The Queen of Space by Joseph Slotkin Episode #3

Joseph Slotkin | February 23, 2022

The Queen of Space by Joseph Slotkin Episode #3
Joseph Slotkin

THE QUEEN OF SPACE

Episode #3 · Written by Joseph Slotkin · Narrated by Scott Miller

A private rehearsal turns into a problem no curtain call can fix. A performer discovers that one precise movement doesn’t just hold an audience—it moves her somewhere else entirely, leaving behind questions no one can answer cleanly.

What follows is not a quest for meaning, but a scramble for control. A scientist sees an opportunity he can’t let go. A jealous lover sees a betrayal that demands revenge. And the woman at the center sees her career, her safety, and her future pulling in opposite directions.

The story moves fast, driven by sharp dialogue and mounting pressure, as every explanation creates a new risk. Each attempt to contain the situation only proves that some doors, once opened, refuse to stay that way.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joseph Slotkin’s science fiction appears to have surfaced in a brief burst during the 1950s, and then he largely vanished from the genre’s record. The Queen of Space stands as one of the clearer footprints from that short window—an example of mid-century magazine sci-fi that leans on swaggering voice, quick pacing, and a premise bold enough to keep escalating.

If you’re tracing names through the era’s pulp index, Slotkin is the kind of author you can miss if you’re not looking closely: a limited run, a small cluster of credits, and then silence. That scarcity makes this story feel like a recovered transmission—less a long career overview than a single, high-energy artifact that still plays perfectly for an audience that likes vintage science fiction with speed, attitude, and a big hook.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Queen of Space by Joseph Slotkin — a vintage science fiction short story where fame and obsession collide across unexpected worlds.

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 3.4 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.

What listeners are saying:

★★★★★ “Always a joy when a new story drops. Such a wonderful podcast, being able to listen to these great lost sci-fi stories from a range of authors (some well-know, some unknown). The reader does an incredible job bringing the stories to life. I eagerly look forward to next show dropping.”
— Gtree10

★★★★★ “Golden Age Sci-Fi shorts on audio. Anyone who’s ever enjoyed a collection of sci-fi short stories published in the Golden Age of science fiction magazines will enjoy this podcast. Some stories are well-known classics, many are not, and are more enjoyable for being fresh discoveries. Like every collection of stories, some are standouts and some are duds, depending on your taste, but Scott Miller’s soothing voice makes even the ’bad’ stories not a terrible listening experience.”
— Tinkeration

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.