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PODCAST

Paperback Dives

The Sentimental Mechanic

Readings from old sci-fi, fantasy, and other genres of trade paperbacks. Also featured: Original stories by A Drifting Leaf. Come along for the interplanetary space flight, and maybe drift yourself to hypersleep.

fiction science fiction

All Episodes

00:35:32

Double Dare, by Robert Silverberg

Paperback Dives ·

2026/10/10

A barroom brag session turns into an interplanetary, inter-species challenge over technology.Read from The Fifth Galaxy Reader, published in 1961 by Galaxy Publishing, edited by HL Gold. The book is collection of stories from Galaxy, a science fiction magazine published from 1950 to 1980. This story originally appeared in the June 1956 issue.

en

00:25:37

Perfect Answer, by L. J. Stecher, Jr.

Paperback Dives ·

2026/09/29

On a scouting mission in deep space, two explorers find a race of humanoids who have access to an enormously powerful tool. But who wields it?Read from The Fifth Galaxy Reader, published in 1961 by Galaxy Publishing, edited by HL Gold. The book is collection of stories from Galaxy, a science fiction magazine published from 1950 to 1980. This story originally appeared in the June 1958 issue.Find the back catalog of Galaxy Magazine on The Internet Archive, at

en

00:27:29

The Last Letter, by Fritz Lieber

Paperback Dives ·

2026/09/10

In the future, sending mail could be dangerous.Read from The Fifth Galaxy Reader, published in 1961 by Galaxy Publishing, edited by HL Gold. The book is collection of stories from Galaxy, a science fiction magazine published from 1950 to 1980. This story originally appeared in the June 1958 issue.You can read the back catalog of Galaxy Magazine on The Internet Archive, at https://archive.org/details/galaxymagazine

en

00:57:03

Inside John Barth, by William W. Stewart

Paperback Dives ·

2026/08/23

A man gets infected with a colony.Read from The Fifth Galaxy Reader, published in 1961 by Galaxy Publishing, edited by HL Gold. The book is collection of stories from Galaxy Magazine, a science fiction magazine published from 1950 to 1980. This story originally appeared in the June 1960 issue.You can read the back catalog of Galaxy Magazine on The Internet Archive, at https://archive.org/details/galaxymagazine

en

00:45:34

The Horn of Time the Hunter, by Poul Anderson

Paperback Dives ·

2026/08/09

A story of spacefarers, removed from planetary time by interstellar travel, encountering a civilization on a watery planet. This story comes from Poul Anderson's short story collection, The Horn of Time, first printing by Signet in January 1968, copyright Poul Anderson. The story was originally published in Amazing Stories (Ziff-Davis Publishing, September 1963) under the title, "Homo Aquaticus."

en

00:19:42

The Pork Chop Tree, by James H. Schmitz

Paperback Dives ·

2026/06/17

"The Pork Chop Tree" is a glimpse into James H. Schmitz's universe of The Hub, apparently with recurring characters featured in other stories. In this short, Trigger and Prof. Mantelish discover the dangers of a relationship between a plant and the humans it loves.This is, perhaps coincidentally, an alternate take on Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree." Both were first published in 1965.I'm reading this from Schmitz's short story collection, "A Pride of

en

01:10:00

Greenface, by James H. Schmitz

Paperback Dives ·

2026/05/27

"Greenface" is a monster story that takes place on a rustic resort camp. I'm reading this from a 1973 paperback, "A Pride of Monsters," published by Collier Books (Hardcover by MacMillan, 1970; both versions copyright 1970 by James H. Schmitz). The book compiles five monster stories written by James H. Schmitz. If you can't see the cover art on your podcast app, look it up on Google Images. It's bonkers. According to Wikipedia, Greenface was originally published in

en

00:07:20

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 28

Paperback Dives ·

2026/05/20

In this final chapter, Doctor Hudson states his decision before the court. This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:06:20

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 27

Paperback Dives ·

2026/05/13

After the grand jury reaches its verdict, Doctor Hudson considers his options. This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:16:24

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 26

Paperback Dives ·

2026/05/09

On the final day of the trial, Doctor Hudson's most damning actions come to light.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:08:48

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 25

Paperback Dives ·

2026/05/05

In which our hero channels John Stuart Mill and utilitarianism to justify how he used advanced alien weapons technology to wage war and become ruler of the world.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:16:42

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 24

Paperback Dives ·

2026/04/27

Our hero offers them the Earth. The whole thing. Literally. This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:06:28

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 23

Paperback Dives ·

2026/04/26

An unlikely ally gives our hero a powerful hint.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:06:18

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 22

Paperback Dives ·

2026/04/07

Our hero wakes up to a visitor, but we get nowhere and it's impossible to tell who's talking.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:11:33

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 21

Paperback Dives ·

2026/03/31

In which our hero finally penetrates the computer at the trial.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:10:23

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 20

Paperback Dives ·

2026/03/05

In which we learn an absurd fact: the alien language of the Htare is a simple letter-by-letter transcription of English that someone could completely figure out in mere days. Also featured: A bad lawyer joke.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:13:08

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 19

Paperback Dives ·

2026/02/22

I got lost in this one. I don't understand what point anyone is trying to make by the end of it.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:11:34

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 18

Paperback Dives ·

2026/02/19

Our hero compares himself to the Greek god Tantalus as he prepares for his next day in court. We also hear a reference to Area 51 and the UFO craze of the ‘60s.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:10:10

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 17

Paperback Dives ·

2026/02/05

In court, our hero defends his previous actions under the guise of having gone feral. In his memories, our hero finds a wrecked spaceship of unsurprising origin — and he kills again.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

00:09:32

The Stars Will Judge - Chapter 16

Paperback Dives ·

2026/02/01

Our hero finds out about when he went feral, attempted sexual assault, and did a murder. Also featured: an alien spaceship, and sentences that are incredibly difficult to parse.This is a reading of The Stars Will Judge, by Irving A. Greenfield. Copyright 1974. Originally published by Dell Publishing.

en

34 results

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