
Searchlight
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Narrated by:
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Peter Coates
About this listen
Robert A. Heinlein's Searchlight is a gripping and suspenseful science fiction short story that highlights the power of human ingenuity and technological advancement in overcoming life-threatening challenges. First published in 1962, this tale is a testament to Heinlein's ability to blend hard science with emotional depth.
The story revolves around a young blind girl, an exceptionally talented pianist, who becomes lost on the Moon after an accident during a lunar expedition. With the vast, airless expanse of the lunar surface as an unforgiving backdrop, a desperate rescue mission is launched to find her before time—and oxygen—run out. However, traditional search methods prove ineffective in the Moon's harsh and alien environment, forcing the rescuers to rely on an innovative and unconventional solution.
Searchlight is a short but powerful narrative that showcases Heinlein's fascination with problem-solving and human resilience. By portraying a visually impaired protagonist who refuses to be defined by her disability, the story also explores themes of perseverance, adaptation, and the limitless potential of human capability when faced with adversity.
Tense, thought-provoking, and scientifically grounded, Searchlight remains an inspiring piece of classic science fiction that underscores the triumph of intellect and determination in the face of overwhelming odds.
©2025 Strelbytskyy Multimedia Publishing (P)2025 Strelbytskyy Multimedia PublishingListeners also enjoyed...
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Gentlemen, Be Seated!
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Space Jockey
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Robert A. Heinlein's Space Jockey is a gripping short story that offers a realistic and human perspective on space travel. First published in 1947, this tale explores the challenges faced by commercial space pilots in a future where spaceflight has become routine but remains physically and emotionally demanding. The story follows Jake Pemberton, a seasoned pilot navigating the vast emptiness of space while balancing the pressures of his job with the strains of family life back on Earth.
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Delilah and the Space Rigger
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- Length: 26 mins
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Robert A. Heinlein's Delilah and the Space Rigger is a sharp and thought-provoking science fiction short story that explores themes of gender roles, workplace dynamics, and progress in space exploration. First published in 1949, this story showcases Heinlein's trademark blend of humor, social commentary, and hard science fiction. The story takes place on a space station under construction, where an all-male crew is suddenly thrown into disarray when a female technician, Delilah, joins their ranks.
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The Black Pits of Luna
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- Unabridged
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Robert A. Heinlein's The Black Pits of Luna is an exciting and suspenseful science fiction short story that explores the dangers of space exploration, the resilience of the human spirit, and the thrill of adventure beyond Earth. First published in 1948, this classic tale showcases Heinlein's ability to craft realistic yet gripping narratives set in the expanding frontier of space. The story follows a young boy who, while on a family trip to the Moon, gets separated from his group during a guided tour of the lunar surface.
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The Green Hills of Earth
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The Green Hills of Earth blends Heinlein's characteristic exploration of human nature with a lyrical examination of the costs of space exploration and the human desire for connection to home. The story also delves into the role of art and poetry in expressing the deeper emotions and longings of those who venture into the unknown. This short story is a masterful exploration of the tension between adventure and sacrifice, reminding listeners of the emotional costs of leaving behind everything that is familiar in the pursuit of new frontiers.
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The Long Watch
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- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Robert A. Heinlein's The Long Watch is a powerful and emotional science fiction short story that explores themes of duty, sacrifice, and the moral courage of an individual standing against tyranny. First published in 1949, this story is part of Heinlein's Future History series and remains one of his most poignant and enduring tales. The story follows Lieutenant John Dahlquist, a young officer in the Space Patrol, who finds himself in a critical moral dilemma.
-
Gentlemen, Be Seated!
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert A. Heinlein's Gentlemen, Be Seated! is a gripping and suspenseful science fiction short story that highlights themes of ingenuity, survival, and the indomitable human spirit in the face of disaster. Originally published in 1948, this classic tale exemplifies Heinlein's ability to blend technical realism with high-stakes adventure. Set in a near-future lunar colony, the story follows an experienced space reporter and a group of lunar workers who find themselves in a life-threatening situation when a structural failure causes a dangerous air leak in an underground tunnel.
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Space Jockey
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert A. Heinlein's Space Jockey is a gripping short story that offers a realistic and human perspective on space travel. First published in 1947, this tale explores the challenges faced by commercial space pilots in a future where spaceflight has become routine but remains physically and emotionally demanding. The story follows Jake Pemberton, a seasoned pilot navigating the vast emptiness of space while balancing the pressures of his job with the strains of family life back on Earth.
-
Delilah and the Space Rigger
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Robert A. Heinlein's Delilah and the Space Rigger is a sharp and thought-provoking science fiction short story that explores themes of gender roles, workplace dynamics, and progress in space exploration. First published in 1949, this story showcases Heinlein's trademark blend of humor, social commentary, and hard science fiction. The story takes place on a space station under construction, where an all-male crew is suddenly thrown into disarray when a female technician, Delilah, joins their ranks.
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The Black Pits of Luna
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Robert A. Heinlein's The Black Pits of Luna is an exciting and suspenseful science fiction short story that explores the dangers of space exploration, the resilience of the human spirit, and the thrill of adventure beyond Earth. First published in 1948, this classic tale showcases Heinlein's ability to craft realistic yet gripping narratives set in the expanding frontier of space. The story follows a young boy who, while on a family trip to the Moon, gets separated from his group during a guided tour of the lunar surface.
-
The Green Hills of Earth
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
-
Story
The Green Hills of Earth blends Heinlein's characteristic exploration of human nature with a lyrical examination of the costs of space exploration and the human desire for connection to home. The story also delves into the role of art and poetry in expressing the deeper emotions and longings of those who venture into the unknown. This short story is a masterful exploration of the tension between adventure and sacrifice, reminding listeners of the emotional costs of leaving behind everything that is familiar in the pursuit of new frontiers.
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Ring Around the Sun
- By: Isaak Asimov
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Ring Around the Sun is a science fiction short story by American writer Isaac Asimov. It was first published in the March 1940 issue of Future Fiction and reprinted in the 1972 collection The Early Asimov . "Ring Around the Sun" was the fifth story Asimov wrote, and also the fifth to be published.
By: Isaak Asimov
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Blowups Happen
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- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 1 hr and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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Blowups Happen is a 1940 science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It is one of two stories in which Heinlein, using only public knowledge of nuclear fission, anticipated the actual development of nuclear technology a few years later.
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Knowledge of the author before Trinity
- By TVR on 05-05-25
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We Also Walk Dogs
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
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We Also Walk Dogs is a science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. One of his Future History stories, it was first published in Astounding Science Fiction (July 1941, as by Anson MacDonald) and collected in The Green Hills of Earth (and subsequently The Past Through Tomorrow).
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Misfit
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Misfit is a science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It was originally titled Cosmic Construction Corps before being renamed by the editor John W. Campbell and published in the November 1939 issue of Astounding Science Fiction. Misfit was Heinlein's second published story. One of the earliest of Heinlein's Future History stories, it was later included in the collections Revolt in 2100 and The Past Through Tomorrow.
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The Roads Must Roll
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- Length: 1 hr and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
The Roads Must Roll is a 1940 science fiction short story by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. It was selected for The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Volume One, 1929–1964 anthology in 1970. The story is set in the near future, when "roadtowns" (wide rapidly moving passenger platforms similar to moving sidewalks, but reaching speeds of 100 mph) have replaced highways and railways as the dominant transportation method in the United States.
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Life-Line
- By: Robert A. Heinlein
- Narrated by: Peter Coates
- Length: 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall
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Performance
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Story
Life-Line is a short story by American author Robert A. Heinlein. Published in the August 1939 edition of Astounding, it was Heinlein's first published short story. The protagonist, Professor Hugo Pinero, builds a machine that will predict how long a person will live. It does this by sending a signal along the world line of a person and detecting the echo from the far end. Professor Pinero's invention has a powerful impact on the life insurance industry, as well as on his own life.