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Childhood's End

Arthur C. Clarke, Adam Roberts

Ages 15+

Readers rate it 4.0 (909 on Hardcover)

212 pages · Released May 12, 1987

Content report card

Childhood's End parent’s guide: what’s inside

Low confidence

Violence

Language

Sexual content

LGBTQ+ themes

Substance use

What it offers

A note for parents

This is Arthur C. Clarke's classic hard science fiction novel about first contact with an alien civilization. The story deals with profound existential and philosophical themes including humanity's future, free will, and the end of childhood as a species—heavy subjects that include suicide in the narrative. While not graphically violent, the emotional and thematic weight is significant and best suited to mature teen readers who can engage with complex, sometimes dark speculative fiction.

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From the publisher

Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival ends all war, helps form a world government, and turns the planet into a near-utopia. Many questions are asked about the origins and missi... Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival ends all war, helps form a world government, and turns the planet into a near-utopia. Many questions are asked about the origins and mission of the aliens, but they avoid answering, preferring to remain in their ships, governing through indirect rule. Decades later, the Overlords eventually show themselves, and their impact on human culture leads to a Golden Age. However, the last generation of children on Earth begin to display powerful psychic abilities, heralding their evolution into a group mind, a transcendent form of life.

Shelved under

  • Weak Character Development
  • Plot driven
  • Unloveable Characters
  • Not Diverse Characters
  • Diverse Characters
  • A mix driven
  • Loveable Characters
  • Audible
  • reflective
  • mysterious
  • Adventurous
  • challenging

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ISBN 9780345347954 · Del Rey

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