CHILDHOOD'S END

Arthur C. Clarke's disturbing novel focuses on mankind and its tenuous place in the universe. This BBC adaptation features a full cast in a rather noisy version of a story known for its subtlety. The cast is led by Steven Pacey as the human who comes to understand the mysterious Overlords, an alien race that brings peace, prosperity, and a golden age to humankind--for as long as it lasts. The actors do a good job bringing the novel to life, but the sound engineers tried too hard to make the aliens sound strange by adding a distracting mix of random animal noises in the background when they speak. The biggest problem is the elimination of the major revelation of the novel--which is like cutting "Rosebud" from CITIZEN KANE. M.S. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: NOVEMBER 2012]