Castaway

by Arthur C. Clarke

"Castaway" was first published in the April 1947 issue of Fantasy.

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Sir Arthur C. Clarke (1917-2008) is regarded as one of the most-influential science fiction writers of all time. He was named a Grand Master by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame.

©2000 Arthur C. Clarke (P)2016 Audible, Inc.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fiction, Short Stories, Audiobook

Audible Audio

Published August 16, 2016

About the author

Stories, works of noted British writer, scientist, and underwater explorer Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, include 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968).

This most important and influential figure in 20th century fiction spent the first half of his life in England and served in World War II as a radar operator before migrating to Ceylon in 1956. He co-created his best known novel and movie with the assistance of Stanley Kubrick.

Clarke, a graduate of King's College, London, obtained first class honours in physics and mathematics. He served as past chairman of the interplanetary society and as a member of the academy of astronautics, the royal astronomical society, and many other organizations.

He authored more than fifty books and won his numerous awards: the Kalinga prize of 1961, the American association for the advancement Westinghouse prize, the Bradford Washburn award, and the John W. Campbell award for his novel Rendezvous with Rama. Clarke also won the nebula award of the fiction of America in 1972, 1974 and 1979, the Hugo award of the world fiction convention in 1974 and 1980. In 1986, he stood as grand master of the fiction of America. The queen knighted him as the commander of the British Empire in 1989.

Reviews

[RatGrrrl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly a beautiful idea wonderfully realised, but I did not really understand it at first, which is on me. I just didn't find it very interesting or enjoyable until I discovered what it was about.

A form of extraterrestrial life (consciousness?) is cast across the void of space (from the sun?) to its demise on Earth, which is a mild curiosity to two strangers who will never know what they actually witnessed.

I have come to accept that I am an impossible and unreasonable reader whose messed up brain will move the goalposts at random in ways that are not fair authors or myself. This was one of those examples of being so fascinating and so close to being emotionally impactful for me that I feel like throwing my toys out of the pram for being denied that potential, glorious catharsis. I could absolutely bawl my eyes out for a mote of light with a mind or whatever farting across space to tragically die on an alien planet, observed by two nonchalant randoms on public transport who barely regard you as worthy of attention as an in flight magazine.

BUT, then I remember that this is a super short story first published in 1947 dealing with these concepts, and yeah it's kinda dry and left me kinda dry, but it's not 1947 dry and certainly not a dry 1947 concept.

This is one of those stories where I just have to pay my respects and acknowledge just how wild it is in context, basking in the warm glow of the context, even if the actual text didn't particularly blow me away.

[Margo Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clarke humanized the ionization electron creature so much my heart hurt. Damn radar transmitter. Maybe the science we use to detect life has the capacity to destroy life we can't always interact with.

"The end came swiftly. The intolerable radiance was directly overhead, no longer pulsing but pouring down upon him in one continuous flood. Then there was neither pain nor wonder, nor the dull longing for the great golden world he had lost forever…"

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A semi-conscious mass of energy released from the Sun makes its way to Earth. Moments before it disappears, two people on a ship see it creeping up on their radar.

[Frans Kempe · Rating 3 out of 5]

A ray of light travel towards Earth or is it only a ray of light?

[Teej · Rating 2 out of 5]

…Did Clarke just name an astronaut “Armstrong” in 1947?

Anyway, very well written, but not the most engaging. I liked the first half much more than the 2nd. Not sure it was necessary, or that it should’ve been the majority of the short. Not my favorite ACC story, but not bad. My rating system is skewed. 1 star is bad, 2 stars is mid, 3 good, 4 great, 5 fav! This kinda mid.

[Nurullah Doğan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not easy to understand, but once you do, you see the brilliance.

Listened to it as part of "The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4..."

[Nick H · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably a case of user error, but I read this two times just to try to understand it and still don’t feel like I understood the ending. Narrator Lister is great as always. [AUDIBLE]

念のためこれ2回読んだけどまだそんなにわからない

[Timothy Morrison]

A space god?

[Mike Lisanke · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK... a not so well motivated story.

[Josh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would’ve enjoyed a full book on this concept.

3.5 rounded up

[Gary Mcfarlane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Have an e-book not the one that is shown here.

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

SciFi, short story by a master,with Great Narration!!