The Inquisitor by Robert Silverberg Episode #265

Robert Silverberg | August 23, 2024

The Inquisitor by Robert Silverberg Episode #265
Robert Silverberg

THE INQUISITOR

Episode #265 · Written by Robert Silverberg · Narrated by Scott Miller

An unshakably loyal Interrogator begins to crumble when one prisoner refuses to break under the State’s merciless machine. As doubt burrows into his mind, he discovers that even a single question can threaten an entire regime.

The Inquisitor invites readers into a stark future ruled entirely by the cold efficiency of the State. Conway Kroll, an experienced Interrogator, presides over endless streams of prisoners who pass through the metal arms of the Inquisitor—an emotionless machine built to extract confessions with precision and cruelty. For ten years, Kroll has considered his work necessary, even noble. But when three new prisoners arrive—Florence Horniman, Chester Wengrove, and the defiant Neil Leslie—something begins to shift. The first two break quickly beneath the robot’s relentless methods, but Leslie’s refusal to speak becomes a catalyst powerful enough to fracture Kroll’s long-held convictions.

As Kroll struggles through a night of swirling doubt, he finds himself unable to escape the prisoner’s last question: How do you know you’re right and we’re wrong? What begins as a flicker of uncertainty grows into a crisis of conscience that the State cannot allow. Silverberg uses this compact tale to explore power, control, and the terrifying speed with which a loyal servant can become an enemy. The story unfolds with steady, tightening tension, revealing a dystopian society where truth is irrelevant and guilt is defined only by the needs of authority. When the system finally turns its mechanical gaze onto Kroll himself, the line between interrogator and victim disappears in a way that feels both inevitable and haunting.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Robert Silverberg stands as one of the most influential voices in science fiction, renowned for his prolific output and his ability to inject serious moral and psychological questions into futurist narratives. Rising to prominence during the explosive growth of mid-20th-century sci-fi, Silverberg mastered both short form and novel-length storytelling, producing works that challenge readers to confront uncomfortable truths about society, identity, and human nature. He is a multiple Hugo and Nebula Award winner and a celebrated figure of the New Wave movement, which pushed the genre toward deeper emotional and thematic complexity.

Silverberg’s range is extraordinary—he has written everything from planetary adventures to metaphysical epics—but his dystopian stories often strike hardest. In tales like The Inquisitor, he demonstrates his ability to distill fear, authority, and resistance into razor-sharp narratives that continue to resonate decades later. His legacy endures not only through his vast body of work but through the countless writers inspired by his bold, thoughtful approach to the future.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Inquisitor by Robert Silverberg — a vintage sci-fi tale of power, resistance, and doubt as an interrogator confronts a prisoner who refuses to break.