

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

Sep 18, 2023 • 1h 4min
Survey Team and Souvenir by Philip K. Dick - Philip K. Dick Audiobook Short Story
A brave new world or was it the long way home–for these men. And, A hideous nightmare seemed the culture of Williamson’s world–to men who knew nothing of beauty. Survey Team and Souvenir 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. We’re seeing phenomenal growth all over the world and we cannot thank you enough for your support. The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is being heard in more than 100 countries around the world. To say thank you we’ve got a special announcement that will be made when we go live on YouTube Thursday night at 8 PM in New York. We’ll answer your questions and let you know what stories are already narrated and on the way, and some of those we are working on for future episodes. Let’s kick off our double dose of Philip K. Dick with a story from the May 1954 issue of Fantastic Universe Magazine. Our story can be found on page 84. Survey Team by Philip K. Dick… Our second story was printed in the pages of Fantastic Universe Magazine five months after our previous story. The magazine had this to say about the now legendary author. “Philip Dick’s characters have an exciting way of letting their logically-motivated self-interest lead them straight down the flaming road to ruin. We suspect that it is this distinctly individual approach which has made him one of the most admired and widely read science fiction writers of the past few years.” Let’s turn to page 41 for Souvenir by Philip K. Dick… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Neither Peter Horn nor his wife ever expected that their child would be a small blue pyramid of another dimension! The Shape of Things by Ray Bradbury. That’s in just two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 16, 2023 • 39min
Strange Eden by Philip K. Dick - Philip K Dick Short Stories
Johnson wanted to leave the verdant world, but Brent was bound he’d have a look around. He did, and found a reason to stay–unluckily… Strange Eden 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. This is episode 100 of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, which probably means more to us than it does to you. It’s a significant milestone but we are just getting started. Another 5-star review on Apple Podcasts, written by goldfischegirl69, “My Favorite Bedtime Listen. My happy place is listening to these expertly narrated sci-fi stories every night before bed. They are so soothing and relaxing. I love the feeling of being transported to another world. So grateful for each and every episode. Thank you! ❤️” Well, goldfischegirl69 thank you! My happy place is reading excellent reviews from people like you. Even if you listen to us on YouTube or another podcast player you can go to Apple podcasts and leave a review. Your 5-star ratings and excellent reviews encourage others to check us out. Thanks in advance should you choose to leave us a review. If you listen on Spotify, please give us a 5-star rating, if you think we deserve it. So far, we have 68 5-star ratings on Spotify. Thank you! We decided to feature a Philip K. Dick story for our 100th episode because we began the podcast with PKD’s The Hanging Stranger almost 19 months ago. We’ll kick off our next 100 episodes with a double shot of Philip K. Dick in three days. Our story can be found in the December 1954 issue of Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy. Brent only wanted to look around the planet; the trouble was, he looked too far! Turn to page 66 for Strange Eden by Philip K. Dick… Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, a special Twofer Tuesday. A double shot of Philip K. Dick. A brave new world or was it the long way home–for these men. And, A hideous nightmare seemed the culture of Williamson’s world–to men who knew nothing of beauty. Survey Team and Souvenir by Philip K. Dick. That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episodeSupport the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 14, 2023 • 1h 13min
Invasion by Murray Leinster - The greatest threat to Earth’s defenses wasn’t alien—it was already among us.
The whole fighting fleet of the United Nations is caught in Kreynborg's marvelous, unique trap. Invasion by Murray Leinster, 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 all you do to promote our podcast. Thanks to you we now have a Facebook page and we would really appreciate it if you’d share our page and our posts. And it’s a new way to interact with you and your comments and questions. You will find our page and soon a link to every one of our stories in the description. https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcast We’re going live on YouTube in one week. We’ll answer your questions, and we have a special announcement, we’ll tell you all about it next Thursday on YouTube. There’s a link to our YouTube page in the description. https://www.youtube.com/vintagescifiaudiobooks Here’s a hint, if you like our September to Remember with 3 new episodes every week, you will love what we have planned! We get a lot of requests, and we get to them as soon as we can. Dr. Shane Kush this one’s for you. Murray Leinster made his debut a few months ago with, “The Other Now”. He returns today with a 90-year-old story from the March 1933 issue of Astounding Stories Magazine. Let’s turn to page 118 for Invasion by Murray Leinster… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Johnson wanted to leave the verdant world, but Brent was bound he’d have a look around. He did, and found a reason to stay–unluckily… Strange Eden by Philip K. Dick. That’s in two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 12, 2023 • 37min
And It Comes Out Here by Lester Del Rey - Time Travel Science Fiction Audiobook
There is one fact no sane man can quarrel with ... everything has a beginning and an end. But some men aren't sane; thus it isn't always so! And It Comes Out Here by Lester del Rey, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. There are many ways you can support The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Your reviews and ratings on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, comments on our YouTube channel and there’s a link in the description where you can buy us a cup of coffee. If you choose to buy us a cup of coffee and tell us your name when you do, we’ll thank you here on the podcast. Everything you do to help us allows us to produce more episodes faster. Thank you. Lester del Rey was an interesting fellow. He often told people his real name was Ramon Felipe Alvarez-del Rey. But his sister confirmed that his name was in fact Leonard Knapp. He told people his father was a poor sharecropper but that’s not true either. It seems Lester del Rey was destined to become a great storyteller. He was born in 1915, some say he was born in Clydesdale, Minnesota, but I looked and looked and couldn’t find Clydesdale, Minnesota. Wonder if that was made up too? His mother died shortly after he was born, his father hired a woman to care for him and his older sister, eventually marrying the woman. But she didn’t able to connect with young Lester, actually Leonard. In 1931, at the age of 16, he moved by himself to Washington D.C. to attend George Washington University on a scholarship. He didn’t stay long. For the next two years he supported himself doing a variety of odd jobs and writing poetry. He sold 20 poems to various publications before coming to the realization that poetry was not his thing. In 1938 he wrote a science fiction short story on a dare from a friend after he criticized the work of a professional writer. He wrote “The Faithful” in one day and submitted it to Astounding Science Fiction magazine. Eight days later he got a check in the mail and his professional writing career had begun. By the way, you will hear “The Faithful” in a future episode. Let’s open the pages of Galaxy Science Fiction Magazine in February 1951, turn to page 62 for And It Comes Out Here by Lester del Rey… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The whole fighting fleet of the United Nations is caught in Kreynborg's marvelous, unique trap. Invasion by Murray Leinster. That’s in two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 9, 2023 • 29min
The Foxholes of Mars by Fritz Leiber - Science Fiction Audiobook Short Story
The wars of the far future will be fought with giant spaceships, but it will still take the infantryman to hold down the planets. And some of the thoughts bred in the foxholes of Mars or Alpha Centauri Duo or Rigel Tres will be fully as bitter as some of those dredged up in the foxholes of Earth. The Foxholes of Mars by Fritz Leiber, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. We love reading your emails. This one comes from Graeme Dalling, “I came across your podcast 2 weeks ago, and I have been listening to all the back episodes as often as I can. Thank you so much for a wonderful and entertaining show. The narration is top notch, very easy and enjoyable to listen to. I am blind, so access to printed material is very limited to either very large magnification devices or Text to Speech reading. To hear my favourite authors and alot of new ones (to me) read out so well, is such a marvellous find! Again, a very big Thank you!!! Graeme Dalling, South Australia.” Thank you sir! Thank you for your email and your kind words. We would love to hear from you! scott@lostscifi.com Commenting on “The Wall of Darkness” Stephen Kagan says, “An enthralling story beautifully told!” Thanks Stephen! Fritz Leiber returns today with an interesting science fiction short story about war set on Mars. “What is it we’re fighting against,” he wondered–and what for? rWe find our story on page 125 in the June 1952 issue of Thrilling Wonder Stories, The Foxholes of Mars by Fritz Leiber… In three days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, There is one fact no sane man can quarrel with... everything has a beginning and an end. But some men aren't sane; thus it isn't always so! And It Comes Out Here by Lester del Rey. That’s in three days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 7, 2023 • 26min
Slay-Ride by Winston Marks - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Story
Who ever thought that Frane Lewis—wholesale triggerman, spaceways pirate—would be the sweating victim of a simple, webbed, nylon garment known as spaceman's underwear? Slay-Ride 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. We get a lot of emails at scott@lostscifi.com and a lot of comments on our YouTube channel. Some of the more recent YouTube comments include this from “trevorwheatley4166” “Thank you for all your story telling. It's a fresh breath of life to hear, also extremely MELLO.” Thanks Trevor, I’m guessing MELLO is good! This from “sleepywilliams6381” who commented on “Let’s Get Together by Isaac Asimov” “Another great story by a great author and narrator, as usual. Keep up the good work.” Thank you Sleepy! DebMurphyBits also commented on “Let’s Get Together” “Good one!!!! I’ve listened to quite a few of your episodes now and why you don’t have hundreds of thousands of followers yet is beyond me. Great narrations and awesome story picks!! What timing this one is, now, with artificial intelligence coming together with robotics and the dawn of a real life technological revolution. Keep up the stories please” Deb, we are thankful for you and every listener and follower we have. Hopefully those hundreds of thousands of followers you mentioned are on their way! If you’ve been listening to the podcast for a while, you know Winston Marks is one of my personal favorites. He was a busy man from 1953 to 1955 with 46 stories published in a variety of magazines. Although our story originally appeared in Planet Stories magazine in 1953 it can also be found in Science Fiction Monthly published in Australia in September 1956. Let’s turn to page 25 in the November 1953 issue of Planet Stories magazine for Slay-Ride by Winston Marks… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The wars of the far future will be fought with giant spaceships, but it will still take the infantryman to hold down the planets. And some of the thoughts bred in the foxholes of Mars or Alpha Centauri Duo or Rigel Tres will be fully as bitter as some of those dredged up in the foxholes of Earth. The Foxholes of Mars by Fritz Leiber. That’s In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 5, 2023 • 1h 15min
Message From Mars by Clifford D. Simak - Classic Science Fiction
Fifty-five pioneers had died on the "bridge of bones" that spanned the Void to the rusty plains of Mars. Now the fifty-sixth stood on the red planet, his only ship a total wreck—and knew that Earth was doomed unless he could send a warning within hours. Message From Mars 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. This is going to be a September to Remember. August was a record month for us and we’re going to reward you for your kindness, glowing comments and reviews by releasing 14 stories in September instead of the usual 4 or 5. You’ll hear a new podcast every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday all month long! We’ve entered the top 10 in the rankings in Brazil and we’ve cracked the top 20 for the second time in the UK. Last October in the UK we were ranked 239th, today we hit 19th. Thanks to all our awesome listeners in the UK, Brazil and wherever you are. We will hear great stories from Ray Bradbury, H. G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, Fritz Leiber, Harry Harrison, two stories from Murray Leinster and three stories from Philip K. Dick, and more this month. Let’s get started with our second story from Clifford D. Simak in about a month. Let’s go back in time 80 years to the fall of 1943. Open the Fall 1943 issue of Planet Stories Magazine to page 30 for Message From Mars by Clifford D. Simak… In two days, our September to Remember on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast continues, Who ever thought that Frane Lewis—wholesale triggerman, spaceways pirate—would be the sweating victim of a simple, webbed, nylon garment known as spaceman's underwear? Slay-Ride by Winston Marks. That’s In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sep 2, 2023 • 44min
Let's Get Together by Isaac Asimov - Isaac Asimov Short Stories
A kind of peace had endured for a century and people had forgotten what anything else was like. They would scarcely have known how to react had they discovered that a kind of war had finally come.“Let's Get Together” by Isaac Asimov, that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. The legendary Isaac Asimov returns to the podcast for the first time in months. Asimov stories Christmas on Ganymede and Day of the Hunters can be heard in earlier episodes. Let's Get Together can be found in the February 1957 issue of Infinity Science Fiction Magazine. At the very top of the front cover it says, Isaac Asimov’s Most Brilliant Robot Story. Turn to page 66 for Let's Get Together by Isaac Asimov… Next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Fifty-five pioneers had died on the "bridge ofbones" that spanned the Void to the rusty plainsof Mars. Now the fifty-sixth stood on the red planet,his only ship a total wreck—and knew that Earthwas doomed unless he could send a warning within hours.Message From Mars by Clifford D. Simak. That’s next week on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 31, 2023 • 38min
The Man From Time by Frank Belknap Long - Sci Fi Short Stories
The method by which one man might be pinpointed in the vastness of all Eternity was the problem tackled by the versatile Frank Belknap Long in this story. And as all minds of great perceptiveness know, it would be a simple, human quality he'd find most effective even in solving Time-Space. “The Man From Time by Frank Belknap Long”.that’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode. This is the first time we’ve heard from Frank Belknap Long on the podcast. Long was born in New York in 1901. His writing career spanned 7 decades and led to multiple awards. He wrote 29 novels and more than 170 short stories. Our story can be found on page 74 of the March 1954 issue of Fantastic Universe. Deep in the future he found the answer to Man’s age–old problem. The Man From Time by Frank Belknap Long… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A kind of peace had endured for a century and people had forgotten what anything else was like. They would scarcely have known how to react had they discovered that a kind of war had finally come. Let's Get Together by Isaac Asimov. That’s in two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aug 29, 2023 • 1h 13min
The Misplaced Battleship by Harry Harrison - Sci Fi Short Stories Audiobook
It might seem a little careless to lose track of something as big as a battleship... but interstellar space is on a different scale of magnitude. But a misplaced battleship—in the wrong hands!—can be most dangerous. “The Misplaced Battleship 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. Last week more people listened to more episodes of the podcast than ever before. So, to say thank you you’ll hear three more episodes again this week. A few days ago we met James Bolivar diGriz for the first time here on the podcast. The story you’re about to hear picks up where “The Stainless Steel Rat” left off. After a life of crime diGriz is now one of the good guys tasked with catching criminals instead of being one. From the pages of Astounding Science Fiction Magazine in April 1960, turn to page 71 for The Misplaced Battleship by Harry Harrison… In two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, the method by which one man might be pinpointed in the vastness of all Eternity was the problem tackled by the versatile Frank Belknap Long in this story. And as all minds of great perceptiveness know, it would be a simple, human quality he'd find most effective even in solving Time-Space. “The Man From Time by Frank Belknap Long”. That’s in two days on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, with at least one lost vintage sci-fi short story in every episode.Support the showPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


