The Nothing Equation

by Tom Godwin

Great Sci Fi short story by Tom Godwin!

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction, Horror, Fiction, Audiobook, Ebooks

24 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 1, 1957

About the author

Tom Godwin (1915 - 1980) was a science fiction author. Godwin published three novels and thirty short stories. His controversial hard SF short story "The Cold Equations" is a notable in the mid-1950s science fiction genre. He also had three novels published, but these stayed more firmly in John W. Campbell's preferred styles and are less notable. Graduated from Bay Village High School in Bay Village, Ohio.

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it.

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

This 1957 story reflects the fears of what men might encounter alone in outer space. A replacement attendant is sent 10,000 light-years beyond the edge of the galaxy for a six month stretch in an Observation Bubble. A posting in which both previous attendants met with disaster, although nothing could be found that caused the traumas. And this time? What happens to our unnamed hero? What is the threat? What could possibly go wrong? Why nothing, of course. Or is that Nothing?

A deceptively simple story from the pages of Amazing Stories, December 1957. Excuse me while I go close my curtains.....nothing is out there, but you never know, do you.

[Viji (Bookish endeavors) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nothing frightened him so much as the danger outside. The danger of Nothing coming inside breaking the walls of the bubble. That's what he was afraid of-Nothing.
This is the story of a man going insane between 'it may' and 'what if'. He,like the previous ones in his place,is frightened by the possibility of the accident and brings that possibility into his mental world so much that he gets confused between reality and imagination. The story talks of the advanced world as much as of the human mind.

[Saahil Singh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliance, utter brilliance
Read this drinking wine, went badshit crazy almost

[Joachim Boaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...

"The Smothering Sense of Nothing

Green arrives at a remote observation bubble “ten thousand light years beyond the galaxy’s outermost sun” (87). A lineage of disaster precedes him. The first bubble attendant (think space lighthouse keeper) “committed suicide and the second was a mindless maniac” (87). The new arrival [..]"

[Forked Radish · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is nothing to fear… “Too ignorant to get scared and too dumb to go nuts.”

[for-much-deliberation ... · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange tale depicting the effects of working alone in space for prolonged periods alone. Though all physical aspects of the space ships were checked and only the best operators chosen, still something was occuring up there in space that no one could comprehend.....

[Ralph McEwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A interesting short story.
The story is told in a narrative style.

The narrator is well spoken, his voice is clear and easy to listen to.
The recording good is clean with out any background noises. There plenty of volume. The editing is seamless.

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Galactic Observation Bureau is doing a study of the universe and has an observation station out the universe in hyperspace. It is only large enough for one human being to be in it, and time frame is 6 months. Horne is the first person and he ends up committing suicide, the next is Silverman and he goes insane and have to be sent back to earth as a blithering idiot,

Green is the third person to be used for the experiment and we, the reader stat with him and observe the thoughts he starts almost immediately having after the spaceship leaves him.. We however, don't really know how long we stay with him, wither 2 weeks, 2 months or 2 days, we just know that he is seemingly suffering some changes in mood and ability to do his job.

When he gets rescued and replaces by another subject, he is no more able to tell the experiment support any more about what he actually experienced than Silverman was. We can hope he is more sane, but then the feeling is there that might not be true, and might not be true for the current that is replacing Green either.

It is an interesting look at how being alone in a very distant and tiny piece of reality and being able to see where nothing is might affect the human mind.

[e · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t reread the blurb for this story to jog my memory before we started reading it, and I’m actually glad about that! I went in blind just like the characters were blind to the damned thing. My favorite part was the last section where we read Morgan’s journal entries; I would read a whole book in that writing style. The way he wrote his observations of the world were very interesting. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style overall, and was impressed multiple times throughout the story with how he was able to conjure up such detailed images in my minds eye (like with the birds, for example).

[rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, an oppressive force that is incomprehensible in shape and size will always be more compelling and frightening than a physical description of a monster.

It reminds me of Gojo’s domain expansion (Jujutsu Kaisen), in that being in outer space, further than the galaxy we call home, makes you see, feel, and fear nothing and everything.

It’s interesting how Godwin took a more scientific approach to the horror because what Green feared was logical in a way. His calculations validated his fear but that fear turned into obsession and paranoia due to his seclusion.

[William · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining listening 🎶🔰

Another will written fantasy space opera Sci-Fi adventures thriller short story by Tom Godwin about a bubble in outer space where the lone space man 🚹 spends six months. One has committed suicide, another gone insane, and the last one ☝ just a lot paranoid. I would highly recommend this novella to readers looking for something different. Enjoy the adventure of novels 👍🔰 and books 📚. 2022 😮⏰

[Phil Giunta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stationed just beyond the edge of our galaxy, a series of observers stationed in a "bubble" to gather data have gone insane or committed suicide. When asked what it was that terrified them, the survivors all claimed that it was nothing. But in this case, nothing is the most frightening thing of all. Kudos to Godwin for delving into themes of isolation and psychological horror in such a short piece.

[Ali · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m lowkey Horne (if you know you know)

I liked this one! However. These guys need to bring a notebook to write down their issues before they go crazy. I also felt that the pacing was awkward and there was a startling time jump at the end. Maybe that was the point! It’s also a short story so that does make pacing difficult. Idk! I liked it though. 3.5/5

[Seb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple. Beautifully written. Excellent sci-fi.

[Zvonimir · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun and interesting twist on the whole space horror thing.

[JimC · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware Nothing is coming to kill you!

[Timothy Morrison]

Nothing killed! The spirit of God was upon the face of the deep

[Sam Jonson · Rating 4 out of 5]

When emptiness is your worst enemy to be feard.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Raised to 3.75 stars.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good story. I found it to be a bit straight-forward. I really wanted more of a surprise, but the story was more concerned with twisting perceptions than exploring anything new.

Still, it was quick, and enjoyable.

[JoAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chilling!

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good psychological sci-fi story with some novel ideas to get you thinking.

[Tony Ciak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice scifi short story,great narration.