight when he was discussing how tv would take up the time of humans and make it hard for humans to keep up with the various programs; he then went on to discuss how humans would be more interested in watching real life events of other people - reality tv before it was invented!

I knew I would like it when, at the outset, the overlord wiped out animal cruelty. Who wouldn't love that? It was interesting to see how he portrayed the overlords as benevolent people rather than these tyrants. I was definitely unprepared for the twist at the end.

The narration was good, and the story moved along at a nice pace.

This novel broke me

Arthur C Clarke has a way of shaping a world in so few words. He doesn't need expansive or grandiose descriptions to present scenes or characters. I don't know how he does it, but he pulls you into the world with its people and keeps you there. Childhood's End pulled me in, and it broke me inside and out. I could barely function for the days after finishing this novel for the effect its conclusion had on me; I felt hollowed out and raw. I rate that a positive, however, because the best stories leave you with some kind of effect, whether full of joy or heartache.

So very very good!

Everyone should read this book. Realize how it could have been written today and would still have the same impact and what that impact would have been 60 years ago. What progress have we made? What truths still remain after so many years? Would we be able to react as the characters in the book? How does this affect your thoughts about parapsychology? This book can give one so many things to ponder about our world society today. Excellent!

Interesting, vivid & depressing vision of future

Very interesting and detailed vision of humanity's future but with an apocalyptic ending. As a lifelong Science Fiction fan, I still love Arthur C. Clark's writing but this one was a little hard to take.

A sobering possibility to mankind's end

As always, Arthur C. Clarke's stories offer the listener possibilities that probably wouldn't have crossed his/her mind otherwise. We humans most often think of ourselves as the most important creatures in the universe and that we represent the iteration of our species which is the most sophisticated that we can evolve into. This story gives us the scenario where neither is true and it is a rude possibility indeed. Performance was excellent.

wonderful!!!

LOVED it,of course!!! It was, after all my choice...GOOD,good,good!!!"I have told u once,I have told u twice; that which I tell u 3 times is TRUE!!!'...Shakespeare