Book Review: Childhood"s End by Arthur C. Clarke

     At the beginning of Childhood’s End, two scientists from the USA and the USSR look up at the sky and realize their attempt to win the historical Space Race is futile. A giant space craft has just descended to Earth and the two representatives of their respective nations feel humbled by the realization that the human race is not at the apex of all existence or the center of the universe. So begins this classic novel by Arthur C. Clarke which takes us up to the last days of the human race. While the story itself is completely imaginary, it does force the reader to consider what our place in the universe truly is.

     The extra-terrestrial invaders, subsequently referred to as the Overlords, contact Stormgren, the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York City. Through the spokesman Karellen, Stormgren is given instructions on how to steer the world towards an era of material prosperity and peace. Warfare, poverty, racism, and disease are eliminated and a kind of utopia is achieved. The Overlords, however, never reveal themselves since their appearance would frighten the masses of humanity.

     An interesting narrative technique gets established from the start. Most of what happens at the beginning takes place in human society. The Overlord Karellen makes brief appearances, mostly for the sake of explaining to Stormgren what is going on. As the story continues, the Overlords interact more and more with the humans though they mostly remain in the background until the end of the novel. This alternation of presence and absence of the Overlords creates a rhythmic framework in the narrative that results in a type of depth that might not have been achieved without them lurking in the background. Through this framing device, a tension is built between the humans and the overlords; the inavaders establish from the start that their intentions for making Earth a peaceful planet are entirely benevolent but the audience is left with the question of what their ultimate plans actually are. One thing becomes certain though; their control and manipulation of humanity is minimal and they mostly just observe from their hiding places.

     After Karellen finally reveals himself to the world, a pivotal point in the story comes at a party given by a game warden in Africa named Rupert. He owns the world’s largest collection of books on parapsychology and the Overlord Rashaverak is there to read all his books. Two key events happen at this party. One is that Rupert’s step-brother, the astrophysicist Jan Rodderick, decides he wants to become a stowaway on an Overlord ship and travel to their planet. The other is that Rashaverak learns that the unborn son of Jean Greggson will play an important part in the later events of the story. These revelations occur when the people at the party engage in a ouija board-type séance; Jan learned the name of the star that the Overlord’s planet revolves around and Rashaverak learns that the unborn child is the one psychically transmitting the information to the people at the party.

     Some readers have taken issue with Clarke for including this parapsychology in the story. While in reality, parapsychology may be the domain of frauds and pseudo-scientists, the fact that this novel is a work of science-fiction, with the emphasis on fiction, has to be taken into account. Why would a work of the imagination have to necessarily be based entirely on authentic science to begin with? The psychic transmission of information plays a significant role in moving the narrative forward since Rashaverak later meets with Karellen to inform him of what he learned about Jean’s unborn son. In the context of this fictional story, the element of telepathy makes perfect sense, especially considering that the Overlords are endowed with mental powers that are far superior to those of humans.

     The utopia created by the Overlords is boring for some people. In a society without need or conflict, some people get restless. Thus Jean and her disgruntled husband Greg move to an artists’ colony on an island called New Athens. It is there where their children learn their true purpose in the scheme of evolution and the intentions of the Overlords is finally revealed. But their purpose is still shrouded in mystery. The Overlords are carrying out orders given to them by the Overmind, a being which they themselves do not understand or comprehend. And so the human race is merely serving a function for an unknown purpose in an incomprehensible cosmos where nothing can ever be known with true certainty.

     Meanwhile, Jan Rodderick is warmly received on the Overlords’ planet even though he went there illegally. When they bring him back to Earth he is the last man to ever exist.

     Childhood’s End is not a novel of action and events. Most of what happens takes place in situations and the significance of it all is explained in the course of conversations, inner monologue, and narrative explication. Readers who want to see monstrous aliens being blown to pieces with laser guns and UFOs smashing up big cities will be disappointed. It is more of a meditative and contemplative novel written in a calm and somber tone. The plot moves along like gentle waves on a calm beach. It is meant to make us think about what our lives really mean, especially if we are only a speck of dust without any real significance in the grand scheme of everything. Does that mean all the religious beliefs in the world are merely simple stories we tell to make ourselves feel more important than we really are? Are all the bluster and egotism of power and politics nothing more than a waste of mental energy? Is there any sense in war if we all die in the end anyways? Why do we think of children as being so important? What does evolution actually feel like?

     Arthur C. Clarke has written a work of fantasy that causes us to ask realistic questions about life. So many other writers have done this before. He has done this in a way that elevates this science-fiction novel to the realm of true art. Through effective use of imagery, narrative technique, and philosophical enquiry, Childhood’s End definitely transcends its genre.

     It also opens up themes that get taken up again in 2001: A Space Odyssey. 

Clarke, Arthur C. Childhood's End. Ballantine Books, New York, 1953.