Childhood's End

>>9499881
I would recommend against the miniseries, it is pathetic. It reduces the interesting themes and heartbreak (re the aliens) to a footnote in an insipid sci fi romp, the thrust of which is mainly "oh no not the aliens!".

Maybe read "the stars my destination" by Alfred bester. Kind of a spiritual partner in my mind. Not that similar thematically really, but you'll probably really like it.

>>9499881
I found it depressing too. I also haven't watched the mini-series.

>>9499904
>>9499906
It's strange. I found 2001 rousing and hopeful with only a hint of that existential sadness. It's easy to feel for Bowman, but the rest of the human race is still going to have a long journey before they can follow after him.
Everything in Childhood's End just happened way too fast, and I have serious doubts about the "wonderful fulfillment" that humanity is shepherding toward without their knowledge or consent.

If the human race must inevitably end, I'd love for it to end in this manor -- and I'd love to be the man who gets to watch it all to the end.

>>9500008
So the next step in man's evolution was some kind of super autism, huh? Sounds about like where things are going.

>>9499921
>without their knowledge or consent
Consent? Where we're going we don't need consent.

>>9500188
Wasnt the story about how a more advanced civilisation got in contact with an interdimensional monster and helped it to consume all intelligent life in our universe?

>>9500872
P.S. I didnt read the book just watched the miniseries

>>9500872
Yes and no.

Their explination in the book was that they came and guided the races who could in transforming into something that can become part of this overmind.

They themselves claim they cannot ascend, and their demonic appearance probably reflects that.

They also claim that the change was near and inevitable, and their goal was the make humanity into something that wouldn't corrupt and damage the overmind.

Near the end, every single human child is affected by this change, which rather belies it being a natural genetic one. But, this is also basically every human child becoming a psychic hive mind, so genetics probably don't really factor in.

This leaves pretty much the entirety of humanity despondant.

Along the way, there are several scenes that are from the point of view of the overlords. They are shown as curious about the transformation, yet also able to track the various manifestations of it's power. They track and discuss the psychic roaming of one child, talking about the planets he sees in his dreams and how far they are from Earth.

They claim to be sad for those left behind, but render no aid or solace. Dooming humanity to the Earth, which they know will be consumed or dismantled when the change is complete. Though, by the time it happens, it is claimed in the book that all of the old humanity is dead, with the last survivor being a stowaway who is deposited on Earth to report on its final moments of existance before the psychic hivemind disintigrates it to "put childish things away."

>>9499881
The Miniseries is utter shit. Clarke's Aliens are tragic Heroes, the ones in TV have no character at all.

>>9499921
>I have serious doubts about the "wonderful fulfillment" that humanity is shepherding toward without their knowledge or consent.

I viewed that as alien propaganda. They love their devouring singularity (I don't remember exactly the goals of the aliens, and the nature of their mission or their 'God' ) for their own reasons, but it has no benefit for humanity who are basically used as organic fuel to create some abomination. And ushering in the next stage of humanity's evolution at the expanse of all humans and individuality...

The inevitable loss of individuality and turning all humanity into some world-eating blob is what got me.

>>9502784
Why were they heroes?

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>>9503198
> Why were they heroes?
They are stunted and alone in the universe. They wish they could go down the evolutionary road the humans have to take, but they can't. Still, they do what is necessary. Karellen is a very tragic character, soaking up what he can of human culture while knowing that it will be over in another generation.