Childhood's End

Childhood's End is a 1953 science fiction novel by the British author Arthur C. Clarke. The story follows the peaceful alien invasion of Earth by the mysterious Overlords, whose arrival begins decades of apparent utopia under indirect alien rule, at the cost of human identity and culture.

Clarke's idea for the book began with his short story "Guardian Angel" (1946), which he expanded into a novel in 1952, incorporating it as the first part of the book, "Earth and the Overlords". Completed and published in 1953, Childhood's End sold out its first printing, received good reviews, and became Clarke's first successful novel. The book is often regarded by both readers and critics as Clarke's best novel, and is described as "a classic of alien literature". Along with The Songs of Distant Earth (1986), Clarke considered Childhood's End one of his favourite own novels. The novel was nominated for the Retro Hugo Award for Best Novel in 2004. It also correctly predicted a "Space Race" between the United States and the Soviet Union.

NGS

NGS could stand for:

Organisations

Military

Ängsö National Park

Ängsö is a Swedish national park. It is renowned for its wonderful nature and a pleasing agricultural landscape which was not destroyed by technical civilization. The park can only be reached by water. There are natural harbors and a wharf on the shores of the island.

History

The island is not only a cultural and historical monument but it is a preserved piece of old Sweden. In the 17th century Ängsö consisted of two islands with a narrow sound between them and was used for moving by the farmers who lived on the island of Väringsö. But when the land rose from the sea, they joined and now the sound is a green meadow called Stormier. It lies in Stockholm's skärgård, between Norrtälje and Stockholm. It is situated 8 km (5.0 mi) from Bergsharma, in Norrtälje municipality, Stockholm County. Ängsö is considered to be a national park as a whole. In 1909, the authorities founded nine national parks in Sweden and Ängsö was chosen one of them for its rich flower cultural environment. Then it was split from Väringsö. One of the initiators was Ivar Afzelius who from 1892 was a summer resident on Väringsö. The park was extended in 1988 and now occupies the entire area of 195 ha (480 acres).