The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

A celebrated space pioneer becomes humanity’s greatest hero, but the story the world believes conceals a devastating deception. As a deadly disease threatens millions, one forgotten man must live with the knowledge that history has honored the wrong person. Synthetic Hero by Erik Fennel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Can you see the egg all over my face? Yikes, our last episode The Holes and John Smith by Edward W. Ludwig was a mess. Sorry about that, it’s fixed now. You may have to refresh you browser or podcast app to get it to...

A brilliant musician claims he has fallen through a hole in time, but his new friends are more interested in keeping him employed than believing his extraordinary story. As his obsession with finding a way home grows, the struggling musicians face the possibility of losing the one man who can save their careers. The Holes and John Smith by Edward W. Ludwig. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Author Edward W. Ludwig returns to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast today for his third story. Previously, we’ve shared Inheritance and Spacemen Die at Home. Born in Trac...

John Stevens has survived something no human being was meant to experience, but the greatest danger may still lie ahead. When the military prepares to send him beyond Earth once more, Stevens must confront a terrifying possibility about what waits on the other side of the barrier. The Barrier by Bryce Walton. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

A big thank you to all of our wonderful listeners in the UK! Thanks to your generous 5-star ratings and reviews, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast has an incredible average rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars!

Our la...

A race that cannot feel physical pain faces surprisingly terrifying danger. When an alien civilization begins to crumble under human cruelty, a boxing manager and his heavyweight champion must confront an enemy who knows exactly how to hurt them. The Protector by Betsy Curtis. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Today, we’re introducing another author to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast for the very first time, Betsy Curtis.

Born Elizabeth Curtis in September, 1917, in Toledo, Ohio, her science fiction writing career began in 1950, when her first published story, Divine Right, appeared in the summ...

A mysterious blue crystal possesses a power that could change the course of a devastating global war. But turning a deadly discovery into humanity’s last hope will demand more from one young scientist than he ever imagined. The Crystal Ray by Raymond Z. Gallun. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Raymond Z. Gallun returns to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast for just the second time. His first appearance was about a year and a half ago with Return of a Legend, an adventure set on Mars.

Gallun enjoyed a remarkable writing career that span...

A forgotten civilization struggles to understand why the stars no longer match its ancient maps, while a stranded sailor discovers that its inhabitants cannot even see him. But the island’s most terrifying secret waits inside a temple, where a desperate people have turned to something far more dangerous than their calculations. The Uncharted Isle by Clark Ashton Smith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Clark Ashton Smith has appeared on the podcast four times before, and his first story, The City of Singing Flame, remains one of my personal favorites. As you listen to toda...

A brilliant mind pushes a forbidden idea too far, testing whether intelligence can exist without flesh or conscience. When reason gives way to rivalry, the cost of curiosity becomes terrifyingly personal. Moxon’s Master by Ambrose Bierce. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

A big thank you to Josh Jennings who bought us 20 coffees. “Come for the stories, stay for the voice…and the stories. One of the greatest podcasts that’s ever been podcasted! Keep up the great work, Scott! You make fans for life!”

Thanks Josh for the wonderful comments and the 20 coffe...

A prosperous merchant is forced into a secret brotherhood whose members hunt as beasts and obey an ancient master who can reach into their minds. When that obedience threatens the people Wladislaw loves most, escaping the pack may require him to turn its own savage nature against it. The Werewolf of Ponkert by H. Warner Munn. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

We narrated this story for our new podcast Weird Tales Reborn and we are including it on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast to introduce you to the type of stories that you will find on...

A violent river feud leaves a boy desperate to save the only family he has left. But when Jimmy reaches for help, something far beyond the Mississippi may be listening. The Mississippi Saucer by Frank Belknap Long. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Another 5 star review on Apple Podcasts in the UK, AJK 59 says, ”Brilliant. Thoroughly enjoying these stories, so glad I found this series , driving around the UK and Ireland with my job has become a lot more enjoyable, great narration, keep up the great work. Andrew.”

Thank you for that wonderful 5 star r...

On a harsh frontier world, fear spreads faster than truth when a brutal crime fractures a fragile human settlement. As suspicion turns inward, the greatest danger may come from what people choose to believe. The Man the Martians Made by Frank Belknap Long. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Every time I finish narrating a story by Frank Belknap Long, I find myself asking the same question: Why did I wait so long to narrate another one? His stories have a way of reminding me just how imaginative and entertaining vintage science fiction can be. Th...

A harmless obsession becomes something far more dangerous when beauty conceals an appetite no botanist expects. H. G. Wells turns a quiet greenhouse into a trap where fascination may keep its victim close for one moment too long. The Flowering of the Strange Orchid by H. G. Wells. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Your 5 star reviews put a smile on our face and make us want to get back in the booth to narrate another story. Cattle Boss posted this on Apple Podcasts US, “Excellent. So glad I found this podcast! Fills my days on t...

A desperate warning from ten years ahead lands in the hands of men who pride themselves on knowing almost everything. They laugh at the messenger, but one name may prove that the future has already begun. D. P. From Tomorrow by Mack Reynolds. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

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Three ancient aliens awaken aboard a human freighter, and neither species can understand what the other intends. With the crew helpless and the ship racing through hyperspace, someone must find a way to turn two terrified enemies into something else. Milk Run by Robert Donald Locke. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

We’re giving away a Lost Sci-Fi Podcast or Weird Tales Reborn T-shirt — and YOU choose the design and the color!

Check out all of our new designs in the merch store at LostSciFi.com/merch , or click the link in the de...

A desperate war rages between sky-borne colonists and unseen creatures that rule the stone beneath their feet. One accidental visitor from another age may decide whether an alien civilization survives or is erased from history. Against the Stone Beasts by James Blish. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Author James Blish became one of science fiction’s most respected writers and critics. He began publishing fiction in the 1940s and went on to write the celebrated Cities in Flight series, along with the Hugo Award-winning novel A Case of Conscience. Blish was also among the earl...

A fortune stands just out of reach, and one beautifully crafted Martian necklace seems capable of removing the only person standing in the way. But a perfect murder requires more than the perfect weapon when someone else knows exactly what that necklace can do. Murderer’s Chain by Wenzell Brown. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Wenzell Brown was an American author and educator born in Portland, Maine, in 1911. He earned his master’s degree from Columbia University and taught in Puerto Rico and China, where he was caught up in the Second World War and in...

Captain Hannah has found people who can reshape a spaceship with their minds, but their astonishing powers come with the judgment of ordinary kids. When a helpful teenager starts “giffling” with the Delta Crucis, Hannah realizes that getting home may be easier than surviving the repairs. When You Giffle… by Joseph Wesley. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

When You Giffle… appeared under author Joseph Wesley’s pseudonym, L. J. Stecher Jr. Wesley used that name for stories in Galaxy Science Fiction and Worlds of Tomorrow, while A Matter of Taste appeared in If under his real nam...

A brilliant scientist creates a mechanical mind capable of reasoning beyond its maker, then discovers it has begun building for itself. When towering machines march against entire cities, one man must find a way to destroy an intelligence that can outthink every human opponent. The Metal Giants by Edmond Hamilton. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

I’ve been searching through old issues of Weird Tales, looking for great stories for our new podcast, Weird Tales Reborn, when I came across this story by Edmond Hamilton. And with all the talk lately about artificial intelligence, robo...

Gummitch knows he was meant for more than the ordinary life of a house cat, but finding an outlet for his restless imagination isn’t easy. When his baffled humans finally discover what he has been doing in the kitchen, they realize their cat may be creating something they never thought an animal could make. Kreativity For Kats by Fritz Leiber. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Fritz Leiber wrote some wonderfully zany science fiction. Nice Girl With 5 Husbands, Later Than You Think, The Last Letter, and my personal favorite among his humorously strange tales, What...

A dead man discovers that hatred can survive the grave—and that the living may be far more vulnerable than they realize. Richard Devaney refuses to surrender the woman he loves, even if reaching her means stealing control of another man’s body. The Dead Man’s Tale by Willard E. Hawkins. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

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Welcome to the very first epi...

A government believes it has created the perfect biological weapon: a virus that kills only the people it considers dangerous. But Dr. Joseph Euge knows the plague is making a very different judgment, and soon an entire world may learn what truly makes someone vulnerable. Righteous Plague by Robert Abernathy. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

More new 5 star reviews on Apple Podcasts US! Snowcrash2020 says, “Thanks. Great stories with good narration. Keep it simple, keep it coming!”

That’s the plan Snowcrash2020! And thank you for your comment and the 5 stars.

If The...

A historian joins a late-night conversation about worlds where one altered event sends nations down roads no one remembers. Then a stranger leaves behind something impossible to explain, suggesting one of those other histories may be much closer than anyone imagined. Crossroads of Destiny by H. Beam Piper. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Our new podcast, Weird Tales Reborn, will be available within the next 48 hours—possibly even sooner—and we think you’re going to love it.

We’ve featured stories from Weird Tales magazine on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast before, but Weird...

A brilliant inventor finally discovers that the future may be worth far more than anyone imagined. But turning tomorrow into financial security requires finding someone willing to make a very bad investment today. Security Plan by Joseph Farrell. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

While we were out of town with Mom, Tony Ciak bought us 10 coffees with the simple message, “In Your Time of Need.”

Tony, your kindness came at a time when it meant more than you could possibly know. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I’m excite...

A young police officer finally gets the dangerous assignment he has been craving, only to discover that catching a killer may not solve the crime. In the 32nd century, the law can hold someone responsible who never pulled a trigger. Public Enemy by Kendell Foster Crossen. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Kendell Foster Crossen was born in 1910, in Albany, Ohio, the only child of farmers Sam and Clo Crossen. He attended Rio Grande College in Ohio on a football scholarship, was an amateur boxer, and before becoming a professional writer held a variety of jo...

A familiar world becomes terrifying when everyone around Sam Weber accepts a new order that he cannot understand. As children take command and adults surrender without protest, Sam must discover why he alone still believes something is terribly wrong. Crack of Doom by Stephen Marlowe. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

A very special thank you to Ryan and Kait for buying us 10 coffees and for sending this incredibly kind message:

“Thank you for The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. My wife and I listen every night. This podcast is a big part of our live...

Three years away has left Bill unprepared for an Earth where people can send perfect artificial bodies out to live for them. When an old rival threatens the woman he still loves, Bill discovers that becoming almost impossible to kill may be easier than accepting what life has become. Coffin For Two by Winston Marks. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Winston Marks was a Wisconsin-born science fiction writer who became remarkably prolific in the 1950s, publishing nearly 60 stories in just a few years. Before making his living as a writer, Marks claimed an extraordinary as...

The people of Kana refuse to abandon their forgotten world, and Kenyon is determined to discover what could make them choose isolation over the stars. Deep beneath the strange islands, something ancient has already decided who belongs on Kana—and who will never leave. Blood Lands by Alfred Coppel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

There are lots of ways to support The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, and no matter how you choose to support us, we truly appreciate it. One of those ways is by buying us a coffee.

A huge thank you to T...

Don Hartley has stumbled upon an invention that could make him fabulously wealthy—and give anyone who controls it the power to watch anyone, anywhere. Before he cashes in, he must decide whether some discoveries are simply too dangerous to share. The Vidiot by Ib Melchior. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Another day, another author making his debut on the podcast. Ib Melchior was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1917. His father was a celebrated opera singer who performed throughout Europe and the Americas from the 1920s through the 1940s, including appearances with the Chicago Oper...

A lone Watcher abandons the safety of his hidden post when a human survivor falls into enemy hands. Outnumbered and almost unarmed, he must turn a frozen alien moon into a weapon before the Rumi escape with their prisoner. The Watchers by George H. Smith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

We are thankful for another 5-star review on Apple Podcasts in the US. This one comes from DanDanknick:

“A new experience I enjoyed. Other than the Psalms I’ve never listened to anyone reading anything on a podcast. A new daily work commut...

A fugitive believes he has found a world willing to give him everything he has lost, including someone who seems made for him. But the closer paradise comes to matching his deepest desires, the harder it becomes for him to trust what stands before him. Killer by James E. Gunn. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Author James Edwin Gunn makes his debut on the podcast today. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1923, Gunn was a science fiction writer, editor, scholar, and anthologist whose remarkable career spanned decades.

Gunn wrote about 20 novels and mo...

Arthur Holly thinks he has found the surest bet in horse racing when a brilliant scientist discovers how to make an aging nag run like a champion. The scheme works beautifully, but every race leaves their fortune riding on one very fragile piece of technology. Replace the Horse by Laurence M. Janifer. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

I want to take a moment to make a promise to everyone who listens to The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Platforms come and go. Things change, sometimes for reasons beyond our control. The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast ma...

Deep in the Brazilian jungle, a terrified family has found a way to bargain with something no human being was meant to bargain with. When an American naturalist realizes who—or what—is demanding payment, he begins to understand how easily an army of tiny creatures could become something far more dangerous. Doomsday Deferred by Murray Leinster. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Murray Leinster is one of my favorite authors and this is the 12th story written by Leinster that we have featured on the podcast.

First published in The Saturday Evening Post...

Sidney Davidson can hear his friends in England, feel the furniture beneath his hands, and yet his eyes insist he is somewhere impossibly far away. As the vision refuses to fade, one question becomes harder to dismiss: what if the impossible scene before him is not a dream at all? The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes by H. G. Wells. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Today’s story was first published in the Pall Mall Budget which was a weekly British magazine published in London and served as a weekly digest of articles and ne...

This episode of the podcast is dedicated to my Mom who passed two days ago at the age of 86. Thank you Mom, for everything

A desperate father races through flooded mountain wilderness toward a village chapel, convinced only a sacred symbol can save his fever-stricken daughter before nightfall. But every mile costs him time, and the strange stranger he keeps rescuing may be the very reason he returns home too late. Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Today’s author lived an amazing life. Squire Omar...

Some of you have reached out to ask why there haven’t been any new episodes of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast recently.

My mother is nearing the end of her life, and I am traveling to be with her and spend whatever time we have left together.

Right now, I don’t know when I’ll be able to return to producing new episodes of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. In the meantime, there are more than 600 episodes already available, and I hope you’ll continue to explore the many stories in the collection and find somethin...

This episode of the podcast is dedicated to my Mom who passed two days ago at the age of 86. Thank you Mom, for everything

A desperate father races through flooded mountain wilderness toward a village chapel, convinced only a sacred symbol can save his fever-stricken daughter before nightfall. But every mile costs him time, and the strange stranger he keeps rescuing may be the very reason he returns home too late. Back Before The Moon by S. Omar Barker. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Today’s author lived an amazing life. Squire Omar...

One careless trip into prehistory leaves Gooseneck McCarthy facing the one man stubborn enough to ruin everything—himself. Every attempt to fix the problem creates another McCarthy, and soon nobody can agree which one belongs in the present. Me, Myself and I by Philip Klass. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Author Philip Klass returns to the podcast today. He was born Philip Klass in London, moved to Brooklyn and his stories bear the name William Tenn most of the time.

But not today. He used the name Kenneth Putnam in the Winter 1947 issu...

Frank Ridley has been given centuries to live, but the woman he loves may have only decades. To keep her, he must ask her to accept the same extraordinary future that has already separated him from everyone else. Forever is So Long by John Jakes. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Today marks the debut of author John Jakes on the podcast. If his name sounds familiar it might be because of the TV Mini Series North and South which aired on ABC in 1985, Book 2 ran in 1986 and Book 3 in 1994. Book 1 had an All Star ca...

A veteran Mech fighter steps into what should be another routine match, only to discover that someone has turned the arena into a death trap with thousands cheering for the bloodshed. If he survives long enough to expose the deception, he’ll have to do it against the deadliest machine he has ever faced. The Mech Fighter by Stuart McIver. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Another 5-star review on Apple Podcasts Canada. Mistercloth says, “Stories to enjoy while in space flight. I have been enjoying these wonderful stories just about every day as I relax...

A routine first contact becomes far more complicated when two spacefaring expeditions discover they have misunderstood almost everything about one another. Just as genuine friendship begins to replace suspicion, a far more dangerous question demands an immediate answer: who actually lives in the abandoned city around them? The Contact Point by Jack Sharkey. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Thanks to our incredible listeners across Australia, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast has climbed all the way to #3 in Science Fiction on Apple Podcasts in your country.

Every listen, every follow, every rating, and every ti...

A young researcher risks his career, his freedom, and his sanity to prove that madness can be reversed with a single injection. But when the only way to demonstrate the cure is from inside a locked ward, he must decide whether to stake his life on the very drug that put him there. Open All Doors by Harry Harrison and Hubert Pritchard. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Harry Harrison is one of my favorite authors. His spacefaring sci-fi, The Stainless Steel Rat and The Misplaced Battleship are two of my favorites. And I enjoy hi...