Later Than You Think by Fritz Leiber Episode #424

Fritz Leiber | September 13, 2025

Later Than You Think by Fritz Leiber Episode #424
Fritz Leiber

LATER THAN YOU THINK

Episode #424 · Written by Fritz Leiber · Narrated by Scott Miller

A returning space explorer learns that the greatest discovery of intelligent life wasn’t made among the stars—but buried beneath his own world. Yet the deeper he listens, the more he senses an unsettling mirror held up to his species… and to himself.

Later Than You Think is one of those Fritz Leiber stories that feels both intimate and universal—an encounter built entirely on conversation, yet rich with atmosphere, detail, and emotional resonance. A space-weary Explorer returns home, eager to learn about an amazing archaeological discovery: the remains of a long-extinct intelligent race found deep beneath Earth’s surface. He expects triumph, maybe even comfort, after his disappointing search for alien life among the stars.

But the Archeologist’s calm, methodical explanations gradually reveal something far more complex. Through artifacts, diagrams, and reconstructed histories, a portrait emerges of a species that rose quickly, faltered unexpectedly, and left behind clues that feel uncomfortably familiar. As the Explorer struggles with disappointment, nostalgia, and awe, the story becomes a meditation on civilizations—how they flourish, how they fade, and how even the brightest achievements are temporary. Leiber draws the reader into a moment where scientific curiosity brushes up against existential revelation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fritz Leiber (1910–1992) was one of science fiction’s most accomplished and wide-ranging authors. A master of philosophical speculation, psychological nuance, and worldbuilding, he wrote across an astonishing spectrum—science fiction, fantasy, horror, satire, and hybrid forms that today would be labeled “cross-genre.” Leiber’s work helped shape modern fantasy through his celebrated Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser stories, while his science fiction explored issues of identity, culture, and technology long before they became mainstream themes.

Leiber brought literary sophistication to speculative fiction, merging crisp prose with a deep understanding of human behavior. He won multiple Hugo, Nebula, and World Fantasy Awards, yet his stories always remained accessible, playful, and emotionally grounded. Later Than You Think offers a perfect glimpse of his intellectual range—an exploration of humanity’s place in the cosmos delivered through a single quiet, unforgettable revelation.