The Planetoid of Peril by Paul Ernst Episode #48

Paul Ernst | December 13, 2022

The Planetoid of Peril by Paul Ernst Episode #48
Paul Ernst

THE PLENTOID OF PERIL

Episode #48 · Written by Paul Ernst · Narrated by Scott Miller

Harley 2Q14N20 doesn’t stumble into danger by accident. He chooses it deliberately, purchasing a small planetoid that everyone else refuses to touch. The reasons are vague, the warnings unsettling, but the opportunity feels worth the risk.

On Z-40, the rhythm of the world itself becomes an enemy. Daylight brings stillness and false security, while night unleashes something that hunts without hesitation. Harley discovers that experience and firepower offer no guarantees when the threat obeys rules no one has written down.

This is a story driven by pressure rather than spectacle. Every decision costs energy. Every delay shortens the margin for error. The danger isn’t distant or abstract—it is close enough to hear, close enough to feel, and impossible to ignore once darkness falls.

As options vanish, Harley is forced to rely on observation instead of force. The question is no longer how to escape, but whether understanding the enemy can provide the only opening he has left.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Paul Ernst was an American science-fiction and fantasy writer whose work appeared frequently in magazines such as Weird Tales and Amazing Stories during the 1920s and 1930s. He wrote dozens of short stories across speculative genres, often favoring escalating danger over grand interstellar politics.

In The Planetoid of Peril, Ernst focuses on endurance and problem-solving under pressure. The story reflects his interest in placing capable individuals into environments where preparation alone is not enough, and where survival depends on noticing what others overlook.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Planetoid of Peril by Paul Ernst — a tense classic science fiction tale of isolation and danger on a hostile world where survival depends on timing and nerve.

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 4.9 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:

★★★★★ “My new favorite podcast. I’m so impressed with this unassuming, yet extremely entertaining podcast. I love the narration, the little facts about each story the host informs the listeners of, and the interesting mix of authors and different sub genres within the overarching sci-fi subject. It’s been fun rediscovering classics and hearing some of the more obscure authors for my first time. Thanks, Scott - I appreciate your hard work and dedication!”
— Paul Belcher

★★★★★ “Hi Scott! I’ve been loving the stories, and this is my second listen through the whole library. I love listening to the Bud Gregory stories in order because they are hilarious. All the stories really are a glimpse of what the people in the past thought the future would be, and so many are still relevant today. You are a great narrator, and I love when you give us a glimpse of the authors as well. This has quickly become my most favourite podcast. I listen to you daily.”
— celebkiriedhel

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.