"The stars, are not for man"

When I first read this it sounded incredulous. But of course it is for man! This is why we are in endless pursuit of the stars and space flight. It is in the nature of man to be curious, as inevitable as the fact that there maybe one day an end to earth. But you shall see, as the last man had did in this story, that it will all make sense in the end. It's as if you've gained enough experience to see, that the arrogant sense of entitlement that you once had as a fresh graduate who is ever so eager to conquer the world, your insignificance in the grander scheme of things. It is human to marvel at the grandness of the universe -- but even more so to fail to grasp our minuteness in the vast space. Reading childhood's end is a humbling experience, one where it might not have occurred to you while you are busy pursuing your greatest human achievement.

Surprisingly, for a science fiction novel published in the 1950's Childhood's end doesn't sound old at all. I admire Clarke's timeless writing and his gift of amazing imagery that his novel had painted in my mind. The writing is admirable, and the characters are binding. I probably wouldn't recommend this to non science fiction readers, but if you happen to like dystopia you just might want to give this one a try. Readers looking to explore the genre for the first time might also find this book a good introduction into the science fiction universe without being overwhelmed with futuristic words. Fear not, for even the great overlords speak plain english. Another good read :) This should be in the classics!