From the Bookshelf of Retro Reads…

The Star

Arthur C. Clarke

Start date: December 5, 2017

Finish date: December 9, 2017

Discussion: Group Reads

Discussion leader: Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽

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Group Reads

Group Read 5th of October 2025 Thalia NON spoilers thread
By Carol She's S… , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah! · 11 posts · 16 views

last updated Oct 19, 2025 01:09PM

Group Read 5th of October 2025 Thalia SPOILERS thread
By Carol She's S… , She's a mod, yeah, yeah, yeah! · 8 posts · 13 views

last updated Oct 16, 2025 12:25PM

What Members Thought

Dec 06, 2017 Carol She's So Novel꧁꧂ rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction, keeping-it-short, modern-classics

I read it here https://sites.uni.edu/morgans/astro/c...

What a gift Clarke had. This (very short) story in four pages packs in so much intensity, thought, concept & beautiful writing.

Come to your own conclusion! ...more

47 likes · Like · see review

Dec 06, 2017 Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ rated it really liked it

Shelves: classics, the-shorts, christmas, science-fiction

A Jesuit priest, the astrophysicist on a space crew voyaging to explore the Phoenix Nebula, is having a crisis of faith. He has always been able to blend religious faith and scientific knowledge in his life, but what he finds out at the destination of their voyage shakes him to the core.

"It is three thousand light-years to the Vatican. Once, I believed that space could have no power over faith, just as I believed the heavens declared the glory of God’s handwork. Now I have seen that handiwork,

...more

39 likes · Like · see review

Dec 06, 2017 mark monday rated it liked it

Shelves: scifi-classic

One part science fiction mystery and one part moody rumination on faith and the nature of God. A dash of nastily sharp irony. Clarke makes his point and he makes it hard.

Read this short story for free! Right here:

http://web.archive.org/web/2008071808...

spoiler: He's about to smash that egg, and then shrug. ...more

27 likes · Like · see review

Dec 05, 2017 Critterbee❇ rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, short-story, space-opera

Very powerful, and could be open to several differing opinions about the true meaning. I would say that it was written to be interpreted by everyone individually, as either anti-religious or the opposite, underscoring the power and sovereignty.

It is definitely an engrossing read, not light, very intense and written with great feeling.

Certainly not the typical Christmas read!

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 21, 2017 Jen added it

Shelves: short-freebie, christmas

I have no idea how to rate this. Very deep, will take some time to ponder.

3 likes · Like · see review

Dec 07, 2017 Mela rated it really liked it

Shelves: region-british, psychological-and-philosophical, public-domain, short-story, science-fiction

One thing is for sure: It gives a kick in the mind (and the heart). Now, I must think about it for a while.

Thank you, Carol!

Here link to read it online.

Try it. It is really short but so powerful, beautiful, poignant... ...more

1 like · Like · see review