The Blonde From Barsoom by Robert F. Young Episode #158

Robert F. Young | December 19, 2023

The Blonde From Barsoom by Robert F. Young Episode #158
Robert F. Young

THE BLONDE FROM BARSOOM

Episode #158 · Written by Robert F. Young · Narrated by Scott Miller

Harold Worthington Smith has always relied on imagination as his refuge. Inside his stories, he is confident, admired, and decisive—everything his real life refuses to let him be. But when the fantasy refuses to dissolve, imagination stops being a comfort and becomes a liability.

What begins as a familiar adventure spirals into something far more dangerous as Harold discovers that plot conveniences don’t feel so clever when they’re the only thing keeping enemies at bay. Each moment of hesitation tightens the grip of the story around him, forcing him to confront the limits of invention when there is no editor, no desk, and no way out.

“The Blonde From Barsoom” blends satire, humor, and creeping unease into a sharp commentary on escapist fiction and the temptation to replace dissatisfaction with fantasy. It’s playful on the surface, but underneath it asks an uncomfortable question: what happens when rewriting your life becomes easier than living it?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert F. Young published dozens of short stories across leading science fiction and fantasy magazines of the 1950s and 1960s, including appearances in Fantastic Universe, Amazing Stories, and The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. His work frequently featured writers, dreamers, and ordinary people whose inner lives collided with speculative twists. “The Blonde From Barsoom” is one of his most memorable stories, a sharp-eyed parody that doubles as a warning about the costs of living too comfortably inside one’s own inventions.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Blonde From Barsoom by Robert F. Young — a witty vintage science fiction short story where a writer becomes trapped inside his own Martian adventure.

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 34 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.7 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:

★★★★★ “The Lost Sci Fi Podcast is such a joy... Scott Miller is a master storyteller, truly inhabiting each character in a way that makes you forget there is only one narrator! I appreciate all the research that goes into every episode, from finding these obscure gems to the interesting biographical notes about the authors. Thank you for making me look forward to my commute!”
— Someone

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— Archoneponymous

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.