Childhood's End
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.
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about Childhood's End
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
Enormous alien ships appear over Earth's cities and quietly end war, hunger, and most cruelty. The Overlords stay hidden for fifty years before showing themselves, and what they want from humanity is stranger than peace.
Childhood's End is short and clearly written, though the scope is cosmic and the ideas dense. Most science fiction readers find it accessible and quick to read despite the philosophical implications it raises.
Yes. Syfy produced a three-part Childhood's End miniseries in 2015. The adaptation follows the novel's structure of three eras and was met with mixed reviews.
Childhood's End was written by Arthur C. Clarke, published in 1953 by RosettaBooks.
Childhood's End is 222 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, Childhood's End takes most readers 3 to 5 hours to finish.
Childhood's End is a standalone novel by Arthur C. Clarke, not part of a series.
Childhood's End is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.