Arthur C. Clarke - Childhood's End

Arthur C. Clarke was certainly a prolific writer. This author of many science fiction novels and short stories was what is now called a 'hard' science fiction writer. meaning he based his stories on established science. Yes, his works were speculative, but based on accepted 'reality,' unlike, say, Ray Bradbury's use of science fiction as a take off point for flights of fancy.

As a result, I often found Clarke's characters a bit stiff, although the stories were great. A prime example of this is his brilliant 2001, A Space Odyssey, where the most interesting character is HAL, the super computer. By the way, Clarke's novel is better than Kubrick's movie and, since the movie was great, that shows you how much I loved the book.

Childhood's End is different. The characters are still a not very deeply drawn, and much of its presentation of the future lifestyle is still drawn from hard science, but, there are a couple of wonderful deviations from this usual pattern.

First, The Overlords. Clarke draws from human mythology to create a race that has been watching us for long years and what they look like, is hilariously ironic. What they do, is less funny but, surprisingly in the realm of possibility. Just watch any of the wildly funny and completely ridiculous Ancient Alien episodes that turn up on the History Channel and realize that if the beings they talk about turn up, they will be somewhat like The Overlords.

Second, the children. I will not give away the slightest clue about them because I really want you to read this outstanding novel. What happens is a shock, beautiful and horrible at the same time. I never thought that Clarke, the hard scientist, could display such a poetic and mystic portrait of what just might be our future. I will give you one suggestion. After, not before, reading the novel, spend a bit of time researching Teilhard de Chardin, a Jesuit monk, paleontologist, and geologist, and his concept of the Omega Point. I love the direction Clarke and de Chardin think the human race is evolving toward. Is it correct. Who knows? Only time will tell, and really, who cares?  The idea makes for a great story, one that Clarke tells masterfully.