Literature Companion: Childhood's End

“Childhood’s End” by Arthur C. Clarke was first published in 1953. It is a science fiction novel.

The story follows the events which take place after the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the Overlords, the mysterious aliens. After their arrival, the things dramatically change and several decades of utopia begins under the rule of the aliens. However, human culture and human identity are at stake.

According to Clarke, the idea of writing this novel originated from a short story called “Guardian Angel” which was published in 1946. He later expanded this short story into a novel in the year 1952. This story incorporates the first part of the book “Earth and the Overloads.”

Eventually, he completed the novel and then published “Childhood’s End” in 1953. The book was an immediate success and all the copies of its first print were sold.

Literature Companion: Childhood's End
Copyright
Chapter One: Introduction
Chapter Two: Plot Overview
Chapter Three: Characters
Chapter Four: Complete Summary
Chapter Five: Critical Analysis