Childhood's End Summary

By the close of the twentieth century, both the United States and the Soviet Union are on the brink of exploring the final frontier using nuclear-propelled spacecraft. Their efforts are halted when colossal extraterrestrial vessels descend upon every major city globally. Half a decade later, these alien beings, referred to as the Overlords, have taken over the world. Their principal ship hovers above New York, overseen by Karellen, the Overlord in charge of Earthly affairs. Karellen interfaces with the human race through Stormgren, the United Nations Secretary-General. Stormgren, like all humans, has never seen the Overlords. He tries to pacify the Freedom League, a group resisting the Overlords' rule, while a radical faction kidnaps him. Karellen leverages Stormgren to track this faction. It's suggested to Stormgren to use a scanner to uncover the Overlords' appearance during his meetings with Karellen.

Five decades later, after Karellen announces the Overlords will reveal themselves in fifty years, Earth has drastically evolved into a utopia with sufficient food and housing for everyone, thanks to the Overlords. They finally reveal their physical form, bearing a striking resemblance to the Devil, with black skin, large wings, horns and a barbed tail. Years later, George Greggson and Jean Morrel attend a party hosted by Rupert Boyce, a paranormal enthusiast. George and Jean encounter Rashaverak, an Overlord in Boyce's library, and Jan Rodricks, an astronomer restless with the Overlords' space exploration restrictions. After a séance with a mechanical Ouija board reveals surprisingly accurate information, Jan confirms that the Overlords' ships head towards the given star, and Rashaverak informs Karellen that Jean should be watched closely.

Jan devises a plan to secretly board an Overlord ship by hiding inside a huge sperm whale being prepared for the Overlords by Sullivan. His plan is successful, and with the speed of light's time dilation, eighty years will pass on Earth during his few months' journey. Meanwhile, George and Jean start their life together and move with their children, Jeffrey and Jennifer, to New Athens, an experimental artist community on an island. Following a tsunami, Jeffrey starts having strange dreams of walking around alien planets, which his parents dismiss. The Overlords, however, recognize the planets from Jeffrey's description and inform George that his children have transcended humanity. Soon, all children globally exhibit strange mental abilities, and Karellen reveals the Overlords' mission: they were sent by the Overmind, a powerful entity that absorbs mature races. However, the rest of humanity is doomed. As the Overlords gather the children, many people choose to end their lives. George and Jean die in a nuclear explosion caused by New Athens. Back on the Overlords' ship, Jan arrives at their home and witnesses the Overmind absorbing the children and destroying Earth. Karellen watches from a distance, waiting for the next command from the Overmind.