The novel “Childhood’s End” (cover image ©Brendan Riley) by Arthur C. Clarke was published for the first time in 1953. The first part was published in 1946 with the title “Guardian Angel”.

After a series of alien spaceships have appeared over the major cities of the Earth, everything has changed. The aliens have established indirect contact with humans, saying they want to prevent the extinction of humanity. They haven’t invaded Earth, however, they prove to be so more advanced than the humans tha they can easily impose peace in the world.

The UN Secretary General Rikki Stormgren regularly meets Supervisor Karellen, the leader of the Overlords’ expedition but never sees him in person, only with a wall between them. The Overlords are never seen by humans and even the term “Overlords” is a human invention. After some time, Karellen tells Stormgren that after 50 years the Overlords will reveal their appearance to humans.