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

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

Scott Miller
The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories
Latest episode

523 episodes

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

    Cat and Mouse by Ralph Williams

    30/03/2026 | 1h 11 mins.
    A seasoned trapper finds a doorway to a richer land—but something on the other side is already feeding and watching. When the hunting turns both ways, he must decide whether to claim the new world or survive it. Cat and Mouse by Ralph Williams. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

    Lost Sci-Fi Premium members can listen to Cat and Mouse and the other 520 episodes of the podcast without commercials. Bonus episodes for premium members too. It’s less than 20 cents a day to be a Lost Sci-Fi Premium subscriber.

    Go to https://lostscifi.com/premium or click on the link in the description and enjoy a 7 day free trial.

    👉 💎 Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/

    I had never heard of Cat and Mouse or author Ralph Williams, until I got an email from Fintan Quigley in Ireland asking if we would narrate the story. When we said yes Fintan sent us 5 coffees. “Thanks for reading Cat & Mouse, I hope this podcast continues to be the success it has been for as long as you wish!”

    Thanks Fintan for the kind words and the coffee, and for requesting such a great story! By the way you don’t have to buy us a coffee when you request a story, but it is nice.

    Ralph Williams was the pen name for Ralph William Slone who was born in Effingham, Illinois in 1914. He moved to Alaska and wrote eleven stories that were published from 1940 to 1959. Cat and Mouse was recognized as his most notable work, and was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960. It didn’t win and it would be his last story, he died in a fishing accident after Cat and Mouse was released. He was only 45 years old.

    Published on page 8 of Astounding Science Fiction in June 1959, Cat and Mouse by Ralph Williams…

    Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, He builds the perfect opponent, then realizes the contest won’t mean anything unless it can truly cost him something. When he finally forces that moment into existence, he has to decide whether victory is still worth pulling the trigger. The Fastest Draw by Larry Eisenberg.

    👉 💎 Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee
    ===========================
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    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social
    👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/
    ===========================

    ❤️ ❤️ 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 Fintan Quigley, Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, 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 Steve, Someone, SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener
    $10 David, Anonymous Listener
    $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue
    $5 Tammy, Owen, Bruce, Someone, TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener

    https://lostscifi.com/podcast/cat-and-mouse-by-ralph-williams/
    Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

    One-Shot by James Blish

    28/03/2026 | 33 mins.
    A decision has to be made before the clock runs out, and every method designed to produce certainty keeps failing. With millions of lives in the balance, the only answer left may come from a man who knows how to bet when there’s no second chance. One-Shot by James Blish. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

    If you’ve been enjoying The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast and want even more stories—and a smoother listening experience—I’ve got something special for you.

    You can now subscribe to Lost Sci-Fi Premium, available wherever you get your podcasts.

    As a Lost Sci-Fi Premium subscriber, you’ll get at least two bonus episodes every month that you won’t hear anywhere else, plus additional really short bonus episodes too. And you’ll enjoy every story completely ad-free—no interruptions, just pure vintage science fiction.

    This is something many of you have been asking us for, and I’m really excited to finally offer it.

    Subscriptions are just $6 a month or $60 a year, and you can try it free for seven days to see if it’s right for you.

    If you’d like to support the show, listen to every episode with no commercials and unlock these extra episodes, go to https://lostscifi.com/premium or click on the link in the description.

    👉 💎 Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/

    Turn to page 127 in the August 1955 issue of Astounding Science Fiction for, One-Shot by James Blish…

    Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A seasoned trapper finds a doorway to a richer land—but something on the other side is already feeding and watching. When the hunting turns both ways, he must decide whether to claim the new world or survive it. Cat and Mouse by Ralph Williams.

    👉 💎 Lost Sci-Fi Premium - https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee
    ===========================
    🎧 Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/
    Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook
    YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube
    X - http://Lostscifi.com/x
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy
    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social
    👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/
    ===========================

    ❤️ ❤️ 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 Fintan Quigley, Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, 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 Steve, Someone, SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener
    $10 David, Anonymous Listener
    $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue
    $5 Tammy, Owen, Bruce, Someone, TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener

    https://lostscifi.com/podcast/one-shot-by-james-blish/
    Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

    The Long Question by David Mason

    25/03/2026 | 23 mins.
    A quiet accountant accepts a game-show challenge that promises a fortune if he can predict the world’s headlines after months cut off from civilization. With one hundred thousand dollars on the line, the only question is whether his careful predictions will be enough to claim the prize. The Long Question by David Mason. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

    This is just the second story by David Mason on the podcast. Mason wrote about a dozen short science fiction stories mostly in the 1950s and four novels from 1969 to 1973.

    From Infinity Science Fiction in November 1957 on page 88, The Long Question by David Mason…

    Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A decision has to be made before the clock runs out, and every method designed to produce certainty keeps failing. With millions of lives in the balance, the only answer left may come from a man who knows how to bet when there’s no second chance. One-Shot by James Blish.

    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee
    ===========================
    🎧 Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/
    Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook
    YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube
    X - http://Lostscifi.com/x
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy
    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social
    👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/
    ===========================

    ❤️ ❤️ 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 Fintan Quigley, Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, 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 Steve, Someone, SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener
    $10 David, Anonymous Listener
    $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue
    $5 Tammy, Owen, Bruce, Someone, TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener

    https://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-long-question-by-david-mason/
    Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

    The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells

    23/03/2026 | 54 mins.
    A brilliant alien intelligence has quietly crossed impossible distances, and Earth has no idea it has already been chosen. When one man uncovers the truth, stopping what’s coming may require more than courage—it may demand everything. The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

    Thanks to Bruce in Houston for buying us a coffee. Enjoy your podcast. Thanks for many hours of listening pleasure.” Thanks Bruce for listening for many hours! If you’d like to support The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, you can buy us a coffee using the link in the description.

    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee

    We narrated our first story by Hal K. Wells a week ago and I enjoyed it so much he’s back with another. Today’s story was in the January 1931 issue of Astounding Stories of Super-Science on page 46, The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells…

    Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A quiet accountant accepts a game-show challenge that promises a fortune if he can predict the world’s headlines after months cut off from civilization. With one hundred thousand dollars on the line, the only question is whether his careful predictions will be enough to claim the prize. The Long Question by David Mason.

    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee
    ===========================
    🎧 Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/
    Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook
    YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube
    X - http://Lostscifi.com/x
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy
    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social
    👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/
    ===========================

    ❤️ ❤️ 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 Curious Jon, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, 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 Steve, Someone, SueTheLibrarian, Joannie West, Amy Özkan, Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener
    $10 David, Anonymous Listener
    $5 Every Month Eaten by a Grue
    $5 Tammy, Owen, Bruce, Someone, TLD, David, Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous Listener

    https://lostscifi.com/podcast/the-gate-to-xoran-by-hal-k-wells/
    Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast - Vintage Sci-Fi Short Stories

    Death of a Spaceman by Walter M. Miller Jr.

    20/03/2026 | 49 mins.
    An old spaceman lies dying while a rocket prepares for launch nearby. As the final countdown approaches, he fights for one last moment that proves his life in space meant something. Death of a Spaceman by Walter M. Miller Jr. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

    Someone bought us 5 coffees, “What a delight to find your podcast recently! I love these vintage stories that you have resurrected. You do a fine job with narration - each of the different characters sounds distinctive. It’s become my habit to check for your latest story almost daily - and I also have hundreds of unheard stories in your podcast to enjoy.

    More coffees will be bought for you in the future!”

    Thank you Someone! Happy to hear you enjoy the narration and we will keep the vintage sci-fi coming. If you would like to buy us a coffee there is a link in the description.

    Walter M. Miller Jr. is best known for A Canticle for Leibowitz, his only novel published during his lifetime, which won the 1961 Hugo Award for Best Novel. Today’s story was published a few years earlier during the period when Miller was producing some of his most powerful short fiction for pulp magazines.

    From the March 1954 issue of Amazing Stories, turn to page 6 for Death of a Spaceman by Walter M. Miller Jr. …

    Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A brilliant alien intelligence has quietly crossed impossible distances, and Earth has no idea it has already been chosen. When one man uncovers the truth, stopping what’s coming may require more than courage—it may demand everything. The Gate to Xoran by Hal K. Wells.

    ☕ Buy Me a Coffee - https://lostscifi.com/coffee
    ===========================
    🎧 Newsletter - https://lostscifi.com/free/
    Facebook - https://lostscifi.com/facebook
    YouTube - https://lostscifi.com/youtube
    X - http://Lostscifi.com/x
    Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguy
    Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/lostscifipodcast.bsky.social
    👕 Merchandise - https://lostscifi.creator-spring.com/
    ===========================

    ❤️ ❤️ 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, David Bell, Steve, Miriam, 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 Someone, 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 Listener

    https://lostscifi.com/podcast/death-of-a-spaceman-by-walter-m-miller/
    Listen without commercials and enjoy exclusive bonus episodes every month with Lost Sci-Fi Premium—start your free 7-day trial today. https://lostscifi.supercast.com/
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast restores and narrates forgotten and underrated vintage science fiction short stories spanning from the 1700s through the mid-1960s. Each episode features a professionally narrated classic drawn from early speculative fiction, pioneering 19th-century tales, and the pulp magazine era that shaped modern science fiction.Released several times a week, the podcast explores timeless speculative ideas—alien encounters, artificial intelligence, time travel, dystopian futures, and the human cost of progress—through the works of legendary authors such as Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, H. G. Wells, Harlan Ellison, and many others.Now in its fourth year and with more than 500 episodes released, The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast has reached #1 on Apple Podcasts in 34 countries, reflecting a worldwide appetite for classic science fiction storytelling. Each restored short story gives modern listeners direct access to the imagination and bold ideas that shaped the genre from its earliest days through the Golden Age.Narrated by Scott Miller, each episode serves as an accessible entry point into science fiction’s rich literary history—bringing the wonders, warnings, and possibilities of vintage sci-fi to a new generation of listeners. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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