CHILDHOOD'S END

The Overlords have come from another world to provide guidance, or perhaps supervision, to the people of Earth. Within 50 years, poverty, hunger, and war have been eliminated, and life is good. It all sounds ideal, but surprising complications ensue. In Eric Summerer's capable hands, the plot of CHILDHOOD'S END is smoothly presented and fully credible. He highlights the patient nature of the Overlords, which has caused humans to become ever more complacent. Summerer excels at delivering the aliens’ quiet and intensely engaging dialogue with people. His nuanced performance creates a growing feeling of uneasiness in the listener as the Overlords’ insatiable curiosity and watchfulness begin to suggest something less than benign at work. The prophetic tone of this science-fiction classic, originally published during the Cold War period, still resonates today. J.E.M. 2009 Audies Finalist © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2009]