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

Earth’s most powerful leader discovers that the counsel he trusted most may soon be gone—just as the stakes become irreversible. When guidance disappears, the final responsibility cannot be delegated, delayed, or avoided. Final Exam by Sam Merwin Jr. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.When you’re diving into the early days of sci-fi, one name you keep bumping into — even if you don’t always recognize it — is Sam Merwin Jr., who makes his debut on the podcast today. Born Samuel Kimball Merwin Jr. on April 28, 1910, in Plainfield, New Jersey, he came into the world with storytelling in his blood: his father, Samuel Merwin Sr., was an established novelist and playwright.  After finishing his BA at Princeton University in 1931, he also studied at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts, and then spent the early 1930s in journalism — reporting for the Boston Evening American and later serving as New York bureau chief for The Philadelphia Inquirer.  His first published science fiction story arrived in 1939, a tale called “The Scourge Below” in Thrilling Wonder Stories.  In 1940 wrote a mystery novel, Murder in Miniatures, and over the years he continued to write both mysteries and science fiction, often under his own name and occasionally under pseudonyms like Matt Lee, Jacques Jean Ferrat, Carter Sprague, and others.  Like many of his peers he even wrote a few comic book stories for DC's Strange Adventures and Mystery in Space.What really makes Merwin’s impact in the genre interesting isn’t just the fiction he wrote, but the work he did behind the scenes. In the 1940s and early 1950s, he became a key editor at some of the era’s most influential science fiction magazines — Startling Stories, Thrilling Wonder Stories, Fantastic Story Quarterly, and Wonder Stories Annual.Our story comes near the end of his career as a science fiction author, published in Fantastic Universe in November 1955 on page 61, Final Exam by Sam Merwin Jr…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A factory worker wakes up far from Earth after a routine job triggers something no one warned him about. What he learns there forces a choice between keeping quiet—and deciding who gets to live longer back home. Welcome to Paradise by Allyn Donnelson.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/final-exam-by-sam-merwin-jr/

A wandering old man keeps selling something no one believes can still exist, and two children decide it’s time to demand proof. What follows forces a choice between safety and a single moment that can never be taken back. Seller of the Sky by Dave Dryfoos. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Dave Dryfoos made his debut on the podcast less than two weeks ago and I enjoyed Some Like it Cold so much I began searching for another one of his stories. This one was the last story ever published by Dryfoos. His first made the his presence known late in 1950 and this wrapped up his science fiction career less than five years later. First published in If Worlds of Science Fiction in February 1955 on page 22, Seller of the Sky by Dave Dryfoos…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Earth’s most powerful leader discovers that the counsel he trusted most may soon be gone—just as the stakes become irreversible. When guidance disappears, the final responsibility cannot be delegated, delayed, or avoided. Final Exam by Sam Merwin Jr.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/seller-of-the-sky-by-dave-dryfoos/

He has the power to fix what everyone else must endure, yet every use of that power risks ending the quiet life he has built. When the cost of doing nothing becomes personal, an old man must decide how much disobedience he can live with. Citizen Jell by Michael Shaara. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.As we approach the podcast’s fourth anniversary, I find myself overwhelmed with gratitude and reflection. It’s impossible not to think about the countless ways you have shaped this journey—and my life along with it. There’s no way I can ever fully express how thankful I am.Years ago, someone requested Orphans of the Void by Michael Shaara. I wish I knew your name, because I would thank you personally, again and again. That single request opened a door for me. Through it, I discovered Michael Shaara’s writing, fell deeply in love with his voice, and now—because of you—we’re sharing yet another one of his stories. This moment, this episode, simply wouldn’t exist without that spark you lit.Every request you’ve sent, every five-star rating, every thoughtful review—each one has mattered. Each one has helped carry this podcast forward. You’ve supported it, believed in it, and given it life in ways you may never fully realize.From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of this story.Published in the pages of Galaxy Science Fiction magazine in August 1959 on page 54, Citizen Jell by Michael Shaara.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, In a future that prizes engineered clarity and measurable usefulness, one man lives with a body and mind that refuse to fit. When the reason for his difference finally becomes clear, a single choice determines whether his life was wasted—or perfectly timed. Wainer by Michael Shaara.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/citizen-jell-by-michael-shaara/

In a future where youth is enforced and aging is treated like a moral failure, one man faces a decision that could cost him everything he values. Love, law, and longevity collide when the price of renewal becomes dangerously personal. Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.One of our shortest episodes, Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel proves that a story doesn’t need many pages to leave an impression. It’s a smart, engaging look at aging, relationships, and the promises—and pressures—of a future built around staying young. Lucius Daniel only had three stories published, we’ve featured his first. Martians Never Die and today, his last. Open your copy of Galaxy Science Fiction in November 1954 to page 111, Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel.…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, He has the power to fix what everyone else must endure, yet every use of that power risks ending the quiet life he has built. When the cost of doing nothing becomes personal, an old man must decide how much disobedience he can live with. Citizen Jell by Michael Shaara.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/up-for-renewal-by-lucious-daniel/

What if time itself could be paused—bought, sold, and exploited by anyone with enough money and nerve? Zeritsky’s Law explores the terrifying social consequences when human lives become inventory and the future becomes a loophole. Zeritsky’s Law by Ann Griffith. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Ann Griffith was a well-known and widely published writer, though science fiction made up only a tiny fraction of her work. During World War II, she served as a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots, the pioneering WASP program, graduating from flight school in August 1944 at a time when few women were allowed anywhere near the cockpit of a military aircraft.After the war, Griffith built a successful writing career, contributing essays, commentary, and sharp humor to publications such as The New Yorker, The American Mercury, The Atlantic, and the aviation magazine Pegasus. Many of her magazine pieces carried deliberately wry, attention-grabbing titles, including “How to Make Housework Easy the Hard Way” and “Gentlemen, Your Tranquilizers Are Showing.”That same wit carried over into her rare ventures into science fiction. Griffith published only two known sci-fi stories, making Zeritsky’s Law all the more remarkable as a darkly comic exploration of human behavior once technology removes normal limits. From Galaxy Science Fiction, November 1951, on page 51, Zeritsky’s Law by Ann Griffith…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, In a future where youth is enforced and aging is treated like a moral failure, one man faces a decision that could cost him everything he values. Love, law, and longevity collide when the price of renewal becomes dangerously personal. Up For Renewal by Lucius Daniel.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/zeritskys-law-by-ann-griffith/

In a future that has perfected compassion, one man discovers that kindness can be its own kind of cruelty. When humanity finally reaches for the stars again, the greatest test is not technology, but who is deemed worthy to dream. The Age of Kindness by Arthur Sellings. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.One of the questions we hear most is how we decide which stories make it onto the podcast. The answer isn’t a single rule, but a mix of considerations—one of the most important being uniqueness. Is the author someone we’ve never featured before? Does the story take an unexpected turn, explore an unusual idea, or approach familiar science-fiction territory in a way that feels fresh? Today’s story is all of that. Arthur Sellings makes his debut on the podcast. Sellings was the pen name of English author Arthur Gordon Ley, born in 1921 in Tunbridge Wells England.Before becoming a professional writer, Ley worked as a scientific researcher for the British government, and he also dealt in books and art, interests that influenced his fiction.  Sellings wrote dozens of short stories that appeared, mostly in the 1950s, in major science fiction magazines, Galaxy Science Fiction, The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, Nebula Science Fiction and New Worlds. Today’s story is from the November 1954 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction and we will find it on page 124, The Age of Kindness by Arthur Sellings…☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerNext on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, What if time itself could be paused—bought, sold, and exploited by anyone with enough money and nerve? Zeritsky’s Law explores the terrifying social consequences when human lives become inventory and the future becomes a loophole. Zeritsky’s Law by Ann Griffith.https://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-age-of-kindness-by-arthur-sellings/

A lone envoy risks everything to stop a quiet expansion that could ignite a catastrophic war. When fear replaces curiosity, survival depends on whether understanding can arrive before annihilation. Peacemaker by Alan E. Nourse. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.We’d like to thank a generous listener for buying us five coffees. They chose to remain anonymous, but the support means just as much, and we truly appreciate it. If you’d like to buy us a coffee as well, you’ll find the link in the description.Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeToday’s episode marks the sixth appearance of Alan E. Nourse on the podcast. Two longtime favorites, The Fifty-Fourth of July and Derelict, also come from Nourse, whose work consistently blends sharp ideas with human stakes. Our story first appeared on page 52 of the February 1953 issue of Science Fiction Adventures, Peacemaker by Alan E. Nourse…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, In a future that has perfected compassion, one man discovers that kindness can be its own kind of cruelty. When humanity finally reaches for the stars again, the greatest test is not technology, but who is deemed worthy to dream. The Age of Kindness by Arthur Sellings.☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeNewsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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, 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/peacemaker-by-alan-e-nourse/

A man becomes convinced that time itself is counting him down, and every decision suddenly feels fatal. When certainty collides with control, survival may depend on breaking the patterns that once defined a life. The Big Tick by Ross Rocklynne. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Ross Rocklynne wrote one of my all-time favorite “wait…how has no one told me about this?” stories, Chicken Farm. Today he drops back into the podcast with another gem, originally unleashed in the very first issue of Cosmos Science Fiction and Fantasy Magazine in September 1953. The magazine survived exactly three more issues before doing the most on-brand thing possible—disappearing into the cosmos and never coming back.From the debut issue of Cosmos on page 121, The Big Tick by Ross Rocklynne…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A lone envoy risks everything to stop a quiet expansion that could ignite a catastrophic war. When fear replaces curiosity, survival depends on whether understanding can arrive before annihilation. Peacemaker by Alan E. Nourse.Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffeeFacebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebookYouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtubeRise - http://Lostscifi.com/riseX - 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 SueTheLibrarian, 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 TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listenerhttps://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-big-tick-ross-rocklynne/