Golden Age Fiction

"Cooking," explained Biggs, "is simply a matter of chemistry." But little did he know he'd have to prove that statement in order to save the crew of the Saturn from pirates!

"Lancelot Biggs cooks a pirate" appeared in "Fantastic Adventures," February 1940, pages 40 - 46.

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Nelson Slade Bond (November 23, 1908 – November 4, 2006) was an American writer. His works included books, magazine articles, and scripts used in radio, for television and on the stage.

The 1998 recipient of the Nebula Author Emeritus award for lifetime achievement, Bond was a pioneer in early science fiction and fantasy. His published fiction is mainly short stories, most of which appeared in pulp magazines in the 1930s and 1940s. Many were published in Blue Book magazine. He is noted for his "Lancelot Biggs" series of stories and for his "Meg the Priestess" tales, which introduced one of the first powerful female characters in science fiction.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Lancelot Biggs was perhaps the worst second mate Captain Hanson had ever shipped, and he was convinced of it when he ruined their cargo. But how dumb a man is, may sometimes be a matter of opinion.

"F O B Venus" appeared in "Fantastic Adventures," November, 1939, pages 34 to 40.

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Nelson Slade Bond (November 23, 1908 – November 4, 2006) was an American writer. His works included books, magazine articles, and scripts used in radio, for television and on the stage.

The 1998 recipient of the Nebula Author Emeritus award for lifetime achievement, Bond was a pioneer in early science fiction and fantasy. His published fiction is mainly short stories, most of which appeared in pulp magazines in the 1930s and 1940s. Many were published in Blue Book magazine. He is noted for his "Lancelot Biggs" series of stories and for his "Meg the Priestess" tales, which introduced one of the first powerful female characters in science fiction.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

A man who refused to wear a Skin was labeled a "devil." Rastignac was such a man. He was a meat eater, adhered to the Philosophy of Violence, and was the leader of the Legal Underground of the Kingdom of L'Bawpfey. He could also see the end of Homo Sapiens on their adopted planet. All he wanted to do was to get to the Six Flying Stars—the space-ships that had brought humanity to this planet—and fly away to the stars.

"Rastignac the Devil" appeared in "Fantastic Universe," May 1954, pages 2 - 44.

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Philip José Farmer (January 26, 1918 – February 25, 2009) was an American author known for his science fiction and fantasy novels and short stories. He is best known for the World of Tiers (1965–93) and Riverworld (1971–83) series. He is noted for the reworking of the lore of celebrated pulp heroes. Farmer often mixed real and classic fictional characters and worlds. Such works as The Other Log of Phileas Fogg (1973) and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life (1973) are early examples of literary mashup novels.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

People had been telling Henry Westing, who just wanted to live his own life in his own manner, that he should belong to something, that he should join. When The Organization started to pester him to join them, he knew they would evetually wear him down, unless...

"The Man Who Wouldn't Sign Up" appeared in "Infinity Science Fiction," October 1958, pages 68 - 77.

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Thomas Edward Purdom (born 1936) is an American writer best known for science fiction and nonfiction. His story "Fossil Games" was a nominee for the Hugo Award for Best Novelette in 2000.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

The Repairman

A Mark III beacon, one of the earliest beacons deployed, possibly even the first, had broken down, and he had to go and fix it. Trouble was, there was a religious war going on around it. Time to get creative with the rules surrounding interactions with native species... 

"The Repairman" appeared in "Galaxy Science Fiction" February 1958, pages 60 - 73.

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Navy Day

The U.S. Army was calling for the abolition of the anachronistic U.S. Navy, and they had a strong case to make. The U.S. Navy, however, would not go without a fight...

"Navy Day" appeared in "Worlds of If Science Fiction," January 1954, pages 63 - 67.

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Toy Shop

Colonel "Biff" Hawton knew it was a trick when the salesman opened the 'toy,' revealing the cheap components inside. He bought one anyway. His engineer buddies would get a kick out of his little magic show at their next poker night...

"Toy Shop" appeared in "Analog Science Fact & Fiction" April 1962.

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Harry Max Harrison (March 12, 1925 – August 15, 2012) was an American science fiction author, known mostly for his character The Stainless Steel Rat and for his novel Make Room! Make Room! (1966). The latter was the rough basis for the motion picture Soylent Green (1973). Long resident in both Ireland and the United Kingdom, Harrison was involved in the foundation of the Irish Science Fiction Association, and was, with Brian Aldiss, co-president of the Birmingham Science Fiction Group.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Satellite Number Four had been knocked out of its orbit, disrupting communications around the world. James Fitzpatrick MacIlheny, "Mac" to his colleagues and "Fitz" to his friends, the Operational Vice-President of Circum-Global Communications had to get Number Four back into its correct orbit, and fast! However, what they found when they sent up the repair drone was beyond what anyone could have imagined...

"Beyond Our Control" appeared in "Infinity Science Fiction," January 1958, pages 68 - 85.

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Gordon Randall Phillip David Garrett (December 16, 1927 – December 31, 1987) was an American science fiction and fantasy author. He was a contributor to Astounding and other science fiction magazines of the 1950s and 1960s. He is best known for the Lord Darcy books set in an alternate world where a joint Anglo-French empire still led by a Plantagenet dynasty has survived into the twentieth century and where magic works and has been scientifically codified. The Darcy books are rich in jokes, puns, and references, particularly of detective and spy fiction; Lord Darcy is modeled on Sherlock Holmes.

Garrett wrote under a variety of pseudonyms including: David Gordon, John Gordon, Darrel T. Langart (an anagram of his name), Alexander Blade, Richard Greer, Ivar Jorgensen, Clyde Mitchell, Leonard G. Spencer, S. M. Tenneshaw, Gerald Vance. He was also a founding member of the Society for Creative Anachronism, as "Randall of Hightower" (a pun on "garret.") The short novel Brain Twister, written by Garrett with author Laurence Janifer (using the joint pseudonym Mark Phillips), was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

The Hunter's Lodge Case

Even from his sick-bed, Hercule Poirot's famous "little gray cells" solve an apparently unsolvable murder mystery.

"The Hunter's Lodge Case" appeared in "The Blue Book Magazine," June 1924, pages 54 - 59. 

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The Plymouth Express Affair

The murder of an American steel magnate's daughter on a train from Plymouth to Bristol. A box of jewels worth over $100,000 stolen. A mysterious stranger, an estranged husband, and a playboy Count. Hercule Poirot's 'little gray cells' are put to the test again.

"The Plymouth Express Affair" appeared in "The Blue Book Magazine," January 1924, pages 136 - 142. 

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Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa Christie, Lady Mallowan, DBE (née Miller; 15 September 1890 – 12 January 1976) was an English writer known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, particularly those revolving around fictional detectives Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. She also wrote the world's longest-running play, the murder mystery The Mousetrap, which has been performed in the West End of London since 1952. A writer during the "Golden Age of Detective Fiction," Christie has been called the "Queen of Crime"—now trademarked by her estate—or the "Queen of Mystery." She also wrote six novels under the pseudonym Mary Westmacott. In 1971, she was made a Dame (DBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for her contributions to literature. Guinness World Records lists Christie as the best-selling fiction writer of all time, her novels having sold more than two billion copies.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Mr Lonliness

It is lonely out there in space. Very, very lonely! A man needs to see a human face, hear a human voice. So visitors have to be sent out somehow—by some means.

"Mr Lonliness" appeared in "Super-Science Fiction," February 1957, pages 40 - 45.

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A Kiss for the Conqueror

There is always a disparity of power between the conquered and the conqueror, a desire to exercise that power, to exert control, to exact revenge, in whatever small way one can.

"A Kiss for the Conqueror" appeared in "Fantastic Science Fiction," February 1957, pages 99 - 103.

It appeared under the pen name of Clyde Mitchell, as Henry Slesar had 2 other stories published in that month's issue.

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My Robot

Faw-faw, the robot designed and built by his father, was his story-teller, his companion, his protector, his revenge! But where was he now? What had they done to him? How he wished Faw-faw were here!

"My Robot" appeared in "Fantastic Science Fiction," February 1957, page 81 - 85.

It appeared under the pen name of O H Leslie, as Henry Slesar had 2 other stories published in that month's issue.

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Henry Slesar (June 12, 1927 – April 2, 2002) was an American author and playwright. He is famous for his use of irony and twist endings. After reading Slesar's "M Is for the Many" in Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine, Alfred Hitchcock bought it for adaptation and they began many successful collaborations. Slesar wrote hundreds of scripts for television series and soap operas, leading TV Guide to call him "the writer with the largest audience in America."

In 1955, he published his first short story, "The Brat" (Imaginative Tales, September, 1955). While working as a copywriter, he published hundreds of short stories—over forty in 1957 alone—including detective fiction, science fiction, criminal stories, mysteries, and thrillers in such publications as Playboy, Imaginative Tales, and Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine; he was writing, on average, a story per week.

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If there's a story you'd like me to narrate, or a genre you'd like me to include more of, please let me know at [email protected].

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Blind Play

Nick Pappas, hired-killer from Callisto, was strictly out for Pappas--out for Number One, as they used to say. And now those fools in the vanishing spaceship thought that number was up!

"Blind Play" appeared in "Planet Stories," May 1951, pages 24 - 31.

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The Statistomat Pitch

The Statistomat was no different from General Computer's Incomac when growing one's investments. So how could a new and small company compete with one of the largest and most well-funded companies in the country?

Jed Borch, who had a modest estate to invest, wanted to find out...

"The Statistomat Pitch" appeared in "Infinity Science Fiction," January 1958, pages 92 - 100.

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Horace Chandler Davis (August 12, 1926 – September 24, 2022) was an American-Canadian mathematician, writer, educator, and political activist, and a minor science fiction writer.

Davis began his writing career in Astounding Science Fiction in 1946. From 1946 through 1962 he produced a spate of science fiction stories, mostly published there. One of the earliest, published May 1946, was The Nightmare, later the lead story in A Treasury of Science Fiction, edited by Groff Conklin.

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Mr. Fotheringay was a sceptic. He didn't believe in miracles, and he was going to prove it to Mr. Beamish, only...

"The Man Who Could Work Miracles" appeared in "Tales of Space and Time," Harper & Brothers, London and New York, 1900, pages 325 - 358.

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Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer. He wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography, and autobiography. Wells' science fiction novels are so well regarded that he has been called the "father of science fiction".

As a futurist, he wrote a number of utopian works and foresaw the advent of aircraft, tanks, space travel, nuclear weapons, satellite television and something resembling the World Wide Web. His science fiction imagined time travel, alien invasion, invisibility and biological engineering before these subjects were common in the genre. Brian Aldiss referred to Wells as the "Shakespeare of science fiction."

Wells rendered his works convincing by instilling commonplace detail alongside a single extraordinary assumption per work – dubbed "Wells's law." His most notable science fiction works include The Time Machine (1895), which was his first novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), the military science fiction The War in the Air (1907), and the dystopian When the Sleeper Wakes (1910).

Wells was a diabetic and co-founded the charity The Diabetic Association (Diabetes UK) in 1934.

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Music: "Mesmerizing Galaxy" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.