Few masters of science fiction have brought us glimpses of the near future as vividly as Arthur C. Clarke. It is the startling realism of his vision that has made classics of his CHILDHOOD’S END and 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY—and Clarke himself one of the genre’s most successful writers. Here is a brilliant collection of Clarke’s highest caliber short fiction. Among the ten stories included in this volume are: The Sentinel: The story that inspired 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, one of the most famous SF movies of all time. Guardian Angel: The rarely-glimpsed work that gave birth to CHILDHOOD’S END. The Songs of Distant Earth: A fantastic tale of first contact with an alien world, which became the basis for one of Clarke’s most successful novels. Breaking Strain: The inspiration for the popular book series Arthur C. Clarke’s VENUS PRIME.