Average Bufph Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
Arthur C. Clarke
2019-09-05
In the Retro Hugo Award–nominated novel that inspired the Syfy miniseries, alien invaders bring peace to Earth—at a grave price: "A first-rate tour de force" ( The New York Times).
In the near future, enormous silver spaceships appear without warning over mankind's largest cities. They belong to the Overlords, an alien race far superior to humanity in technological development. Their purpose is to dominate Earth. Their demands, however, are surprisingly benevolent: end war, poverty, and cruelty. Their presence, rather than signaling the end of humanity, ushers in a golden age . . . or so it seems.
Without conflict, human culture and progress stagnate. As the years pass, it becomes clear that the Overlords have a hidden agenda for the evolution of the human race that may not be as benevolent as it seems.
"Frighteningly logical, believable, and grimly prophetic . . . Clarke is a master." — Los Angeles Times
The Overlords' mysterious agenda and the ultimate transformation of humanity into something beyond our current understanding reminded me of the transcendent themes I loved in The Dark Forest, though Clarke's approach felt more mystical than Liu's hard science foundation. While the concepts were fascinating and the scope appropriately cosmic, I found myself missing the detailed scientific explanations that make Liu's work so compelling. The book's dated social attitudes also made some sections feel less engaging than more contemporary sci-fi I've been reading.
