NP - Childhood's End

[David Morris]

You really should have preface this with a SPOILER alert.  >:(

SPOILER:

The children are meant to portray links in an evolution being very actively
protected by the Overlords, who are nearly gods in relation to humans. This
evolution is not portrayed as instigated by aliens, only protected. As such
it is portrayed as natural. The children's sonombulistic displays of
levitation, etc, might be likened to the concept of Samahdi, a deep
meditative trance, a state much desired by meditators. Indeed, the only
religion not disturbed by the invasion are the Buddhists.

The main idea is invasion as protection of an emerging higher species.

David Morris


On Wednesday, September 9, 2015, Mark Thibodeau <jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com
<javascript:_e(%7B%7D,'cvml','jerkyleboeuf at gmail.com');>> wrote:

> Having read it and found it incredibly chilling on first read (as did
> Kubrick, by the way... he did NOT see it as optimistic, and told Clarke as
> much), I have to wonder what all y'all P-Listers "enjoyed" about it? I
> mean, the finale, set on (SPOILER) a planet covered in unisynchronously
> mind-melded sleepwalkers, just swaying in place, waiting... what was
> "enjoyable" about that? Especially considering said evolution was forced
> upon them (us)?
>
> Just curious. I do consider it a sf must-read, but I also think it's
> probably not right for anyone under 18. It could seriously warp one's sense
> of self and the worth of one's fellow man, if taken seriously (the way some
> people take Ayn Rand, for instance). And considering Clarke's own sexual
> peccadildos...
>
> J
>
> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 8:30 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm not sure it needs anything more than our standard ongoing political
>> catastrophe. But that's a quibble.
>>
>>
>> On Wednesday, September 9, 2015, Ian Livingston <igrlivingston at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> I personally love that little book and have recommended it steadily to
>>> all and sundry for decades. Aside from the science, it is a powerful
>>> statement on the evolution of ideas. I steadily wish someone like the
>>> Wachowskis would pick up the story and go to town with it. It deserves big
>>> treatment and it always seemed to me perfect fare for a serious filmmaker.
>>> I'll watch for comment on this production. If Karellin is boshed, the whole
>>> thing collapses. It also needs its foundation in imminent geopolitical
>>> catastrophe, but that part's easy.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Sep 9, 2015 at 4:52 PM, David Morris <fqmorris at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> I like old school sci-fi. I was given an anthology sci-fi short stories
>>>> arranged chronologically, starting in the 19th Century, War with the
>>>> Robots. It was amazingly prescient.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.amazon.com/War-With-Robots-Isaac-Asimov/dp/0517065045
>>>> "28 of the best short stories by the greatest names in 20th Century
>>>> science fiction, including Isaac Asimov, Arthur C Clarke, Lester Del Rey,
>>>> Poul Anderson, Philip K Dick, John Brunner and Harry Harrison."
>>>>
>>>> My favorite was "A Logic Named Joe" by Murray Leinster.
>>>>
>>>> The overall scenario of Childhood's End involves some far-reaching
>>>> speculation which isn't implausible, IMHO. If the mini-series changes the
>>>> basic premises, it is doomed.  The logic equation of the novel can't be
>>>> altered for improvement.
>>>>
>>>> Laura, Maybe it was you that recommended it here...
>>>>
>>>> David Morris
>>>>
>>>> On Wednesday, September 9, 2015, <kelber at mindspring.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> One of my a favorite sci-fi novels when I was a kid. I recently gave
>>>>> it to my son to read, and he enjoyed it, but felt it was a little
>>>>> old-school.
>>>>>
>>>>> I've seen the trailer for the upcoming SyFy adaptation, and it looks
>>>>> pretty bad. But I'll watch it anyway. I think it comes out in December.
>>>>>
>>>>> HAs anyone watched The Whispers? The first season just ended. It was
>>>>> poorly written and acted, but it did have some Childhood's End-like
>>>>> elements in it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Laura
>>>>>
>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>
>>>>> From: David Morris
>>>>>
>>>>> Sent: Sep 9, 2015 5:52 PM
>>>>>
>>>>> To: P-list
>>>>>
>>>>> Subject: NP - Childhood's End
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I read this Arthur C. Clark novel on the advice of someone (I forget),
>>>>> and really liked it.  Now it seems SyFy is about to broadcast its 3-Episode
>>>>> mini-series.
>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Childhood%27s_End
>>>>>
>>>>> Syfy's Childhood's End HQ | Trailer 2015
>>>>> <https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=13&v=i3e7aMCIxjY>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://waste.org/pipermail/pynchon-l/attachments/20150909/fe6f86c0/attachment.html>