When you've been to Mars, when you've struggled with men and ships and supplies like some tremendous Herculean figure in the morning of the world, you'll never really feel at home on Earth... Lake of Fire by Frank Belknap Long. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

We don’t usually tease the next episode before sharing the story you’re about to hear—but today, we’re making an exception. Next time on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, we’ll introduce you to the teenager who wrote the very first original story—not a reprint—ever purchased by the world’s first truly complete science fiction magazine, nearly 100 years ago. You won’t want to miss it.

Mars is the most Earth-like planet in our solar system. Close enough to dream about visiting, colonizing, or even finding life, yet alien enough to be mysterious. Mars gave writers a new place to dream big, play with ideas of civilization, survival, and human nature under alien skies. Such is the story you are about to hear. We will find our story on page 49 in the May 1950 issue of Planet Stories Magazine, Lake of Fire by Frank Belknap Long…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The Coming of the Ice by G. Peyton Wertenbaker.

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Pauker had killed ten men to get eight million dollars. Now his flight to Mars would insure his safety from justice. Or would it? Eight Million Dollars From Mars! by Winston Marks. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Special thanks to Someone, and yes, sometimes people really do choose to be anonymous when they buy us a coffee. Someone bought us $15 worth of coffee, every month. Thanks someone. If you would like to show your support for the podcast there is a link in the description.

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Winston Marks is not very well known but we love his work. When I was narrating this story I couldn’t help but think that it would have made a great Twilight Zone episode. From Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy in November 1954 on page 90, Eight Million Dollars From Mars! by Winston Marks…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, When you've been to Mars, when you've struggled with men and ships and supplies like some tremendous Herculean figure in the morning of the world,
you'll never really feel at home on Earth... Lake of Fire by Frank Belknap Long.

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A curious antique dealer discovers a strange crystal egg that reveals eerie glimpses of an alien world teeming with life. As he obsesses over its mysteries, he begins to question whether the visions are mere reflections—or a window into something watching him back. Todays story was first published in The New Review, in May 1897, The Crystal Egg by H. G. Wells.

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Pauker had killed ten men to get eight million dollars. Now his flight to Mars would insure his safety from justice. Or would it? Eight Million Dollars From Mars!by Winston Marks.

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Something is wrong with Dad… Charlie knows it, but no one believes him. Is it all in his head, or has something terrifying taken his father’s place? The Father Thing by Philip K. Dick. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Philip K. Dick, what a mind. It has been said that Dick believed he was living in two timelines simultaneously, one as himself in 1970s California and another as a persecuted Christian in ancient Rome. These bizarre experiences fueled his paranoia but also deepened the philosophical depth of his later works. Today’s story is one of his earlier works, published in Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine in December 1954 on page 105, The Father Thing by Philip K. Dick…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A curious antique dealer discovers a strange crystal egg that reveals eerie glimpses of an alien world teeming with life. As he obsesses over its mysteries, he begins to question whether the visions are mere reflections—or a window into something watching him back. The Crystal Egg by H. G. Wells

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Tampering with events of the past could bring disastrous results in the future. It was why Brek was given a pair of six-guns to catch—The Time Snatcher, by Randall Garrett. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Who doesn’t love a good time travel story? This one reminds me of the 1994 sci-fi movie Timecop starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Ron Silver. Turn to page 82 in Imagination Stories of Science and Fantasy in February 1957, The Time Snatcher, by Randall Garrett…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Something is wrong with Dad… Charlie knows it, but no one believes him. Is it all in his head, or has something terrifying taken his father’s place? The Father Thing by Philip K. Dick.

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A creature in the night hunting for fresh meat. Hunting in a way that never fails. A Prophecy of Monsters by Clark Ashton Smith. And, If heat and moisture and greasy chemical compounds once combined to make life, the laziness of a slattern landlady might cause them to combine again. In that case, the results would not be pretty. The Rag Thing by Donald A. Wollheim. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Thanks to Denis Kalinin who bought us a coffee and says, “ Sci Fi makes science not war.” Thank you Denis we appreciate you! If you would like to buy us a coffee there is a link in the description.

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Our first story today is shorter than most but I love it and I think you will too. It has been published many times, in Hauntings and Horrors, Ten Grisly Tales, 100 Great Fantasy Short Short Stories, 100 Creepy Little Creatures and Werewolf! It’s been titled Monsters in the Night but that’s not the original title. First published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in October 1954 open your seven decade old copy to page 119, A Prophecy of Monsters by Clark Ashton Smith...

We’ve got another short story for you today, and this one is a little different too! It was also first published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in October, but three years earlier in 1951, the magazine says it was written by David Grinnel but it was actually written by an old friend of the podcast, turn to page 34, The Rag Thing by Donald A. Wollheim…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, Tampering with events of the past could bring disastrous results in the future. It was why Brek was given a pair of six-guns to catch—The Time Snatcher, by Randall Garrett.

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It was a lovable little creature, anxious to help solve the troubles of the world. Moreover, it had the answer! But what man ever takes free advice? The Creatures, and the Truth! Misbegotten Missionary by Isaac Asimov. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Did you know that you can leave comments on individual episodes on Spotify? Tonypegel had this to say, “Thanks for the Zenna Henderson. This is one of the reasons I love your podcast; it lives up to its name. If not for this podcast, many such worthy authors might be lost. Thanks for all you do and how well you do it.”

Thanks Tony, we appreciate your comment and sharing stories from lesser-known sci-fi authors is exactly why we started The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast! And don’t forget we take requests. Send us an email, scott@lostscifi.com

Every time we release an episode featuring a story by Isaac Asimov, it quickly becomes one of our most-listened-to episodes. You may know this story as Green Patches but when it was first published on page 34 in Galaxy Science Fiction in November 1950 it had a different name, Misbegotten Missionary by Isaac Asimov...

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, A creature in the night hunting for fresh meat. Hunting in a way that never fails. A Prophecy of Monsters by Clark Ashton Smith.

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Renwick, with too much time on his hands, was bored. He turned to Mead, in his discontent, only to discover some frightening aspects of his friend’s hobby of collecting children’s games and rhymes. Before the Fact by Zenna Henderson. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

Tony from the future recently bought us 20 coffees and had a request, “Since I know you like uncommon authors and also support female writers, please look into Zenna Henderson.” Thanks for the request Tony, without you we may never have known about Zenna Henderson.

She was born in 1917 in Tucson, Arizona and began reading science fiction when she was 12. She graduated from Arizona State College, now Arizona State University, in 1940 and taught school, primarily in Tucson, mainly first grade. Zenna is one of 203 women recognized in the book “Partners in wonder : women and the birth of science fiction” who wrote stories that were published in US Science Fiction Magazines from 1926 to 1965.

Her debut science fiction short story appeared in 1951, marking the beginning of a prolific career that saw over 60 of her works featured in pulp sci-fi magazines. The 1972 ABC TV movie of the week The People starring William Shatner and Kim Darby is based on the Zenna Henderson story Pottage. You can watch The People on YouTube.

Turn to page 60 in Universe Science Fiction Magazine in January 1955, Before the Fact by Zenna Henderson

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, It was a lovable little creature, anxious to help solve the troubles of the world. Moreover, it had the answer! But what man ever takes free advice? The Creatures, and the Truth! Misbegotten Missionary by Isaac Asimov.

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