THE CALL FROM BEYOND

Episode #116 · Written by Clifford D. Simak · Narrated by Scott Miller

Frederick West comes to the outer reaches of the Solar System looking for isolation, not answers. What he finds instead is a closed circle of men who believe the future can be reshaped from a distance, without noise, protest, or permission.

The danger in this story does not announce itself with weapons or armies. It arrives through suggestion, beauty, and ideas that slip past resistance. Influence spreads quietly, leaving its recipients convinced nothing unusual has occurred. West must decide how much knowledge is too much to ignore, and whether remaining unseen is still possible once the truth is known.

The tension builds not from pursuit, but from proximity. Trust is offered too easily. Hospitality conceals intent. And every choice West makes draws him closer to a decision that cannot be undone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clifford D. Simak was a central voice in American science fiction for more than five decades, publishing extensively in Astounding Science Fiction and later Analog. He is best known for novels such as City and Way Station, both of which explore humanity’s future through restraint, empathy, and long-term consequence rather than conquest.

Simak’s shorter fiction often examined quiet manipulation and ethical imbalance, where the greatest threats were intellectual or philosophical rather than physical. The Call From Beyond fits squarely within that tradition, presenting a universe where the most dangerous forces work patiently and invisibly.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Call From Beyond by Clifford D. Simak as hidden influence spreads across space in this vintage science fiction tale of secrecy and choice.

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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 3.7 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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