

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories
Scott Miller
Step aboard our cosmic vessel and embark on a thrilling journey through the annals of science fiction history. Delve into the realms of imagination with us as we traverse the vast expanses of the solar system, encountering aliens, robots, and spacefaring brigands amidst the twinkling stars.Join us several times a week as we unearth timeless tales penned by the luminaries of vintage sci-fi literature. From the visionary minds of Philip K. Dick to the poetic prose of Ray Bradbury, from the boundless imagination of Isaac Asimov to the pioneering works of H. G. Wells, Arthur C. Clarke, Harlan Ellison, and countless others, we bring you short stories that have shaped the genre for generations.Prepare to journey back in time a hundred years, or more, to an era when these awe-inspiring narratives first graced the pages of pulp magazines and sci-fi anthologies. Yet, paradoxically, our destination often lies in the distant future, where the echoes of these literary marvels continue to resonate.Guiding us through this celestial voyage is our narrator, Scott Miller, who serves as your companion and guide as we traverse the cosmos, exploring the wonders of yesteryear and the possibilities of tomorrow. Join us as we navigate the depths of space and time, embarking on an adventure that transcends the boundaries of imagination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 12, 2023 • 39min
The Repairman by Harry Harrison
Being an interstellar trouble shooter wouldn’t be so bad … if I could shoot the trouble! The Repairman by Harry Harrison, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We receive a lot of great comments on YouTube, this one from @richardhoffman2681 “Easily one of my favorite YouTube channels. Don’t worry, it’s going to catch on. Bet $100 bucks a year from now you have 100,000+ subscribers. Keep it up!” Thank you, Richard!! 100,000+ subscribers a year from now? I hope you’re right. @sarabrooks1996 says, “I think I'm too late for the live feed but I just wanna tell you that I love your voice. And you really bring the stories to life.” Thank you, Sara, we appreciate you and your comments. We’ve featured Harry Harrison’s work 4 times previously on the podcast and he’s back today with a story about a controlling boss and the challenges that follow. Open your February 1958 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine to page 60 for, The Repairman by Harry Harrison… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, You can’t always escape evils by running away from them… but it may help! A Traveler in Time by August Derleth. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 11, 2023 • 59min
Z by Charles L. Fontenay - They Were One Person—Split by the Laws of Physics
Time reversal exists at the sub-atomic level according to Feynman's Theory—and according to that same theory any entity can exist in three places at one time.... Does this explain, the strange co-existence of Summer, Mark and Wyn? Z by Charles L. Fontenay, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Thank you for supporting The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Your ratings and reviews on Apple Podcasts and Spotify are appreciated. And you can support us by buying us a cup of coffee, like Ryan Lee Church did yesterday. In fact, he bought us 3 coffees along with the comment “Love the Podcast”. Thanks Ryan! There’s a link in the description if you’d like to buy us a coffee. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We’re going live again on YouTube Thursday at 8 PM in Melbourne and Sydney for all our Australia listeners. That’s 9 PM in Brisbane and 10 PM in Auckland for our New Zealand listeners. We would love it if you would join us. There’s a link to our YouTube channel in the description. https://www.youtube.com/Vintagescifiaudiobooks Charles L. Fontenay returns to the podcast for the second time. Today’s story appeared in the June 1956 issue of If worlds of Science Fiction Magazine, turn to page 41 for, Z by Charles L. Fontenay… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Being an interstellar trouble shooter wouldn’t be so bad … if I could shoot the trouble! The Repairman by Harry Harrison. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 10, 2023 • 1h 24min
The Call From Beyond by Clifford D. Simak - A Cosmic Voice Beckons
Alone, accursed, he set out on the long, dark voyage to the forbidden gateway to worlds beyond life itself—restlessforever with an ultimate knowledge, possessing which no man could die! The Call From Beyond by Clifford D. Simak, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We’re going live again on YouTube this Thursday at 8 PM in Melbourne and Sydney for all our Australia listeners. That’s 9 PM in Brisbane and 10 PM in Auckland for our New Zealand listeners. We would love it if you would join us. There’s a link to our YouTube channel in the description. https://www.youtube.com/Vintagescifiaudiobooks Clifford D. Simak is one of my new favorite authors. His stories tend to be a little longer than most and thought provoking to say the least. Is this a creepy story, a horror story or something else? I’ll let you decide. From the May 1950 issue of Super Science Stories comes a short story that you shouldn’t listen to at bedtime! He had seen those faces before… things that came from beyond, entities that broke in from the outside, The Call From Beyond by Clifford D. Simak… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Time reversal exists at the sub-atomic level according to Feynman's Theory—and according to that same theory any entity can exist in three places at one time.... Does this explain, the strange co-existence of Summer, Mark and Wyn? Z by Charles L. Fontenay. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 9, 2023 • 28min
Home is the Spaceman by George O. Smith - Space Travel Science Fiction
Enright was coming home, which should have been good, since he was the first Earthman ever to go faster than light. But when he'd been gone eighteen months in a ship that was supplied for only ten days, the authorities were just a trifle curious...Home is the Spaceman by George O. Smith, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV Another 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, this review was written by Proenker, “Awesome Podcast. I enjoy all your amazing stories so much. It’s great to hear so many classic tales. Thanks for all the great content.” Thank you Proenker! We’d love it if you give us a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts, if you think we deserve it. And another email, this one from Juan, “Excellent podcast. Would love to hear more of Asimov’s stories, or other authors with similar easy and enjoyable style. Also, looking forward to the upcoming stories for this month.” Thanks Juan, and you’ll be happy to know there’s more Asimov on the way soon. We love hearing from you, you can email us at scott@lostscifi.com. George O. Smith is another of those authors that most people have never heard of. When I first stumbled upon Mr. Smith I liked his work so here he is. George Oliver Smith, born in Chicago in 1911 was a consistent contributor to Astounding Science Fiction during the Golden Age of Science Fiction of the 1940s. His collaboration with the magazine's editor, John W. Campbell, Jr. was interrupted when Campbell's first wife, Doña, left him in 1949 and married Smith. Yea, that tends to mess up a relationship between friends. He wrote about 70 short stories and novels, most of them in the 1940s and 50s. Today marks the beginning of several stories written by George O. Smith that you will hear, here on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Open the pages of Rocket Stories magazine, a publication that debuted in April 1953 and disappeared three issues later after the September 53 issue. The 2nd issue which came out in July gave us the story you’re about to hear. Turn with me to page 50 for, Home is the Spaceman by George O. Smith… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Alone, accursed, he set out on the long, dark voyage to the forbidden gateway to worlds beyond life itself—restless forever with an ultimate knowledge, possessing which no man could die! The Call From Beyond by Clifford D. Simak. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 8, 2023 • 23min
The Crawlers by Philip K. Dick
Everybody hated the mutant children born near the radiation lab. Hush it up, Washington had directed. So Gretry was sent to dispose of–The Crawlers by Philip K. Dick, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV Our story today, written by master storyteller Philip K. Dick is a little creepy and a little sad. Radiation labs were causing terrible human mutations. Was this the end of mankind? Turn to page 94 in the July 1954 issue of Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy for The Crawlers by Philip K. Dick… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Enright was coming home, which should have beengood, since he was the first Earthman ever to gofaster than light. But when he'd been gone eighteen months in a ship that was supplied for only ten days, the authorities were just a trifle curious... Home is the Spaceman by George O. Smith. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 7, 2023 • 44min
Jonah of the Jove-Run by Ray Bradbury - Ray Bradbury Science Fiction
They hated this little beat-up old guy. Evenif his crazycosmic brain could track ameteor clear across the Galaxy, why did hehave to smash the super-sensitive detectors? Jonah of the Jove-Run by Ray Bradbury, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVThe Lost Sci-Fi Merchandise store is open for business. There are several designs and a multitude of t shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, cups and pint size glasses so you can drink your favorite beverage while listening to the podcast. https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com Use the coupon code EARLYBIRD and save 15% for a limited time. Ray Bradbury has been on the podcast many times, today’s story comes from Planet Stories Magazine in the spring of 1948. Turn to page 50 for Jonah of the Jove-Run by Ray Bradbury … Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Everybody hated the mutant children born near the radiation lab. Hush it up, Washington had directed. So Gretry was sent to dispose of–The Crawlers by Philip K. Dick. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 6, 2023 • 1h 6min
Upon the Dull Earth by Philip K. Dick - Scary Stories, Creepy Stories
“Who is Sylvia? What is she?” Oh, no! What is Sylvia… and who isn’t she? Upon the Dull Earth by Philip K. Dick, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We’ve had some interesting Philip K. Dick stories here on the podcast, but we’ve never heard really scary stories from PKD. Until now. And in two days we’re going to hear a scary creepy story from Philip K. Dick, a really creepy story. Sandwiched in between we’ll hear from legendary author Ray Bradbury. There were only 10 issues of Beyond Fantasy Fiction Magazine published from 1953 to 1955, and the last two issues changed the cover name to Beyond Fiction. Today’s scary story appears in the next to last issue of the short-lived publication. Our scary story can be found in the November 1954 issue and begins on page 70, Upon the Dull Earth by Philip K. Dick… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, They hated this little beat-up old guy. Even if his crazy cosmic brain could track a meteor clear across the Galaxy, why did he have to smash the super-sensitive detectors? Jonah of the Jove-Run by Ray Bradbury. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 5, 2023 • 40min
Forsyte's Retreat by Winston Marks - Sci Fi Short Stories
Sextus Rollo Forsyte had his trouble with the bottle, but nothing out of a bottle ever produced such a hotel as the Mahoney-Plaza: only 260 rooms ... only two guests to a room ... but accommodating 5200 guests—all at the same time!... Floor please? Forsyte’s Retreat by Winston Marks, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsVMerch https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/ We decided to do a story every day in October to say thank you for your overwhelming support. We now have 83 ratings on Spotify with an average of 4.9, 136 ratings on Apple Podcasts with an average of 4.99 and more 5-star reviews. Sci-fi-guy2001 says, “If podcasting went away completely, I would miss The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast more than any other podcast I have ever listened to. The narration is outstanding and the story selection never fails to impress me. Thank you, thank you. Rich in Texas” Thank you, Rich, that is an amazing review. Your ratings and reviews encourage others to check us out and we thank you for your support. Please keep those Spotify ratings and Apple Podcast reviews coming! Little known Winston Marks turned out some interesting stories during his career. This one appeared in the May 1954 issue of, If Worlds of Science Fiction Magazine. Open the yellowed pages to the illustration on page 96 and the text of the story on page 97 for, Forsyte’s Retreat by Winston Marks… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, one of my newfound favorites, “Who is Sylvia? What is she?” Oh, no! What is Sylvia… and who isn’t she? Upon the Dull Earth by Philip K. Dick. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 4, 2023 • 32min
King of the Hill by James Blish
A madman can be prevented frombomb-throwing—but a mad world? King of the Hill by James Blish, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. We love hearing from you! Odette wrote us an email recently, “Dear Mr. Miller,Thank you for your fantastic reading voice. Your accent and pronunciation and rhythm of the reading you do for the world is a delight to the mind. You are one of two readers who have this special resonance in your voice. Thank you, and thank you againOdette” Odette, thank you! Your kind words are music to my ears. If you’d like to send us an email, we’d love it! scott@lostscifi.com Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We’re going live tomorrow, Thursday October 5th on YouTube. We will be live at 8 PM in London. That’s 3 PM in Toronto, 2 in Kansas City and Chicago, Noon in Seattle and Los Angeles. There’s a link in the description so you can join us. https://www.youtube.com/Vintagescifiaudiobooks Author James Blish makes his debut on the podcast today. Blish was born in 1921 in East Orange, New Jersey. While he was in high school, he published a sci-fi fanzine, The Planeteer. Blish became a member of the Futurian Science Fiction Society in New York City and became close friends with members Damon Knight and C. M. Kornbluth.He wrote just over 90 short stories and 9 novels. Our story can be found in the very first issue of Infinity Science Fiction Magazine in November 21955, on page 56, King of the Hill by James Blish… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Sextus Rollo Forsyte had his trouble with the bottle, but nothing out of a bottle ever produced such a hotel as the Mahoney-Plaza: only 260 rooms ... only two guests to a room ... but accommodating 5200 guests—all at the same time!... Floor please? Forsyte’s Retreat by Winston Marks. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Oct 3, 2023 • 42min
The Elephant Circuit by Robert A. Heinlein - Science Fiction Short Story
The exposition was easily the biggest John Watts had ever seen, and he’d seen them all. Yet, besides its size, there was something else strange about this fair–it was just a little out of this world! The Elephant Circuit by Robert A. Heinlein, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. Special thanks to listener J Paul Parker who bought 3 coffees along with the comment “Thank you, good narration.” Thank you, J Paul Parker!! If you’d like to show your appreciation for the podcast, there’s a link in the description where you can buy us a cup of coffee. Support the show - https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV We’re going live again in two days on October 5th on YouTube. We will be live at 8 PM in London. There’s a link in the description so you can join us and I hope you do.https://www.youtube.com/Vintagescifiaudiobooks We receive a lot of requests and many of them are for stories by Robert A. Henlein. He was born on July 7th, 1907, in Butler Missouri. His family moved to Kansas City later that year. He was a voracious reader and using the library cards of his siblings he read all the science fiction books in the Kansas City Public Library. He was in the Navy for a short period of time before he was medically discharged. He gave politics a shot but that didn’t go well so in 1938 he was unemployed and broke. A year later he wrote his first short story, “Life Line” which he sold to Astounding Science Fiction magazine for 70 dollars, equivalent to about $1,500 today. He would go on to write 32 novels and 59 short stories during his incredible career. From the pages of the October 1957 issue of Saturn magazine, let’s turn to page 116 for The Elephant Circuit by Robert A. Heinlein… Tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A madman can be prevented from bomb-throwing—but a mad world? King of the Hill by James Blish. That’s tomorrow on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


