Hero From Yesterday by Robert Silverberg Episode #130

Robert Silverberg | October 24, 2023

Hero From Yesterday by Robert Silverberg Episode #130
Robert Silverberg

HERO FROM YESTERDAY

Episode #130 · Written by Robert Silverberg · Narrated by Scott Miller

A ruthless criminal from the past is pulled forward in time to do what no one in the peaceful future can. But when violence is the only currency he knows, the line between savior and threat begins to blur.

In the peaceful world of 2531, crime has become nothing more than a faded memory—until Lugert, a violent genetic throwback, discovers how helpless the modern world truly is. The Council finds itself paralyzed by its own evolution; no one in this enlightened future is capable of striking back. As Lugert tightens his grip and prepares to seize total control, Speaker Karson turns to an unthinkable solution: reaching into the past and recruiting someone from a more brutal age. Using Dr. Lorence’s time-net, they pull forward a man known only as Jack—a lean, cold-eyed killer shaped by the harsh world of early 20th-century America.

Jack understands violence the way a craftsman understands his tools. He knows how to stalk, deceive, and kill with precision, and he’s all too willing to do it—for the right price. As he enters Lugert’s headquarters with quiet efficiency and eliminates the threat in minutes, the Council marvels at their unlikely savior. But they also fear him. Jack is everything they have evolved beyond, and to ensure he doesn’t become the next monster in a world unprepared to resist him, they embed a control device in his arm. Even as Jack contemplates switching sides for a better offer, the device keeps him on task, maintaining the fragile balance between necessity and fear.

Silverberg’s “Hero From Yesterday” raises provocative questions: When a society rejects violence entirely, does it lose something essential? Is a hero defined by good deeds—or by the darker impulses that make those deeds possible? And when the Council sends Jack back to his own time, they are left wondering whether they’ve truly avoided the birth of their next tyrant… or merely delayed it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Silverberg stands as one of science fiction’s most influential, versatile, and prolific authors. Rising to fame in the 1950s and ’60s, he became known for blending bold speculative concepts with deeply human storytelling. His work spans hard science fiction, psychological drama, social commentary, mythology, and grand space adventures. Silverberg’s stories often explore moral ambiguity, cultural evolution, and the tension between individual desire and societal expectation. With more than 400 published short stories and dozens of acclaimed novels, he has earned numerous Hugo and Nebula Awards, cementing his status as a master of the genre.

Beyond his awards, Silverberg is celebrated for his ability to rethink and reinvent science fiction across decades. His fiction remains as relevant today as when it was first published, making him one of the great architects of classic sci-fi’s golden age.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Hero From Yesterday by Robert Silverberg — a vintage science fiction tale where a man from the past must stop a future tyrant in a society unprepared for violence. ⸻