Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

“If your kid has weird dreams, Earth will likely end”

Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by the British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival begins decades of apparent utopia under indirect alien rule, at the cost of human identity and culture.

The story follows the final days of humankind (as we know it), and builds to a thought-provoking and somewhat distressing climax, but with an underlying hope that maybe there is something else out there for us in the universe. Naturally it isn't a smooth ride for mankind. This book has become a fully-deserving classic of its genre, - it is worth reading just for the sheer intelligence of the writing alone, even if you're not a sci-fi fan. The writing, the ideas of “the other” and the descriptions of man’s “coming to terms” with aliens makes for a super interesting read.

Also to give this book it's due, it was written in 1953, and holds up astonishingly well considering. I had to remind myself how long ago it was written and how the world seemed almost like it is today, apart from a few obvious technological “facts.”

The end is a bit weird, and certainly unexpected, but overall, fitting for all the characters that are there in the end.