subjective-time

In this epilogue, the narrator, Sly Day, reflects on his impending demise as he observes a cluster of enigmatic Kermel Objects that are increasing local matter-energy density and spacetime curvature. These objects appear to be reproducing by creating a new, self-contained universe, and Sly Day contemplates whether he will survive the transition and be reborn within this new cosmos, ultimately concluding that he will cease to exist in his current form and become a universe himself.

In the afterword of Between the Strokes of Night, Charles Sheffield reflects on the origin of the novel's central idea: the subjective perception of time and its potential scientific control. He contrasts objective, absolute time with the varying human experiences of time's passage and explores how this concept inspired the novel's plot and themes. Sheffield also discusses humanity's longstanding fascination with time, mortality, and the desire to manipulate temporal experience.