And Miles To Go Before I Sleep by William F. Nolan Episode #399

William F. Nolan | August 4, 2025

And Miles To Go Before I Sleep by William F. Nolan Episode #399
William F. Nolan

AND MILES TO GO BEFORE I SLEEP

Episode #399 · Written by William F. Nolan · Narrated by Scott Miller

Robert Murdock has only minutes to live, yet he refuses to break the promise he made twenty years ago to the parents waiting for him on Earth. As the ship closes the final distance, his last decision must be carried out perfectly—or the truth will arrive before he does.

After two decades among distant stars, rocket pilot Robert Murdock is finally heading home. The ship guiding him back to Earth is flawless, but his body is not. An incurable off-world disease has already sealed his fate, and the doctors have calculated the exact moment his life will end. He knows he will never walk down the ramp to meet his parents, yet he refuses to let them face that reality.

Nolan keeps the story tightly focused inside the quiet corridors of the ship, where every action carries weight and there is no time for error. Murdock’s plan depends on precision, timing, and the hope that those waiting for him will see only what they have waited twenty years to see. The result is a deeply controlled, emotional story where one decision must stand in for everything that cannot be changed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

William F. Nolan (1928–2021) built a long and influential career across science fiction, horror, and crime fiction. He co-created Logan’s Run with George Clayton Johnson in 1967, a novel that became both a major film and television series. Nolan also published extensively in magazines such as Amazing Stories, Galaxy, and If, producing more than 180 short stories along with numerous novels and collections.

He was part of the well-known West Coast group of writers that included Ray Bradbury and Charles Beaumont, contributing to a period that shaped modern speculative fiction. Over his career, Nolan received the Bram Stoker Award, the World Horror Convention Grand Master Award, and multiple lifetime achievement honors. “And Miles to Go Before I Sleep” shows his ability to build an entire story around a single moment and carry it through with precision.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to And Miles To Go Before I Sleep by William F. Nolan — a vintage science fiction story where one final decision must be made before time runs out.

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.8 million listens.

Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.

What listeners are saying:

★★★★★ “Great stories, well narrated! Still loving Scott’s excellent selections, narration and overall quality of the production.”
— ronny23

★★★★★ “Cracking podcast. Could not ask for more in these episodes, variety, excitement, suspense. Awesome.”
— Benjermano 01

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.