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.

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The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked #1 in 33 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.2 million listens, introducing classic science fiction to a global audience of devoted fans.

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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