Zurk by Richard O. Lewis Episode #10

Richard O. Lewis | March 29, 2022

Zurk by Richard O. Lewis Episode #10
Richard O. Lewis

ZURK

Episode #10 · Written by Richard O. Lewis · Narrated by Scott Miller

Life under occupation allows no room for hesitation. Every tool is watched, every experiment is dangerous, and every act of defiance carries consequences that ripple through an entire city. In Zurk, resistance does not begin with heroics—it begins with patience stretched to the breaking point.

The story moves through claustrophobic spaces and narrowing options. A machine meant to protect humanity stands inert while enemies grow bolder and time collapses. As desperation rises, ingenuity replaces certainty, and survival depends on decisions made without proof they will work.

What follows is not a simple battle between strength and cruelty. It is a test of endurance, identity, and how much one mind can carry when a body is no longer enough. Each escalation tightens the grip until sacrifice becomes unavoidable.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard O. Lewis published science fiction in magazines such as Amazing Stories and Fantastic Adventures during the pulp and post-pulp era, often favoring tightly focused stories driven by technical ideas and personal stakes. His work frequently paired speculative machines with deeply human costs, placing characters in situations where ingenuity mattered more than authority. “Zurk” reflects Lewis’s interest in mechanical intelligence, bodily limits, and the price of resistance when escape is no longer possible.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Zurk by Richard O. Lewis — aa vintage science fiction story of resistance under occupation and a machine pushed beyond its limits.

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 43 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 4.2 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:

★★★★★ “Your podcast has - in the course of the week or so since I discovered it completely at random - become one of my favorites. As a sci-fi fan (and writer), and a literary audiophile, I’m getting all the itches scratched at once! Your narration is a downright pleasure - your voice has hints of the great George Guidall and that god among audiobook readers, the late Frank Muller, and yet is its own sublime signature unto itself. Thank you for doing what you do, and I hope you continue for many years to come.”
— Josh Jennings

★★★★★ “Great! Although the original Star Trek is almost considered ’vintage’ by now, these stories go back even further. Short compelling tales, read perfectly by Scott with no unnecessary bells and whistles. You can of course tell that these were written in a very different time. But, that’s part of the educational process, learning about the roots of sci-fi and how it’s changed. Thank you Scott.”
— DSBoston1

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.