Ernie Combs spends his life hiding a secret that turns every friendship into a risk and every crowded street into dangerous territory. When he finally meets someone who seems to understand him completely, one terrible discovery forces him to decide whether he truly wanted acceptance—or only the chance to feel normal. Cast The First Shadow by Marc Brandel. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.

A huge thank you to our listeners in Thailand for taking The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast to #1! 🇹🇭🚀

Thailand becomes the 38th country where Lost Sci-Fi has reached the top spot. Thank you for listening, sharing the podcast and helping us reach listeners all around the world.

Marc Brandel is making his debut on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast and it will probably be his only appearance. He was born Marcus James Beresford in London, England in 1919.

Today’s story is his only published science fiction short story, although he wrote five science fiction novels. He was also the son of author J. D. Beresford, making this the first time I can remember that we’ve narrated stories by both a father and son on the podcast.

We’ll feature a story by J. D. Beresford as a bonus episode for Lost Sci-Fi Premium subscribers in the next few days.

Although our story was published in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1955 it first appeared in a magazine with Marilyn Monroe on the cover. Not many science fiction authors can say that!

From the May 1953 issue of Cosmopolitan on page 92, Cast The First Shadow by Marc Brandel…

Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, In a future where every craving can be simulated and every discomfort erased, one aging man risks humiliation to remind people what genuine joy once felt like. What begins as a desperate act inside a sterile circus quickly forces an audience to rediscover something they didn’t realize they had lost. The Human Element by Leo P. Kelley.

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