Search - Childhood's End

I requested the book without knowledge of his other works. While slow, the book pulled me in. It had a great story line, begging me to find out why the Overlords were there. Unfortunately, I believe the story would have been better if the beginnning had connected with the ending. The only constant were the Overlords. Stormgren and Van Ryberg may have been alive when the Overlords arrived, but what part did they really play in the completion of the story? They showed the reaction of humans to the unknown? This could have been done without Stormgren's capture or the details showing who followed the Overlords and those who did not. I was enticed to read the book because of the beginning yet I finished the book without those characters playing any future role. We jump forward in time to random people. There is no connection between Stormgren and Van Ryberg to the Greggson's or Jan. Wouldn't it have made more since to at least stick to the same family if you are going to move from the beginning of the Overlords' rule to when they show themselves and the story takes it's turn towards completion?

"The last generation of mankind on Earth. Without warning, giant silver ships from deep space appear in the skies above every major city on Earth. They are manned by the overlords....mysterious creatures from an alien race who soon take over control of the world."

Good read, a true Sci Fi classic!