Arthur C. Clarke's Childhood's End

Hello folks! I hope you are having a happy and productive day, and not necessarily in that order.

When looking back at his long career, what book does Arthur C. Clarke consider his best? What is still considered his best book by many critics and fans? What book really put him on the map in a major way and highlighted the beginning of his career?

Today, let’s look at Childhood’s End, which I just read earlier this week! Let’s take a deep dive into one of the classics of science fiction, from 1953.

In this story, a race of aliens will arrive at a near future earth where the east and west were involved in a space race. They have basically taken over the world from afar, and after the first day when one of the leaders of the expedition addresses them, they will only work through the voice of the secretary of the UN. The book is divided into three parts that take place five years after they arrive, 50 yeas after they arrive when they begin to live with man and then after that generation begins to have children. It’s sweeping in scope, and a lot happens in around 225 pages.

This is one of Clarke’s first published novels, and didn’t know what the initial ending was going to be, and it wasn’t until he decided that it was published.

Want to read it? Here it is! - https://www.amazon.com/Childhoods-End...

In the video above, I discussed the Earth Abides book at the same time that also had a counter-narrative, here is that review of Earth Abides if you are interested in reading another contemporary work that does this too.    • George Stewart's Earth Abides  

Have you read Clarke’s Childhood’s End? Did you agree with Clarke and his fans and critics that this is his best novel? What did you think? Do you agree or disagree with my thoughts on the story? Anything out there that you’d like to discuss? Sure; let’s chat about it!

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