EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS FROM MARS!

Episode #357 · Written by Winston Marks · Narrated by Scott Miller

Eight Million Dollars From Mars! is a masterclass in restrained, relentless science fiction tension. The story trades explosions and chases for something far more unsettling: a flawless system doing exactly what it was designed to do. Comfort becomes control, efficiency becomes punishment, and progress becomes a quiet, inescapable force.

Winston Marks builds suspense through bodily sensation, time distortion, and psychological unraveling. The technology is advanced, thoughtful, and humane—on paper. In practice, it leaves no room for error, no space for mercy, and no consideration for human panic once the process is underway.

The result is a deeply uncomfortable listening experience in the best possible way. This is science fiction that asks how much control a system should have, and what happens when human adaptability is no longer part of the equation. Every moment presses the listener closer to a realization that escape is not always a physical act.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Winston Marks was a writer fascinated by precision—technical, psychological, and moral. His stories often explore systems that operate flawlessly while exposing the vulnerabilities of the people trapped inside them. Marks had a particular talent for using scientific plausibility as a delivery mechanism for irony, crafting stories that linger long after their final moment.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Eight Million Dollars From Mars by Winston Marks — a tense vintage science fiction short story where flawless technology turns escape into endurance.

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