Asimov's Science Fiction

Episode 47: There's Nothing in the Attic - Faith Merino

In Faith Merino’s story from our March/April 2024 issue, the women of the house band together to uncover the mysterious noises coming from the empty attic—noises that the father seemingly can’t hear. Please enjoy “There’s Nothing in the Attic” read...

Episode 46: Embot's Lament by James Patrick Kelly

Embot is a time traveler sent from centuries in the future to narrate the life of Jane, a young woman trapped in an unhappy life. Forbidden from interfering in the thoughts or actions of its subjects, Embot can only watch...

Episode 45: Deep Blue Jump by Dean Whitlock

In “Deep Blue Jump,” children as young as six harvest a narcotic, dream-inducing fruit, and any on-the-job mistakes or stolen product could be a death sentence.  Find out whether newcomer Po & her friends can survive temptation and the harvesting...

Episode 44: Tilt by Leslie What

Kim is a mutant who can control the mind of anyone she smells. She’s so powerful, she’s forced to endure therapy sessions with other mutants in lieu of jail time. Find out what happens when their doctor takes treatment a...

Episode 43: Sexy Apocalypse Robot by Sandra McDonald

When Joseph catches a glimpse of his new neighbor Antonio, he can't help feel an immediate attraction. Antonio is tall, tanned, painfully handsome—and just happens to be a robot. But is romance possible in a world teetering on the brink...

Episode 42: Planetstuck by Sam J. Miller

Aran’s first vacation—in basically forever—involves twenty-six gate-hops and a fun entanglement with a couple of friendly arms dealers. Any sex worker with half a brain peddles information, but this time the intel leads Aran down a windy path with clues...

Episode 41: Alien Housing by Karen Heuler

For ex-schoolteacher Marisela Feddie, life under Phosian rule isn’t so bad. Or so it seems. After all, these four-armed alien overlords seem more interested in observing humanity’s quirks that carrying out its extinction. But are the Phosians really who they...

Episode 40: Forty-Eight Minutes at the Trainview Cafe by M Bennardo

If you could virtually simulate any type of extraordinary life experience, would you go on a hike of Himalayan proportions, or maybe just a hot date? Here is the story of a man whose life changes upon making a far more...

Episode 39: Destiny Delayed by Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki

Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki’s “Destiny Delayed” is set in a futuristic uber-capitalist Nigeria where the wealthy ruling class has further deepened the inequality gap and found new metaphysical ways to exploit the poor. While purportedly impossible to deny, destiny can be...

Episode 38: Bonus Footage by Marissa Lingen

Sam is the star host of an interplanetary travel program. Usually, Sam's adventures go quite smoothly—or at least they appear that way to viewers. Filming on Freyja, however, presents some unique challenges, such as killer plants that happen to be named...

Episode 37: The Tin Pilot by K.A. Teryna

When the golems returned from the moon wars, they didn’t receive the heroes welcome they deserved. Instead, this race of humanoids designed to withstand the harsh lunar environment faced extermination at the hands of those they fought for. Will the...

Episode 36: The Waylost Cafe - James Van Pelt

Nobody else on Mars can brew beer quite like Paul Hopper. He’s an Earther who’s been forced into servitude by a surly brewery owner. But he’s the type who’d rather press on and drink his beer rather than cry in...

Episode 35: The Magpie Stacks Probabilities - Arie Coleman

In the wake of a near-fatal accident, Emma struggles to readjust to home life. But it’s not the nagging sling or her son’s new habit that she can’t stop thinking about. Instead, Emma obsesses over the improbably nature of her...

Episode 34: Welcome Home by Jendayi Brooks-Flemister

Theresa moved into her new smarthome with healthy skepticism. Here was a house with everything she could ever need or want—and more—for an affordable price on her nail stylist’s salary. To her, the artificial intelligence inside was little more than...

Episode 33: Bread and Circuits by Misha Lenau

The Greatbread 2X is no ordinary toaster. It’s sleek; it knows countless recipes; it happens to be sentient. And one just showed up on Nadia’s doorstep. Enjoy “Bread and Circuits,” from our November/December issue, read and written by Misha Lenau.

Episode 32: Filaments by Mercurio D. Rivera

“Filaments,” read and written by Mercurio D. Rivera, explores a tragic accident, a troubled relationship, and the terrifying mystery that lies at the heart of an abandoned alien planet. Enjoy our appropriately September/October selection: “Filaments.”

Episode 31: Tweak by Taimur Ahmad

Minor edits here and there; that’s all Amin’s doing at the clinic, tweaking painful recollections until they hurt less. If only Laura understood how much he needs those changes. Journey with Amin down a series of memory lanes in “Tweak,”...

Episode 30: My Heart Is at Capacity by TJ Berry

Paul does everything he can to love Rebecca and make her happy. Still, he knows it’s not enough; his processor just isn’t sufficiently advanced for meeting all of a human companion’s needs. But that will change tomorrow, when he has...

Episode 29: Grandma +5°C by James Patrick Kelly

Willow has a Grandma problem . . . sure she comes with some cool gadgets from a prosperous past, but she also comes with the heat of the rangers. And eventually they’ll find her. Willow and Grandma both reckon with...

Episode 28: Mayor for Today by Fran Wilde

Victor is used to having gigs like “driver,” “teacher,” or “administrative assistant,” so when his GigTime App shows “Mayor” for a duration of only “twenty-four hours,” he is a little skeptical. What should have been a quick job turns into...

Episode 28: Mayor for Today by Fran Wilde

Victor is used to having gigs like “driver,” “teacher,” or “administrative assistant,” so when his GigTime App shows “Mayor” for a duration of only “twenty-four hours,” he is a little skeptical. What should have been a quick job turns into...

Episode 27: Grief, as Faithful as My Hound by Marissa Lingen

It’s an Earth-shattering revelation: Aliens are real, and making contact all around us. Rina Cutter, however, is busy dealing with her own, private world shattering. Even if the alien news does hit very close to home, it has nothing on...

Mangy White Dog by Y.M. Pang

When a “Mangy White Dog” starts showing up to watch Sunflower and Taihe perform, Sunflower is suspicious. What does the dog want? Doesn't it know she and Taihe are a team of two? Read "Mangy White Dog" by Y.M....

Imaginary Children

In this episode, the author envisions the future of dating apps and media companies, while our narrator Petra balances a demanding job with apparitions of potential children. Please enjoy “Imaginary Children,” read and written by Janet Stilson.

Pax Mongolica by Evan Marcroft

In this May/June installment of our podcast, we have a fascinating alternate history where gods are very much real and being held captive in zoos. Please enjoy Evan Marcroft’s “Pax Mongolica,” read by the author himself.

National Poetry Month Podcast 2020

Happy National Poetry Month! We have a dozen poems here pulled from past and current issues to celebrate our poets this year. Each of these poems is striking in its own way, and I hope you enjoy the many voices...

A Summary of Our Neighborhood's Salvation After the Storm by Jason Sanford

"A Summary of Our Neighborhood’s Salvation After the Storm" introduces us to a cloud-based approach to the afterlife and three women disillusioned with the idea of eternal judgment. Enjoy Jason Sanford’s reading of his tale about the strength of neighborly...

"Go. Now. Fix." & "The Refraction of White Lies"

To start off the new decade, we have a special double feature. Our first story—"Go. Now. Fix." by Timons Esaias—features an unlikely narrator who exhibits great pluck in the face of disaster. Our second story by Meredith Lozaga, "The Refraction...

Selfless by James Patrick Kelly

Joseph Jirasek doesn't exist. Not since he was a boy and was taken from himself. Now he struggles to hold the personalities within him that are vying for dominance in check while keeping his family safe. At all costs, the...

All in Green Went My Love Riding

Enjoy Dani Daly's beautiful read of Megan Arkenberg's enchanting thriller, "All in Green Went My Love Riding," where we discover some very unique young girls, a tragic mystery, and the danger of being different.

The Ocean Between the Leaves by Ray Nayler

Our newest podcast showcases author Ray Nayler’s lyrical tale of social, economic, and medical injustice in a distant future and the impact of yet-to-come technology in navigating these. Nayler weaves an intricate mystery that will pull you in and keep...

Sacrificial Iron

In Ted Kosmatka's "Sacrificial Iron," all of Earth looks on as two astronauts clash during their life-spanning mission. Please enjoy this tale about the human psyche as it is tested by the vast vacuum of space. "Sacrificial Iron” is read...

Asimov's Poetry Podcast for National Poetry Month 2019

Enjoy a curated selection of poems from recent Asimov's issues including: "Wobble" read & written by Richard Schiffman, "Room with a View" written by G.O. Clark & read by R.J. Carey, "First Contact" read & written by Stuart Greenhouse, "Crane...

Tourists by Rammel Chan

In Rammel Chan’s “Tourists,” we meet some unusual travelers who follow strict rules. We learn, along with our protagonist, the risks and rewards of this nomadic lifestyle…. Please enjoy this story, from our March/April issue, written and read by Rammel...

"The Gorgon" by Jay O'Connell

In Jay O’Connell’s “The Gorgon,” a job-obsessed businessman accidentally wanders into an online realm of horror and intrigue. Enjoy this tale from our January/February 2019 issue, narrated and written by Jay O’Connell.

What I Am & Because Reasons

This November/December episode brings you a science fiction double feature. The first story we’ll hear is from the current issue and is titled “What I Am,” read and written by William Ledbetter. In this tale, a smart sweater undergoes some...

R.U.R.-8? by Suzanne Palmer

Hugo-winning-author Suzanne Palmer reimagine's Capek's R.U.R. with this darkly funny play in which the robot Stout innocently searches for a new leg for its friend Rozum. The cast of talented voice actors includes R.J. Carey, Peter D'Alauro, Emily Hockaday, Trevor...

Rules of Biology

Esterman faces the challenges of fatherhood as we discover the alternate and unusual "Rules of Biology" at play in this new tale written and read by Dale Bailey. Edited and introduced by Deanna McLafferty.

Riverboats, Robots, and Ransom in the Regular Way by Peter Wood

Maggie's boring work retreat turns around when pirates board their vessel. This may not be the most ideal form of entertainment, but it is sure to make things interesting! Story by Peter Wood, read by Seth Blum, Rebecca Blum, and...

In Event of Moon Disaster

In Rich Larson’s chilling new tale—pulled from the pages of our current March/April 2018 issue on sale now—a routine mission goes deeply wrong “In Event of Moon Disaster.” Join Sol in facing this impossible mystery.

"Bidding War" by Rich Larson

The Ladies' Aquatic Gardening Society

Boredom and a keen thirst for one-upsmanship are a destructive combination in Henry Lien's "The Ladies' Aquatic Gardening Society." Join us in this farcical alternate-history where Newport society women with outrageous competitive streaks grapple for power with their wits and...

Our Lady of the Open Road

A good tour van is the glue that holds a band together. In "Our Lady of the Open Road" Sarah Pinsker takes a look at one band's journey through a near future where music fans seem more interested in holographic...

To Live and Die in Gibbontown

Derek Künsken's "To Live and Die in Gibbontown" is a tongue-in-cheek satire listeners are sure to enjoy: Follow our macaque protagonist as he races to complete a tricky assassination, or else will face deportation from Gibbontown.

Bloom

In the thrillingly tense "Bloom," Gregory Norman Bossert takes us to an alien world where the study of the indigenous lifeforms must be done with extreme caution. See if you can unravel the mystery behind these "blooms" in a story...

What Changes You, What Takes You Away

In the face of a mystery, it often takes the unlikely but extraordinary individual to get to the bottom of what’s really going on. Listen to the immersive, touching, and playful “What Changes You, What Takes You Away” for a...

Pearl Rehabilitative Colony for Ungrateful Daughters - Part 2

In “Pearl Rehabilitative Colony for Ungrateful Daughters” Henry Lien brings us into the irreverent and complex mind of the teenage girl. But these girls are dangerous—and dangerously competitive when it comes to the ancient and celebrated Kung-Fu art of Wu-Liu....

Pearl Rehabilitative Colony for Ungrateful Daughters - Part 1

In “Pearl Rehabilitative Colony for Ungrateful Daughters” Henry Lien brings us into the irreverent and complex mind of the teenage girl. But these girls are dangerous—and dangerously competitive when it comes to the ancient and celebrated Kung-Fu art of Wu-Liu....