Science Fiction

This Long Vigil

This Long Vigil

  • Downloads：9658
  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2021-11-20 11:21:00
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Rhett C. Bruno
  • ISBN：1713661217
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
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Summary

After 25 years serving as the human Monitor of the Interstellar Ark， Hermes， Orion is scheduled to be placed back into hibernation with the other crewmembers。

Knowing he'll die there and be replaced before the ship's voyage is over， he decides that he won't — can't — accept that fate。

Whatever it takes， Orion will escape Hermes and see what's beyond， even if it means defying the regulations of his only friend — the ship-wide artificial intelligence known as Dan。

From the Washington Post and number one Audible best-selling duo， Rhett C。 Bruno and Jaime Castle， comes a harrowing science fiction short story that will leave you questioning exactly what it means to be alive。

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Reviews

TL ，

*Audible audio *Narration and story: 4 stars 🌟 🤩

Ursula Johnson ，

This was a short story with a much used premise。 Humans on a ship headed towards a new world in cryogenic suspension。 One roams the ship as a caretaker along with an AI。 This premise was handled better in the Alien series where we had Mother， the ship’s AI and a synthetic。 This story is just sad with a depressing ending。 The only reason I gave this 3 stars was for the stellar performance of Ray Porter。 This shows why I love Star Trek and Star Wars， hope for the future。

Ida Wilcox ，

2 thumbs up

Alyssa ，

Strong “Passengers” vibes。 This is a great short story， talking about what makes each of us human。 I really liked that aspect。 I’m kinda bummed that it’s over。 It would be interesting for this to continue but from the new maintainer’s perspective。

Macky ，

⭐️3。5⭐️

Daniel ，

This has a very 2001 a Space Odyssey feel。 A very short book but hits all the right places。

Katherine George ，

Very well written short science fiction story， would of liked more。

Mike Wazowski ，

There really isn’t much to this short story about a man caring for the 999 lives traveling with him on a very long space voyage。 He is scheduled to be put back into suspended animation while another person is awakened to take his place。 But he doesn’t want to give up the freedom of his life on board the ship and this provides the tension for the story。 Not much going on here and the ending has no twist to it whatsoever。 Kind of a waste of time to read （or listen in my case）。

Denise ，

Gripping and poignant， this short science fiction story packs quite a punch and succeeds in fleshing out its protagonist and setting far better than can usually be expected from a piece that takes up no more than twenty pages。

Leif Dolan ，

Away you goA group of people leaving Earth heading out for a new life。 It will take many years to get there。 What kind of rules should be put in place for these people？You can put the people asleep so that the long flight doesn't bother them， but they still age。 One person is awake and walking around helping the ships AI。 What would you do at the end of your awake time Away you goA group of people leaving Earth heading out for a new life。 It will take many years to get there。 What kind of rules should be put in place for these people？You can put the people asleep so that the long flight doesn't bother them， but they still age。 One person is awake and walking around helping the ships AI。 What would you do at the end of your awake time 。。。more

Kristine ，

A short novella that takes place on a space ship that is in the middle of a two hundred and something year journey。 The problem is that the entire crew or population of 1000 people is all in a state of "sleep" but not the good kind of sleep。 You know， the kind that you go to sleep and wake up in 100 or so years and you are at your destination。 No， this kind of sleep has you aging those 100+ years that you are "asleep"。。。。well， you wouldn't actually make it 100 years because you are going to be t A short novella that takes place on a space ship that is in the middle of a two hundred and something year journey。 The problem is that the entire crew or population of 1000 people is all in a state of "sleep" but not the good kind of sleep。 You know， the kind that you go to sleep and wake up in 100 or so years and you are at your destination。 No， this kind of sleep has you aging those 100+ years that you are "asleep"。。。。well， you wouldn't actually make it 100 years because you are going to be too old and "evacuated" at a certain age once another human is born and then they are put in the "sleep" module。I can't see any issues with this process。。。。can you？ 。。。more

Art ，

A good， old-fashioned hard sci-fi story。 Enjoyable。 Short， but packed。

Ruth clarke ，

interestingly different

Jamie ，

A touching and poignant little story of the only man awake on an inter generational ark ship full of sleepers， born in space and destined to die in space， never having met another soul nor lived anywhere outside the confines of the ship。

Christian ，

My review is for the audiobook version。Very enjoyable short story that feels as if it were part of a much larger project。 Explores the human side of space travel in a very relatable way。 Adds to the plethora of plausible scenarios we must consider as society moves closer to the potential for manned deep space explorations and interplanetary colony endeavors。 Excellent narrative performance by Ray Porter， from whom we never receive anything less。

davidgonzalezsr ，

Very well written and entertaining short story。 The characters were relatable and the story was great。 Ray Porter's narration is phenomenal as usual。 I recommend to all。 Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed。 I only leave 5 stars for books I've listened to or will listen to multiple times。 I'll update my review if I listen again。 Very well written and entertaining short story。 The characters were relatable and the story was great。 Ray Porter's narration is phenomenal as usual。 I recommend to all。 Disclaimer: My enjoyment of the narrator is based on my listening speed。 I only leave 5 stars for books I've listened to or will listen to multiple times。 I'll update my review if I listen again。 。。。more

Cmoore ，

Wow！ Why is my face wet？ Once again my favorite Author duo （Rhett C Bruno and Jamie Castle） and Narrator （Ray Porter） team up to conjure one of the best short stories ever！ It's so good and surprisingly it was released on Audible+ so really there's no excuse！ Wow！ Why is my face wet？ Once again my favorite Author duo （Rhett C Bruno and Jamie Castle） and Narrator （Ray Porter） team up to conjure one of the best short stories ever！ It's so good and surprisingly it was released on Audible+ so really there's no excuse！ 。。。more

Carol ，

Earth was ravaged by a meteorite。 Thing are so bad that humans are leaving in generational ships to start a new life on a new planet。 Ships that take hundreds of years to reach their destination with no guarantee that the chosen planet will be some place they can call home。 The ships are run by computer and all occupants except one are in hibernation chambers with tubes of nutrients to keep them alive。 One person works with the computer "Dan" to "recycle" the sleeping members when they reach the Earth was ravaged by a meteorite。 Thing are so bad that humans are leaving in generational ships to start a new life on a new planet。 Ships that take hundreds of years to reach their destination with no guarantee that the chosen planet will be some place they can call home。 The ships are run by computer and all occupants except one are in hibernation chambers with tubes of nutrients to keep them alive。 One person works with the computer "Dan" to "recycle" the sleeping members when they reach the age of 70。 The old members become plant food。 The plants are then processed to feed the hibernating humans。 Orion the human monitor has never been on a planet。 Never been touched by another human being。 He has never been outside the ship he was born on and never seen a planet。 Orion is almost age 50。 Hours away from being put back into hibernation and never to wake up again but then Orion thinks， what if。。。。 Excellent tie in to the Children of Titan series that ties up some loose ends but still leaves some questions。 。。。more

Richard Derus ，

I am an aficionado of the Generation Ship subgenre of SF。 This short work is in that bailiwick; I was given it by its author some five years ago。I've now read this concise fiction twice， at different inflection points in my life。。。first when trying to figure out how to rebuild my sense of self in the wake of the worst mental-health crisis of my life， now looking at the plainly visible （if still comfortingly distant） "The End" sign。Both times it has spoken to me with a palliative affect in its vo I am an aficionado of the Generation Ship subgenre of SF。 This short work is in that bailiwick; I was given it by its author some five years ago。I've now read this concise fiction twice， at different inflection points in my life。。。first when trying to figure out how to rebuild my sense of self in the wake of the worst mental-health crisis of my life， now looking at the plainly visible （if still comfortingly distant） "The End" sign。Both times it has spoken to me with a palliative affect in its voice， an "I understand" tone that genuinely eases my unsettledness。 Quite an achievement， young Author Bruno。 I salute you。 。。。more

Monique ，

An interesting， yet depressing， tale of a generation ship。 The story follows two characters， Orion and Dan。 Orion is the only human awake on a generation ship， he is tasked with doing the physical maintenance required to keep the ship working。 Dan， an AI， takes care of everything else。 This story is part of the Titanborn series but can easily be read on its own。 Throughout the series hints about generational ships that were launched are hinted at without actually explaining what occurred。 This s An interesting， yet depressing， tale of a generation ship。 The story follows two characters， Orion and Dan。 Orion is the only human awake on a generation ship， he is tasked with doing the physical maintenance required to keep the ship working。 Dan， an AI， takes care of everything else。 This story is part of the Titanborn series but can easily be read on its own。 Throughout the series hints about generational ships that were launched are hinted at without actually explaining what occurred。 This story allows the reader to witness what life is like on those ships and I got to admit I wouldn’t want to be on that ship。 Life is good but I’m not sure I’d really call that living。 I would strongly recommend this novel to all sci-fi fans and to anyone whose read/is reading the Titanborn series。 。。。more

Herschel Blackburn ，

A Wonderful StoryThis is a short quick read that I highly recommend。 The ending really spoke to me in a very thought provoking way。

Darth ，

Danger in short stories， when you get one you enjoy， it's over before you know。I really liked this one。A not uncommon premise， but a well played telling makes all the difference Danger in short stories， when you get one you enjoy， it's over before you know。I really liked this one。A not uncommon premise， but a well played telling makes all the difference 。。。more

Cathy ，

Do not read the goodreads synopsis， it gives away too much of the story。Our protagonist Orion is a „monitor“ on a generation ship with 1000 humans in a deep sleep。 His sole companion is the ship‘s AI Dan。 Orion does menial tasks that Dan can‘t perform himself。 Dan serves as his father， friend， teacher， entertainer and sole social contact。 Which is why I believe that the story premise is faulty and could never happen like this。 Alas， I would spoil you， if I told you more。 This is only 20 pages， s Do not read the goodreads synopsis， it gives away too much of the story。Our protagonist Orion is a „monitor“ on a generation ship with 1000 humans in a deep sleep。 His sole companion is the ship‘s AI Dan。 Orion does menial tasks that Dan can‘t perform himself。 Dan serves as his father， friend， teacher， entertainer and sole social contact。 Which is why I believe that the story premise is faulty and could never happen like this。 Alas， I would spoil you， if I told you more。 This is only 20 pages， so have a look yourself。 Despite my reservations I enjoyed reading this story。 。。。more

Pete Aldin ，

I didn't expect this to be so good。 Very nice spin on the idea of generation ships。 Well crafted and satisfying。 I didn't expect this to be so good。 Very nice spin on the idea of generation ships。 Well crafted and satisfying。 。。。more

Paulo ，

A good short story with decent writing。 However i can't say I've enjoyed it a lot while reading。 The ending felt somehow predictable to me。 Comparing the reviews/ratings of this book and what i've actually read， I felt a bit disappointed， for me it was another case of a overhyped book。 It's good but not that good。。。 3/5 A good short story with decent writing。 However i can't say I've enjoyed it a lot while reading。 The ending felt somehow predictable to me。 Comparing the reviews/ratings of this book and what i've actually read， I felt a bit disappointed， for me it was another case of a overhyped book。 It's good but not that good。。。 3/5 。。。more

Rusty ，

This is a well-done short story that packs in a clear scenario with layers of choices that must be made。 There is a minimal number of characters but we still get the sense that they fit within a larger story。 There is emotion and suspense， and dare-I-say， even a satisfying conclusion。I am not one who reads a lot of science fiction， but this taste of Rhett C。 Bruno’s “world” makes me curious to try more。

Jimbo ，

An interesting short store。

Todd Oliver ，

Great short story that really adds to the series。 This Long Vigil tells the story of what life is like for the lone monitor of the Ark ship Hermes。 Each monitor serves for 25 years before the job is passed along to another。 It's a very lonely existence with no one other than Dan， the ship's AI， to keep you company。 I prejudged this book thinking it wouldn't be as good as the rest of the series because of a different narrator。 My judgement was wrong！ Justin Thomas James did a fantastic job with t Great short story that really adds to the series。 This Long Vigil tells the story of what life is like for the lone monitor of the Ark ship Hermes。 Each monitor serves for 25 years before the job is passed along to another。 It's a very lonely existence with no one other than Dan， the ship's AI， to keep you company。 I prejudged this book thinking it wouldn't be as good as the rest of the series because of a different narrator。 My judgement was wrong！ Justin Thomas James did a fantastic job with the narration！ He did a great job with the voice of the AI as well！ 。。。more

odedo1 ，

This audiobook totally amazed me。 Why？So short and says everything！Great narration。 No other author could have written this with such perfection。 Best one hour audiobook ever， and only Bruno the perfectionist could have written a beautiful story so short that every word counts。

Lawrence ，

Fun readVery short story of a man aboard a space ship with no other companion other than a computer。 He is hours away from entering stasis where he will remain until he dies。 The story covers the last few hours of his life。 The story is about letting event transpire or making ones own choices。

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=This Long Vigil

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=This Long Vigil&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,This Long Vigil&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0