Childhood's End
Registered by perryfran of Elk Grove, California USA on 10/14/2006
This book is in a Controlled Release!
8 journalers for this copy...
I read this book back in the 1970's and consider it Clarke's best science fiction! A+++ I plan to reread it to see if it still hold's up when the bookring is complete.
Amazon.com review:
It sounds like a story you've heard before: great alien masters descend on Earth and take control of the world, ushering in a golden age that may be cleverly disguised creative slavery. But Clarke's legendary novel (equal to 'Rendezvous with Rama' and '2001: A Space Odyssey' in fame) isn't about a human rebellion against alien overlords, but the evolution of humanity into its next stage, and the ultimate dwarfing power of the unknowable order of the cosmos. The narrative glides between different characters and different eons, occasionally with a seeming clumsiness that turns out to be purposeful plotting devices. The pay-off is sublime science-fiction poetry that shows the genre's power to transcend human drama and fly into the infinite. The sheer scope of its conclusions leaves the reader wiser and sadder, the sign of a superb novel.
Amazon.com review:
It sounds like a story you've heard before: great alien masters descend on Earth and take control of the world, ushering in a golden age that may be cleverly disguised creative slavery. But Clarke's legendary novel (equal to 'Rendezvous with Rama' and '2001: A Space Odyssey' in fame) isn't about a human rebellion against alien overlords, but the evolution of humanity into its next stage, and the ultimate dwarfing power of the unknowable order of the cosmos. The narrative glides between different characters and different eons, occasionally with a seeming clumsiness that turns out to be purposeful plotting devices. The pay-off is sublime science-fiction poetry that shows the genre's power to transcend human drama and fly into the infinite. The sheer scope of its conclusions leaves the reader wiser and sadder, the sign of a superb novel.
Journal Entry 3 by perryfran at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Sunday, October 15, 2006
Released 17 yrs ago (10/16/2006 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
On its way to Slovenia!
Surface mail - hopefully it will get there within 6-8 weeks.
On its way to Slovenia!
Surface mail - hopefully it will get there within 6-8 weeks.
Surprise! The book arrived this morning! I wasn't expecting to see it quite so soon. I'll get started on it in about a week (I'm reading another bookring book at the moment. And it's a SF book too!).
Anyway, thank you perryfran for including me in this bookring and for replacing the stalled copy. I'm really looking forward to this read!
Anyway, thank you perryfran for including me in this bookring and for replacing the stalled copy. I'm really looking forward to this read!
Wow, what a ride. It truly deserves the reputation of being among the best Sci Fi novels ever written.
I've already sent a PM to the next person on the list and will send the book as soon as I get their address. I apologize to everyone for keeping the book for so long.
I've already sent a PM to the next person on the list and will send the book as soon as I get their address. I apologize to everyone for keeping the book for so long.
Journal Entry 6 by candy-is-dandy from Great Bardfield, Essex United Kingdom on Sunday, January 21, 2007
Wow! I've never had a parcel from Slovenia before and such lovely stamps. Tempted to start collecting stamps again.
Looking forward to this book. Thanks for sharing.
Looking forward to this book. Thanks for sharing.
Journal Entry 7 by candy-is-dandy from Great Bardfield, Essex United Kingdom on Tuesday, May 15, 2007
I'm not sure why but I really struggled with this book. The story is quite unique in my expereience yet I found it really dragged in places and did not keep me enthralled. Having said that I think the idea of the alien invasion and the future of mankind will stay with me though as a very depressing thought.
I found it most sad that the human race could be so easily overpowered, controlled and their ambitions and expressiveness restricted. The ending was very interesting but also very depressing - I didn't find the idea of the next stage of evolution of mankind at all inspiring and instead found myself wondering what was the point of life etc?
Cor - how depressing is that? I think I probably read this book at the wrong time and it has hit me when I feel pretty low anyway.
Off it goes to shimmy-crazy who I hope gets on with it better than I did.
I found it most sad that the human race could be so easily overpowered, controlled and their ambitions and expressiveness restricted. The ending was very interesting but also very depressing - I didn't find the idea of the next stage of evolution of mankind at all inspiring and instead found myself wondering what was the point of life etc?
Cor - how depressing is that? I think I probably read this book at the wrong time and it has hit me when I feel pretty low anyway.
Off it goes to shimmy-crazy who I hope gets on with it better than I did.
Journal Entry 8 by Shimmy-crazy from Finchley, Greater London United Kingdom on Monday, May 21, 2007
It arrived over the weekend, looking forward to reading it just have one book in frount of it so should get started soon. Cheers perryfran and candy-is-dandy
Journal Entry 9 by Shimmy-crazy from Finchley, Greater London United Kingdom on Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Have read a lot of classic sci-fi but this is my first Arthur C Clarke and will definatly be reading more of him.
Posted off to wubbaducky this morning (13/06/07)
Posted off to wubbaducky this morning (13/06/07)
Journal Entry 10 by wubbaducky from not specified, not specified not specified on Friday, June 15, 2007
Arrived safe and sound today - many thanks!
Journal Entry 11 by wubbaducky from not specified, not specified not specified on Saturday, July 21, 2007
Loved it - eventually :) I had to start it two or three times for some reason but once I got going, I really enjoyed it! Many thanks for setting up this ring. Am just waiting for an address to post this off to...
Journal Entry 12 by wubbaducky from not specified, not specified not specified on Thursday, August 16, 2007
Sent out today - sorry about the delay in posting!
Arrived safe and sound. Have a couple to go before but shouldn't be too long before I get round to this one.
My first A C Clarke and will not be my last. A very enjoyable and intersting read. Considering that it was written in 1953, it was fascinating to see how close he was with some of his predictions but also how wrong he could be as well. Imagine living in a world when you look forward to a time when there is shock at the fact people spent 3 whole hours in front of a TV everyday and there being TWENTY available channels.
Adeps PMed and I will send on as soon as I have the address.
Adeps PMed and I will send on as soon as I have the address.
Journal Entry 15 by marko167 at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases on Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Released 16 yrs ago (10/23/2007 UTC) at BookRing in Bookring, A Bookring -- Controlled Releases
WILD RELEASE NOTES:
RELEASE NOTES:
Off it flies to the land of gravilax, the second best vodka and bad ice hockey teams.
Off it flies to the land of gravilax, the second best vodka and bad ice hockey teams.
And it came from the land of cuckoo clocks, army knives and silly hats with feathers. Thanks!
It's been a while since I read anything by Arthur C Clarke and I had forgotten about his writing style. It's special! It takes a while to get to like it, if at all. I like it, sometimes it is a bit slow and boring, but overall I like it.
I liked that the characters were unimportant, and with this I do not mean to say that they were undeveloped, but when Clarke was finished with them they were no longer part of the story. A bit like mankind...
I agree with both perryfran's "science-fiction poetry" and candy-is-dandy's "very depressing"!
I liked that the characters were unimportant, and with this I do not mean to say that they were undeveloped, but when Clarke was finished with them they were no longer part of the story. A bit like mankind...
I agree with both perryfran's "science-fiction poetry" and candy-is-dandy's "very depressing"!
Off it goes. Thanks for sharing!!
the book arrived today in the land of basketball, world class curlers, and loooong election seasons.
I am looking forward to reading this book.
I am looking forward to reading this book.
Enjoyed the book. The author's voice felt fresh and original. The book was Jules Verne like in that the author had foresight into the use of technology. I like the beginning better than the end because I think humans would have used their creativity to confront the problem more than they did in the book--not even taking into account the human drive to survive.
I will PM Perryfran for their address so I can send the book full circle home.
I will PM Perryfran for their address so I can send the book full circle home.
Childhood's End made it back home to me today!
Thanks to everyone for participating in this successful bookring!
Thanks to everyone for participating in this successful bookring!
Journal Entry 22 by perryfran at -- Paperbackswap.com, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA on Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Released 15 yrs ago (7/23/2008 UTC) at -- Paperbackswap.com, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:
Mailing to a PaperbackSwap.com member in GA
Mailing to a PaperbackSwap.com member in GA