# Arthur C. Clarke, you clever fiend! (Childhood's End spoilers) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 9, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527 "2001-11-09T22:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2001, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/1 "2001-11-09T22:44:31Z")
So I’m reading _Childhood’s End_, and, as the Sophisticated Connoisseur of Contemporary of Speculative Fiction, I am of course way ahead of the charmingly quaint Sir Arthur. The Overlords have visited Earth in the past, have they? _Yawn_. Yes, of course I see what’s coming. Ah, yes, here we are, the Great Unveiling. “They [a boy and girl] were too busy playing with Karellen’s wings to take any notice of the watching multitude.” Uh huh. Angels. Very clever. Perhaps this was JMS’s inspiration for the Vorlons? Clarke came first, of course, and I’m sure it was very shocking and revelatory for the niave readers of the early days . . . but for the modern student of science fiction, this is nothing special . . . Then I was completely blind-sided by, "There was no mistake. The leathery wings. . . " At this point, I howled with delight. Oh, Mr. Clarke, you devil! The book’s been delightful. Why didn’t someone make me read this ages ago? p.s. I know I said “spoilers” in the title, but don’t spoil it for me . . . I’m only about halfway through. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2001, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/2 "2001-11-09T23:22:28Z")
Be warned, when I finished the book sleep did not come well to me. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@The\_Bad\_Astronomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Bad_Astronomer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/3 "2001-11-10T00:01:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Podkayne \* > The book’s been delightful Heh. So far… ---
**Author:** ![JustPlainBryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@JustPlainBryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustPlainBryan)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/4 "2001-11-10T00:14:52Z")
This is cool, there are actually people out there who love this book as much as I do! You’ll remember the ending for a very long time. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/5 "2001-11-10T02:15:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Podkayne \* > \*\*Then I was completely blind-sided by, "There was no mistake. The leathery wings. . . " > \*\* I remember reading and re-reading this part, over and over again. I just couldn’t understand (or, perhaps, accept) what it meant. It all became clear, of course, when I got to the end… ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Maximino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mighty\_Maximino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Maximino)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/6 "2001-11-10T02:31:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Bad Astronomer \* > Heh. So far… No kidding. I was incredibly unnerved by that book. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/7 "2001-11-10T04:26:34Z")
Chapter 20 made me cry. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/8 "2001-11-10T04:41:42Z")
So…I’m the only one who thought that it had a happy ending? (Overall…the lives of the specific characters were somewhat bleak, but, well…the end as a whole…) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/9 "2001-11-10T12:56:47Z")
As I remarked in another thread just a day or so ago, even though [BChildhood’s End\*\* is supposed o be classic, I’ not terrificaly fond of t. Incidentaly, the opening section appeared as a short story, long before the book CE came out. It’s reprinted in the collection **The Sentinel**. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/10 "2001-11-10T14:44:17Z")
_Childhood’s End_ is still my favorite Clarke novel, though there are days when I think I might like _Rendezvous with Rama_ better. If you are still enthralled when you finish it, **Podkayne** , consider tracking down one of Clarke’s inspirations: _Last and First Men_ by Olaf Stapledon. If your local library doesn’t have it, consider requesting it through interl-library loan. ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/11 "2001-11-10T18:32:53Z")
Hmmm . . . now I’m even more intrigued. 🙂 **Knead** , we do have a copy of _First and Last Men_. My husband aquired it because a friend put him on to it . . . something to do with Lovecraft, if I recall correctly? ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/12 "2001-11-10T18:45:42Z")
This is just killing me. **Podkayne** , finish the _bleeping_ book already, so we can discuss the _bleeping_ ending! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![rjk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@rjk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjk)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2001, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/13 "2001-11-10T19:10:53Z")
**Podkayne** , do you mean _Last and First Men_ by Olaf Stapledon? Here’s a note from [http://www.booklist.com/olaf\_stapledon.html:](http://www.booklist.com/olaf_stapledon.html:) > [@](#): > > No book before or since has ever had such an impact upon my imagination: the Stapledon vistas of millions and hundreds of millions of years, the rise and fall of civilizations and entire races of men, changed my whole outlook on the universe and has influenced much of my writing since." - Arthur C. Clarke Pretty good summary, IMHO. Read it next! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/14 "2001-11-11T15:51:35Z")
I’m not looking! I’m not looking! I’m not looking! I’m bumping this thread. I saw it a couple of days ago and I wanted to post to it so I could find it easier later. I’m reading Childhood’s End right now, but you shalt not spoileth for moi! So there. Um…that’s it. I guess I’ll post more in a few days. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/15 "2001-11-12T03:30:43Z")
I hated the ending to that book. Hated, hated, hated, hated, hated. Bad, bad, bad, evil, stupid ending. 😛 Curse you Arthur C, and your little dewlap, too. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/16 "2001-11-12T05:20:12Z")
It’s about my favorite Clarke novel, actually. The surprise of the appearance of the Overlords was spoiled by my reading ‘Barlowe’s Guide to Extraterrestrials’ before reading the novel (it had an artists depiction of an Overlord). The ending creeped me out too. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/17 "2001-11-12T11:15:27Z")
I agree with **Tengu** - it _is_ a happy ending. Sort of. (Except for the Overlords, of course…) It’s also - I’ll try not to spoil it for anyone - one of the best and most explicit depictions of the notion of “transcendence”, which some critics and writers (Maureen McHugh springs to mind) claim is central to science fiction. Dunno why some of you seem to have took against it. Perhaps once **Podkayne** and **Enderw24** have finished it, we can have a proper discussion? (And **Podkayne** - Stapledon and Lovecraft? The mind boggles… Er, basically, they’re not related, except sometimes HPL, in his more cosmic-immensity and science-fictional moods, verges on Stapledon territory - but he lacks Stapledon’s broad vision and intellectual rigor. IMHO.) ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/18 "2001-11-12T14:29:49Z")
Even though I know it’s technically a happy ending, it still made me really uncomfortable for a few days. I’m not planning on reading it again, but not cause it’s a bad book :). ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/19 "2001-11-12T18:52:16Z")
Oh. My. God. Well, damn, now we can’t talk about it until **Ender’s** finished. FTR: I found it deeply, profoundly sad. Fabulous book. Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. All must read. I shoved it into my husband’s face as soon as I finished it this morning and said, “You will read this.” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527/20 "2001-11-12T19:52:45Z")
Gotta admit, I rejected that ending the same way I would reject a surprise piece of okra in a sandwich. Yuck. But I really dig a lot of Clarke’s other stuff. Lady Chance got me that massive TOME of every non-novel story he ever published. I’ve been plowing through it sporadically for 9 months now and there’s STILL an enormous amount ahead of me. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arthur-c-clarke-you-clever-fiend-childhoods-end-spoilers/92527.md?page=2)