There were more Joes on Venus than you could shake a ray gun at. Perhaps there was method in Colonel Walsh’s madness – murder madness – when he ordered Major Polk to scan the planet for a guy named Joe.

Welcome back to Bobby D’s Reading Room where I invite you to stick around for a little bit, pull up a chair, join me on a journey to Venus, and let me read you a story.

Today’s story is a good one by S.A. Lombino… better known as Evan Hunter… better known still as Ed McBain. It’s A Planet Named Joe originally published in Planet Stories, November 1952.

Amra of Akbitana is the last warrior standing after a hellacious battle that left many slain. He’s beaten and weary when a woman appears before him, who promises to lead Amra to his doom. Will Amra survive the… Gods of the North?

Today’s story is a wild one by one of my favorites, Robert E. Howard. Gods of the North was first published in The Fantasy Fan, March 1934.

Some trivia about the story. Howard wrote Gods of the North originally as a Conan story, but after it wasn’t accepted for publication, Howard changed the hero’s name to Amra of Akbitana, and there you go. Editors… am I right?

Solomon Kane and a companion find an ill-maintained inn nestled deep in the Black Forest. Will these weary travelers find rest for the evening, or will they be haunted by the Rattle of Bones?

Welcome back to Bobby D’s Reading Room where I invite you to stick around for a little bit, pull up a chair, join me on a trip to the Black Forest, and let me read you a story.

Today’s story is a bone chiller. See if you can make it through the night with an offering from Robert E. Howard, featuring one of his best known creations, Solomon Kane: Rattle of Bones, which was originally published in Weird Tales, June 1928.

Two men who are guided by the writings of a mysterious book venture into a long forgotten cemetery in search of ungodly secrets long since buried in an ancient subterranean realm… Will both men live to tell the tale? Stick around for that famous final line!

Prepare to have your sanity tested by one of H.P. Lovecraft’s most unsettling stories: The Statement of Randolph Carter, which was originally published in The Vagrant, May 1920

A man is lured by his friend into the dark and damp catacombs beneath the home of the once great Montresor family, oblivious to the horror and danger that awaits him. Of course, he was only interested in The Cask of Amontillado…

Today’s story is an all-timer. An intoxicating tale that has captivated and haunted readers for generations: Edgar Allan Poe’s masterful short story, "The Cask of Amontillado."

The Cask of Amontillado was first published in Godey’s Lady Book in November 1846.

A trio of robbers unaware as to the mysteries of New England take aim on a very rich and very old target. Had these three known the tales, they would have never set their sight upon The Terrible Old Man…

The Terrible Old Man was written in 1920 and published in The Tryout, July 1921.

A shuddery tale of dark horror and evil things, and the uncanny funeral rites over the corpse of old John Grimlan....

Dig Me No Grave is a horror story written by Robert E. Howard. It was originally published in Weird Tales, February 1937.

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A spaceman crash lands on a deserted planet. A rescue ship is only days away. All he has to do is wait it out and get some rest. What happens when he can't sleep - when the ghosts of the planet haunt his dreams? Asleep in Armageddon was originally published in Planet Stories, Winter 1948.

This was a fun story to read! A sci-fi quickie from the master, Philip K. Dick, about a man who takes the written word FAR too literally to hilarious ends and is convinced there's an alien invasion underway! Aliens! This is a funny, funny satirical story -- sort of a rarity in the often serious realm of sci-fi.

The Eyes Have It was published in Science Fiction Stories 1953 and is in the public domain.

Something new here on the show. I'm reading through all of Shakespeare's play, so let's start at the beginning! The first play, The First Part of King Henry the Sixth. One of Shakespeare's worst offerings, or perhaps something else? Let's find out!