Search - The Children Of Men

A very frightening, chilling tale about how mankind reacts to the knowledge of its sure extinction. What was most disturbing to me was how quickly the human race devolved into a group of uncaring, bored, apathetic, selfish, savage creatures in such a short time with the horrifying realization that there was no hope whatsoever that humankind would continue to inhabit the earth when the present population was gone. It made me wonder what the tiny thread of hope is that we cling to that keeps us (at least in our own minds) from being no better than savage animals. Is it faith? knowledge? prosperity? For we know that when things such as these are missing (Darfur, for example) we really are savages.

A good read. Frightening, but worthy of reading.

From Publishers Weekly :
In her 12th book, the British author of the two series featuring Adam Dalgleish and Cordelia Gray ( Devices and Desires and An Unsuitable Job for a Woman , respectively) poses a premise that chills and darkens its setting in the year 2021. Near the end of the 20th century, for reasons beyond the grasp of modern science, human sperm count went to zero. The last birth occurred in 1995, and in the space of a generation humanity has lost its future. In England, under the rule of an increasingly despotic Warden, the infirm are encouraged to commit group suicide, criminals are exiled and abandoned and immigrants are subjected to semi-legalized slavery. Divorced, middle-aged Oxford history professor Theo Faron, an emotionally constrained man of means and intelligence who is the Warden's cousin, plods through an ordered, bleak existence. But a chance involvement with a group of dissidents moves him onto unexpected paths, leading him, in the novel's compelling second half, toward risk, commitment and the joys and anguish of love. In this convincingly detailed world--where kittens are (illegally) christened, sex has lost its allure and the arts have been abandoned--James concretely explores an unthinkable prospect. Readers should persevere through the slow start, for the rewards of this story, including its reminder of the transforming power of hope, are many and lasting. 125,000 first printing; BOMC main selection.

Easy reading, but just kind of boring. The characters were two-dimentional and the plot dragged. The ending was also rather disappointing. Overall, it just seems that the author tried to get readers invested in her tale, but the characters were just one stereotype or another with very little else to them. The most interesting character was Xan, but that was only because the author revealed so little about him. It was a good idea that was just poorly executed. I didn't see the movie, but based on the book I don't think I will bother.

I thought the idea is a very interesting one-knowing that mankind will become extinct. I liked the beginning of the book, but then too many things got "hokey." I am usually not a "skimmer" when I read, but I did find myself doing just that towards the end of the book.
Glad I read it as it is not the genre I usually pick up. I just think it had the potential to be better than it was.

P. D. James' fluid command of the English language is thrust into the spotlight in this amazingly emotional and highly realistic story set in a dystopic future world where all women have lost the ability to conceive children. In a world without hope of any future, governments slowly erode and the youngest generation alive devolves into animalistic criminal behavior, while one man named Theo observes it all. The action is set in James' own England, and the plot is highly thrilling as secrets in this dreary, dying world are revealed and the stakes are raised for Theo and the other main characters. Written poetically, the novel is a prime example of dystopic fiction and spiritually-significant storytelling, and the stunning conclusion will stick with one forever. The film version, while somewhat different, is a great, fully-realized work of art, too.

New movin coming out in 2007 with Clive Owen.
The year is 2021 and the world is in dispair. No children have been born since 1995. gripping futuristic story.