CONSIGNMENT
Episode #317 · Written by Alan E. Nourse · Narrated by Scott Miller
Time changes everything, especially a world driven by machines. In Consignment, Alan E. Nourse presents a future where speed, automation, and efficiency have reshaped society beyond recognition. Human intention struggles to keep pace with systems designed to move without pause.
The story builds tension through inevitability rather than surprise. Each step forward tightens the sense that events are no longer guided by choice, but by momentum. Nourse creates unease by showing how progress can erase hesitation, judgment, and compassion.
This is science fiction rooted in consequence. The future here is not chaotic or broken—it functions perfectly. That perfection becomes the story’s most disturbing element, revealing how dangerous efficiency can be when it no longer needs people.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alan E. Nourse was a medical doctor and an accomplished science fiction writer whose work often reflected his interest in systems, responsibility, and unintended outcomes. His background gave him a sharp eye for how technological solutions can quietly reshape human lives.
In Consignment, Nourse applies that insight to a world of automated industry and transportation, creating a story that remains strikingly relevant. It is a cautionary tale about progress that never stops to ask who might be caught in its path.
LISTEN TO THE STORY
Listen to Consignment by Alan E. Nourse — a chilling work of classic science fiction where automation, speed, and obsession collide in an unforgiving future.
ALAN E. NOURSE SHORT STORIES
Alan E. Nourse was an American science fiction writer and physician whose work frequently reflected his medical background. Writing during the mid-twentieth century, he combined scientific credibility with accessible storytelling, often exploring how technological progress affects individuals and society.
Nourse’s stories tend to focus on responsibility, ethics, and the human side of scientific advancement. Even when set far from Earth, his narratives remain grounded in practical challenges and believable reactions.
ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST
The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked the #1 Science Fiction Podcast in 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.8 million listens.
Each episode features carefully selected stories from the Golden Age of science fiction, professionally narrated. Timeless storytelling the way it was meant to be heard.
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