Didn't find it relentlessly grim John. I read it in one go last night.
I liked the Father and son relationship. How the father was patient with his son and they where a team. Also how the father was making more pragmatic moral choices which the son didn't like. And the ending was surprisingly up beat.

>Kinda like comparing apples and oranges. The Jungle is grim but the author was trying to make a social point so there was a bit of forced artificiality there. IOW, there was an agenda.
>
>The Road has no agenda AFAIK. It's just relentlessly grim. But strangely uplifting. Like to hear what you think when done with it, Nick.
>
>>Is it as grim as The Jungle by Upton Sinclair. Thats my grimmest book read up to now.
>>
>>>That'll put a smile on your face!
>>>
>>>It's very good, and well deserving of the award it won. (The Pulitzer Prize for fiction last year, which is sort of our version of the Booker Prize). But what a grim book.
>>>
>>>>Hi John
>>>>
>>>>just bought The Road yesterday.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>Million Dollar Baby is another good example.
>>>>>
>>>>>Hah, Nicholas, I'm the same way. When nothing in the SF section interests me I go to the History, Politics, or Military sections.
>>>>>
>>>>>Yes, please, read Greg Bear's The Forge of God. It's a bit dated, having been released in 1986, but it's the greatest alien invasion novel ever written. Pop me an email at jskoziol4@comcast.net to discuss....like to hear which history books you find worthwhile.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>I'll take a look for that Greg Bear.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I loved Sci Fi but these days when I go to the book shops I can never seem to find anything I want to read. I always seem to end up in the history section or photography.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>I know what you mean about bleak films. The Clint Eastwood film Million Dollar Baby was very hard to watch.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Very good point.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If I recall, Childhood's End has been optioned since the 1970's. A similarly bleak novel, The Forge of God, by Greg Bear, has also been optioned with no film.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>It's weird because Hollywood can make pictures that don't end happily and enjoy huge success. Look at this year's "No Country for Old Men". Best Picture.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>BTW, the original author of that was Cormac McCarthy who also wrote a book last year called "The Road". Also optioned. If you ever want to read the bleakest, most depressing book ever read that one. But it is a beautiful book and could be a beautiful movie.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>A long time since I've read that one.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>I don't think that film could be made. Hollywood could never accept the end.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>My favorite story of his was "The Nine Billion Names of God". It creeped me out when I was a teen and first read it.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>Hey, Nick, don't you think that a $100 MM epic could be made of "Chidhood's End"? My alltime favorite Clarke novel (followed closely by Rendezvous with Rama).
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>Sigh.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>I guess my Childhood is at an End. Godspeed, Arthur.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Yes
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>great books and great ideas. I grew up reading those stories.
>>>>>>>>>>I've still got my original very dog eared copy of the sands of mars somewhere. (not a 1st edition but the first one I ever bought)
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>Nick