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The Sentinel (short story)

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Wilson presents his guess as to the structure's purpose: it was a "sentinel" which for billions of years had been transmitting signals into space. The sentinel's destruction—which humans could only accomplish by mastering space travel and atomic energy—will have caused its signals to cease, thereby
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found "The Sentinel" to be infuriating, saying that "one can raise a formidable reputation for profundity by repeating, over and over again, that the universe is wide and man is very small... while our instruments show that the universe is wide, they are our instruments and we managed somehow to
42: 209:. The structure is destroyed in the process, and its fragments are found to be incomprehensible, being far more advanced than any human technology. Wilson realizes that the structure was created and placed on the Moon by technologically advanced 283:
actually use were considerably modified. Thus the 'glittering, roughly pyramidal structure... set in the rock like a gigantic, many-faceted jewel' became—after several modifications—the famous black monolith. And the locale was moved from the
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and on the novel. Clarke and Kubrick adapted the short story and fused it with many other concepts. Clarke later expressed impatience with "The Sentinel" being described as the basis for the film:
202:" which blocks all attempts to approach. The structure is found to have been placed on the Moon several billion years earlier, and it is not the product of any terrestrial or lunar civilization. 1449: 1444: 279:
to the resultant full-grown oak. (Considerably less, in fact, because ideas from several other stories were also incorporated.) Even the elements that Stanley Kubrick and I
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alerting its creators to intelligent life having discovered it. Wilson expresses his belief that the aliens will soon be "turning their gaze upon the Earth".
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Singer-songwriter Roger McGuinn wrote and performed the song "Space Odyssey", whose subject is “The Sentinel”. It is the closing track on the 1968 album by
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The story is set in 1996 (at the time of writing, several decades in the future). The narrator, Wilson, is a veteran
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The story's plot and ideas were a significant influence on the development of the 1968 film
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I am continually annoyed by careless references to "The Sentinel" as "the story on which
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competition in which it failed to place. It was first published in the magazine
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build them. There is no evidence whatsoever that Man is that goddamned small."
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Twenty years pass before the invisible shield is successfully breached, using
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surface. He comes across a mysterious pyramidal structure, surrounded by an "
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An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
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is based"; it bears about as much relation to the movie as an
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Works originally published in fantasy fiction magazines
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Works originally published in science fiction magazines
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Interplanetary Flight: An Introduction to Astronautics
249: 1360:Arthur C. Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies 1440:Works originally published in American magazines 1401: 1210:How the World Was One: Beyond the Global Village 288:to the most spectacular of all lunar craters, 692: 410: 317: 1347:Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers 699: 685: 417: 403: 40: 1164:The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke 148:"The Sentinel" was written in 1948 for a 16:Short story written by Arthur C. Clarke 1402: 1354:Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious Universe 353:. Vol. 7, no. 10. p. 57 342: 323: 143: 1366:God, the Universe and Everything Else 680: 398: 380:Internet Speculative Fiction Database 343:Clarke, Arthur C. (10 January 1984). 1203:The Odyssey File: The Making of 2010 706: 1340:Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World 13: 649:Poole versus HAL 9000 (chess game) 14: 1471: 1410:Short stories by Arthur C. Clarke 369: 336: 1455:Short stories adapted into films 306:", another short story by Clarke 194:on an expedition to explore the 213:from outside the solar system. 1251:2010: The Year We Make Contact 846:The Ghost from the Grand Banks 481:2010: The Year We Make Contact 324:Budrys, Algis (October 1967). 1: 1435:Short stories set on the Moon 1259:The Nine Billion Names of God 1115:The Nine Billion Names of God 310: 167:The Nine Billion Names of God 1136:The Best of Arthur C. Clarke 220: 7: 296: 239:The Notorious Byrd Brothers 10: 1476: 1430:History of science fiction 1280:The Songs of Distant Earth 827:The Songs of Distant Earth 1314:Arthur C. Clarke in media 1306: 1226: 1173: 1101:The Other Side of the Sky 1094:Tales from the White Hart 1069: 1014: 960: 917: 910: 820:The Fountains of Paradise 757:Against the Fall of Night 727: 714: 600: 570: 552: 534: 491: 464: 439: 105: 95: 85: 80: 70: 62: 54: 39: 28: 23: 1460:Avon Periodicals titles 1319:Sir Arthur Clarke Award 1274:"The Star" (TV episode) 1189:The Lost Worlds of 2001 1150:Tales from Planet Earth 951:3001: The Final Odyssey 884:The Light of Other Days 543:The Lost Worlds of 2001 524:3001: The Final Odyssey 185: 179:The Lost Worlds of 2001 1324:Arthur C. Clarke Award 1196:The View from Serendip 1157:More Than One Universe 778:The City and the Stars 330:Galaxy Science Fiction 294: 176:(1982), as well as in 1243:2001: A Space Odyssey 1235:2001: A Space Odyssey 1129:The Wind from the Sun 930:2001: A Space Odyssey 877:Michael Kube-McDowell 642:2001: A Space Odyssey 633:2001: A Space Odyssey 625:2001: A Space Odyssey 618:2001: A Space Odyssey 610:2001: A Space Odyssey 561:2001: A Space Odyssey 500:2001: A Space Odyssey 473:2001: A Space Odyssey 455:Encounter in the Dawn 378:title listing at the 304:Encounter in the Dawn 269: 260:2001: A Space Odyssey 252:2001: A Space Odyssey 133:2001: A Space Odyssey 128:Arthur C. Clarke 46:First appearance, in 1267:Rendezvous with Rama 969:Rendezvous with Rama 386:Sentinel of Eternity 1425:Fiction set in 1996 1334:Clarke's three laws 1329:Geostationary orbit 1108:Tales of Ten Worlds 1080:Expedition to Earth 944:2061: Odyssey Three 608:Interpretations of 516:2061: Odyssey Three 332:. pp. 188–194. 161:Expedition to Earth 144:Publication history 138:corresponding novel 1420:1951 short stories 1372:Great Basses wreck 1087:Reach for Tomorrow 988:The Garden of Rama 792:A Fall of Moondust 750:Islands in the Sky 627:in popular culture 326:"Galaxy Bookshelf" 126:by British author 1397: 1396: 1383:Serendipaceratops 1122:Of Time and Stars 1065: 1064: 937:2010: Odyssey Two 853:The Hammer of God 743:The Sands of Mars 674: 673: 508:2010: Odyssey Two 113: 112: 1467: 915: 914: 896:The Last Theorem 736:Prelude to Space 708:Arthur C. Clarke 701: 694: 687: 678: 677: 616:Technologies in 426:Arthur C. Clarke 419: 412: 405: 396: 395: 390:Internet Archive 363: 362: 360: 358: 340: 334: 333: 321: 200:invisible shield 155:10 Story Fantasy 106:Publication date 100:Avon Periodicals 90:10 Story Fantasy 48:10 Story Fantasy 44: 34:Arthur C. Clarke 21: 20: 1475: 1474: 1470: 1469: 1468: 1466: 1465: 1464: 1400: 1399: 1398: 1393: 1302: 1298:(TV miniseries) 1296:Childhood's End 1222: 1169: 1071: 1061: 1010: 956: 906: 764:Childhood's End 723: 710: 705: 675: 670: 596: 566: 548: 530: 487: 460: 435: 423: 372: 367: 366: 356: 354: 341: 337: 322: 318: 313: 299: 265:Stanley Kubrick 255: 223: 188: 146: 121:science fiction 75:Science fiction 50: 17: 12: 11: 5: 1473: 1463: 1462: 1457: 1452: 1447: 1442: 1437: 1432: 1427: 1422: 1417: 1412: 1395: 1394: 1392: 1391: 1386: 1379: 1374: 1369: 1362: 1357: 1350: 1343: 1336: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1316: 1310: 1308: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1300: 1292: 1284: 1276: 1271: 1263: 1255: 1247: 1239: 1230: 1228: 1224: 1223: 1221: 1220: 1213: 1206: 1199: 1192: 1185: 1177: 1175: 1171: 1170: 1168: 1167: 1160: 1153: 1146: 1139: 1132: 1125: 1118: 1111: 1104: 1097: 1090: 1083: 1075: 1073: 1067: 1066: 1063: 1062: 1060: 1059: 1056:Stephen Baxter 1047: 1044:Stephen Baxter 1035: 1032:Stephen Baxter 1022: 1020: 1017:A Time Odyssey 1012: 1011: 1009: 1008: 996: 984: 972: 964: 962: 958: 957: 955: 954: 947: 940: 933: 925: 923: 912: 908: 907: 905: 904: 892: 889:Stephen Baxter 880: 868: 856: 849: 842: 830: 823: 816: 813:Imperial Earth 809: 802: 799:Dolphin Island 795: 788: 785:The Deep Range 781: 774: 767: 760: 753: 746: 739: 731: 729: 725: 724: 722: 721: 715: 712: 711: 704: 703: 696: 689: 681: 672: 671: 669: 668: 663: 660:A Time Odyssey 656: 651: 646: 637: 629: 621: 613: 604: 602: 598: 597: 595: 594: 593: 592: 580: 574: 572: 568: 567: 565: 564: 556: 554: 550: 549: 547: 546: 538: 536: 532: 531: 529: 528: 520: 512: 504: 495: 493: 489: 488: 486: 485: 477: 468: 466: 462: 461: 459: 458: 451: 443: 441: 437: 436: 422: 421: 414: 407: 399: 393: 392: 382: 376:"The Sentinel" 371: 370:External links 368: 365: 364: 345:"The Sentinel" 335: 315: 314: 312: 309: 308: 307: 298: 295: 254: 248: 222: 219: 187: 184: 145: 142: 111: 110: 107: 103: 102: 97: 93: 92: 87: 83: 82: 78: 77: 72: 68: 67: 64: 60: 59: 58:United Kingdom 56: 52: 51: 45: 37: 36: 26: 25: 24:"The Sentinel" 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1472: 1461: 1458: 1456: 1453: 1451: 1448: 1446: 1443: 1441: 1438: 1436: 1433: 1431: 1428: 1426: 1423: 1421: 1418: 1416: 1415:Space Odyssey 1413: 1411: 1408: 1407: 1405: 1390: 1387: 1385: 1384: 1380: 1378: 1375: 1373: 1370: 1368: 1367: 1363: 1361: 1358: 1356: 1355: 1351: 1349: 1348: 1344: 1342: 1341: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1315: 1312: 1311: 1309: 1305: 1299: 1297: 1293: 1291: 1289: 1285: 1283: 1281: 1277: 1275: 1272: 1270: 1268: 1264: 1262: 1260: 1256: 1254: 1252: 1248: 1246: 1244: 1240: 1238: 1236: 1232: 1231: 1229: 1225: 1219: 1218: 1214: 1212: 1211: 1207: 1205: 1204: 1200: 1198: 1197: 1193: 1191: 1190: 1186: 1184: 1183: 1179: 1178: 1176: 1172: 1166: 1165: 1161: 1159: 1158: 1154: 1152: 1151: 1147: 1145: 1144: 1140: 1138: 1137: 1133: 1131: 1130: 1126: 1124: 1123: 1119: 1117: 1116: 1112: 1110: 1109: 1105: 1103: 1102: 1098: 1096: 1095: 1091: 1089: 1088: 1084: 1082: 1081: 1077: 1076: 1074: 1068: 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1092: 1085: 1078: 1070:Short story 1049: 1037: 1025: 1015: 998: 986: 974: 967: 949: 942: 935: 928: 918: 911:Novel series 894: 882: 870: 858: 851: 844: 832: 825: 818: 811: 804: 797: 790: 783: 776: 769: 762: 755: 748: 741: 734: 719:Bibliography 658: 641: 632: 624: 617: 609: 582: 559: 541: 522: 514: 506: 498: 479: 471: 448:The Sentinel 447: 429: 355:. Retrieved 348: 338: 329: 319: 286:Mare Crisium 280: 272: 270: 258: 256: 251: 237: 231: 226:Algis Budrys 224: 215: 204: 192:selenologist 189: 177: 173:The Sentinel 171: 170:(1967), and 165: 159: 153: 147: 131: 117:The Sentinel 116: 114: 86:Published in 47: 18: 1389:GRB 080319B 1377:4923 Clarke 1227:Adaptations 1174:Non-fiction 1072:collections 961:Rama series 872:The Trigger 865:Mike McQuay 654:Machine Man 535:Non-fiction 357:26 February 350:Heavy Metal 246:" cadence. 124:short story 109:Spring 1951 81:Publication 30:Short story 1404:Categories 1027:Time's Eye 1005:Gentry Lee 993:Gentry Lee 981:Gentry Lee 860:Richter 10 839:Gentry Lee 806:Glide Path 771:Earthlight 635:soundtrack 311:References 244:sea shanty 1051:Firstborn 578:Monoliths 388:" at the 234:the Byrds 221:Reception 96:Publisher 1245:(comics) 1039:Sunstorm 666:9000 Hal 590:HAL 9000 571:Elements 297:See also 182:(1972). 164:(1953), 136:and its 71:Genre(s) 63:Language 1307:Related 1282:(album) 976:Rama II 601:Related 119:" is a 66:English 55:Country 1253:(film) 1237:(film) 1054:(with 1042:(with 1030:(with 1003:(with 991:(with 979:(with 899:(with 887:(with 875:(with 863:(with 837:(with 834:Cradle 728:Novels 553:Comics 527:(1997) 519:(1987) 511:(1982) 503:(1968) 492:Novels 484:(1984) 476:(1968) 434:series 211:aliens 644:score 465:Films 290:Tycho 277:acorn 196:lunar 1288:Rama 359:2018 273:2001 186:Plot 428:'s 281:did 263:by 150:BBC 32:by 1406:: 347:. 328:. 236:, 140:. 1058:) 1046:) 1034:) 1007:) 995:) 983:) 903:) 891:) 879:) 867:) 841:) 700:e 693:t 686:v 457:" 453:" 450:" 446:" 418:e 411:t 404:v 384:" 361:. 302:" 115:"

Index

Short story
Arthur C. Clarke

Science fiction
10 Story Fantasy
Avon Periodicals
science fiction
short story
Arthur C. Clarke
2001: A Space Odyssey
corresponding novel
BBC
10 Story Fantasy
Expedition to Earth
The Nine Billion Names of God
The Sentinel
The Lost Worlds of 2001
selenologist
lunar
invisible shield
atomic energy
aliens
Algis Budrys
the Byrds
The Notorious Byrd Brothers
sea shanty
2001: A Space Odyssey
Stanley Kubrick
acorn
Mare Crisium

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