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

A routine emergency mission becomes an unforgiving test of physics, law, and human conscience. When one hidden mistake is discovered, a pilot must face a decision that no training could ever prepare him for. The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Today’s episode marks a major milestone. Although it’s episode 465, it features the 500th story ever presented on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Over the years, some episodes have included two stories—and occasionally even more—but this one stands apart.What makes it especially meaningful to me is simple: out of all the remarkable stories we’ve shared during nearly four years of the podcast, this is my personal favorite. When it was first published, the story sparked intense backlash. Many readers were furious, and author Tom Godwin received no shortage of criticism. In just a few moments, you’ll understand exactly why.We’d love to hear your thoughts. Send us an email at [email protected] your copy of Astounding Science Fiction, August 1954, to page 62, The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Guy Burckhardt wakes from a violent dream to find his town subtly—but profoundly—wrong. As June 15th repeats itself, he begins to realize that reality itself may be manufactured. The Tunnel Under the World by Frederik Pohl.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseFacebook - http://Lostscifi.com/facebookX - http://Lostscifi.com/xInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-cold-equations-by-tom-godwin-episode-465/Please participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A struggling writer’s obsession with forbidden knowledge leads him to a discovery no human mind was meant to grasp. One reckless act opens a doorway to something vast, unseen, and utterly indifferent to human life. The Shambler From The Stars by Robert Bloch. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Haven’t mentioned Rise lately, the all in one wellness drink and the only product I have ever found to get rid of diabetic neuropathy pain. If you have neuropathy you know how awful it is. My pain was so intense it used to wake me up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t go back to sleep.Not anymore. That’s why I take Rise every day. If it didn’t work for me, I wouldn’t recommend it. One scoop a day, with over 50 natural ingredients, helps me stay energized, focused, and pain free and when you are almost 67, like I am that isn’t easy. It supports my immune system, my digestion, my mood, and even my joints.Since starting Rise, I’ve been pain free, felt more alive and more ready to embrace the day. It makes a difference for me.There’s a link in the description, or visit lostscifi.com and click on Rise to see what it can do for you.Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseI don’t usually do this, but today we’re making an exception. I want to talk about the next story on the podcast—not today’s episode, but the one that follows.When this story was first published, readers flooded the magazine with letters of protest. They called the author cold. They called the story cruel. They argued it should never have been written the way it was.Decades later, that same story is considered a cornerstone of hard science fiction. It’s taught, debated, and regularly included on lists of the most important science-fiction stories ever written.You don’t want to miss this one.Robert Bloch returns today with a story that first appeared on page 368 in Weird Tales magazine in September 1935, The Shambler From The Stars by Robert Bloch.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A routine emergency mission becomes an unforgiving test of physics, law, and human conscience. When one hidden mistake is discovered, a pilot must face a decision that no training could ever prepare him for. The Cold Equations by Tom Godwin.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseFacebook - http://Lostscifi.com/facebookX - http://Lostscifi.com/xInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-shambler-from-the-stars-by-robert-bloch-episode-464/Please participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A young man plots a quiet inheritance in a decaying waterfront mansion haunted by whispers, rituals, and an uncle who knows far too much. When murder collides with forbidden knowledge, the price of impatience becomes far more than death. The Grip of Death by Robert Bloch. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Another newsletter will be sent out in a few hours, free sci-fi and other fun stuff straight to your inbox every week. There is a link in the description and on LostSciFi.comNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/How did we release more than 460 episodes without narrating a story by Robert Bloch? That oversight ends today. Born in Chicago in 1917, Bloch is best remembered for Psycho, the novel that became Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic film—but that was only one chapter in a remarkable career.Bloch wrote more than 30 novels and hundreds of short stories, publishing his first tale at just 17. His love of the strange began early: at age ten, when his aunt offered to buy him any magazine he wanted, he chose the August 1927 issue of Weird Tales. Years later, speaking at the First World Fantasy Convention in 1975, Bloch recalled waking early on release day and sprinting to a tobacco-and-magazine shop to buy the latest issue—sometimes sneaking it home under his coat if the cover was especially scandalous.Today’s story didn’t appear in Weird Tales, but it is unquestionably a weird tale. From Strange Stories, December 1939, turn to page 85—The Grip of Death by Robert Bloch.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A struggling writer’s obsession with forbidden knowledge leads him to a discovery no human mind was meant to grasp. One reckless act opens a doorway to something vast, unseen, and utterly indifferent to human life. The Shambler From The Stars by Robert Bloch.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseFacebook - http://Lostscifi.com/facebookX - http://Lostscifi.com/xInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Roggs have finally surrendered, and an old freedom fighter sits across the table from the alien who once held his life in a whip’s shadow. On humanity’s long-awaited day of victory, one last, unexpected gesture will decide what kind of people we’ve truly become. Day Of Reckoning by Morton Klass. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Have you signed up for our newsletter? Every week, Lost Sci-Fi Weekly delivers behind-the-scenes moments, rare vintage science fiction, listener shout-outs, exclusive freebies, and insights you won’t hear anywhere else. It’s where the podcast goes deeper — celebrating forgotten classics and spotlighting legendary authors.If you love vintage science fiction, get our free newsletter. There is a link in the description on LostSciFi.comNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/I had never heard of Morton Klass but saw his name in the same issue of Fantastic Universe where we discovered First Landing. So I read the story and decided to share it with you. Turns out Morton Klass wrote 11 stories that were published in the 1950s, and one in the 60s. Born in Brooklyn in 1927, after his decade long stint writing science fiction, Morton Klass was a professor of anthropology at Barnard College, Columbia University.From Fantastic Universe in June 1957, on page 37, Day Of Reckoning by Morton Klass.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A young man plots a quiet inheritance in a decaying waterfront mansion haunted by whispers, rituals, and an uncle who knows far too much. When murder collides with forbidden knowledge, the price of impatience becomes far more than death. The Grip of Death by Robert Bloch.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseFacebook - http://Lostscifi.com/facebookX - http://Lostscifi.com/xInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A hard-nosed troubleshooter arrives on the Moon to investigate vanished rocketships, only to stumble onto a secret no human was ever meant to find. Amid lunar dust and deceptive calm, he uncovers a stranger living alone… and a truth that rewrites everything. The Homesteader by James Blish. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.James Blish is best remembered for works like A Case of Conscience which won the Hugo Award in 1959 for Best Novel, and for his influential Cities in Flight series. We have featured just one of Blish’s stories so far on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, King of the Hill, released a little over two years ago.From Thrilling Wonder Stories in June 1939, turn to page 135 for, The Homesteader by James Blish.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The Roggs have finally surrendered, and an old freedom fighter sits across the table from the alien who once held his life in a whip’s shadow. On humanity’s long-awaited day of victory, one last, unexpected gesture will decide what kind of people we’ve truly become. Day Of Reckoning by Morton Klass.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Rise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseFacebook - http://Lostscifi.com/facebookX - http://Lostscifi.com/xInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy❤️ ❤️ Thanks to Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 MizzBassie, Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.