Slow Time Between the Stars

The Far Reaches Collection

By: John Scalzi

Narrated by: Kay Eluvian

An artificial intelligence on a star-spanning mission explores the farthest horizons of human potential—and its own purpose—in a mind-bending short story by New York Times bestselling author John Scalzi.

Equipped with the entirety of human knowledge, a sentient ship is launched on a last-ditch journey to find a new home for civilization. Trillions of miles. Tens of thousands of years. In the space between, the AI has plenty of time to think about life, the vastness of the universe, everything it was meant to do, and—with a perspective created but not limited by humans—what it should do.

John Scalzi’s Slow Time Between the Stars is part of The Far Reaches, a collection of science-fiction stories that stretch the imagination and open the heart. They can be read or listened to in one sitting.

©2023 John Scalzi. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

What was it going to do?

Excellent short thought experiment. Imaginative, unhurried future for a creative vessel. This is what AI could do. So glad the author didn’t have it speculate where humans ended up.

A lovely elegy

Thanks for such a slow and calm journey through the vast nothing. A balm for my spirit.

Fantastic Scifi Story

Really neat concept and well written like everything of Scalzi's. Cool details about space and time. Highly recommend!

Classic Short

I bought this by accident but I am glad I did.
This story was already included in the collection "The Far Reaches" which had no other stories I really liked.
I really liked this story. I think it will become a classic short.
I could argue this is the best thing Scalzi has ever written.

Some may find the ending a downer, but I found it a marvelous ending to a great story.
When I got to the end, I verbally exclaimed in surprise and pleasure.

The narration is odd and unexpected and I found the tone fantastic for the story.
It was rational, and superior, and loving all at once.

I have already listened to this three times, and will likely come back to this again.

Interesting take on eternity by Scalzi

I was enthralled by this short story of an intelligent spacecraft sent by humanity to start a human colony on a new world, the interesting way it’s mind evolved along it’s journey.

Great short story.

Interesting short story that reminds you of how short life is. I enjoyed the AI’s perspective and thought the narrator has a great calming voice.

Thoughful

Interesting ideas well presented Thst is all i want to say audible is still unsatisfied

Meh.

A fairly mediocre story about AI wandering through the universe on a mission to seed another planet with humanity's descendants. I enjoyed it well enough, but I'm glad it wasn't longer than an hour because I was quickly losing interest.

Asimov 2.0

first I thought it is some simple but entertaining sidekick short story of Scalzi -always entertaining and worthwhile.
But this time it was very different.
The story touched me in a way as reading that my first Asimov stories did.
This story is entertaining the very best concept of AI and the future of humanity - between the stars.
Great thoughts.

John Scalzi is an alchemist of words and worlds.

Scalzi masterfully combines the human condition and its ceaseless quest for knowlegde with his deep scientific perspectives, appreciation for all things ("living" or not) and his unbridled imagination of other realities. His work strives to tap our yearning to seek and know the unnown, to respect what we find, and remind us that we're not the Center of the Universe, just a small particle within, and to revere and respect all that we discover. ~Z~.