The Misplaced Battleship by Harry Harrison Episode #92

Harry Harrison | August 28, 2023

The Misplaced Battleship by Harry Harrison Episode #92
Harry Harrison

THE MISPLACED BATTLESHIP

Episode #92 · Written by Harry Harrison · Narrated by Scott Miller

A stolen battleship, powerful enough to scorch worlds, has vanished into the vastness of space — and only one man knows the truth behind its impossible construction. Special Corps operative Slippery Jim diGriz races to uncover the mind behind the galaxy’s boldest heist before the stolen warship reshapes the balance of power forever.

Slippery Jim diGriz, the galaxy’s smoothest con man turned reluctant agent of the Special Corps, stumbles onto something impossible: modern blueprints that match the most destructive warship ever built — a Warlord-class battleship, supposedly extinct for a thousand years. His discovery kicks off a spiraling investigation through bureaucratic corruption, forged documents, misfiled records, and carefully planted misinformation. What begins as a curiosity rapidly becomes a full-fledged crisis when diGriz realizes the ship isn’t just being built — it’s on the brink of completion.

But before he can signal the alarm, the gigantic vessel disappears. As reports of vaporized ships and stolen plutonium spread, diGriz knows he’s dealing with a mastermind whose cunning rivals his own. The trail leads to a brilliant criminal spider at the center of an elaborate web — and a shocking twist involving a partner far more dangerous than anyone expected. What follows is a pursuit across space filled with deception, improvisation, psychological traps, and a showdown that forces diGriz to gamble everything he has.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harry Harrison, one of the greats of 20th-century speculative fiction, carved out a unique place in the genre with his blend of humor, adventure, and razor-sharp satire. Before becoming an author, he worked as an illustrator and editor in the comics world, shaping his cinematic sense of pacing and dialogue. His fiction often features charming rogues, outlandish technology, and plots built around ingenious problem-solving — all on full display in The Misplaced Battleship and the wider Stainless Steel Rat series.

Across novels, short stories, radio adaptations, film connections, and decades of influence, Harrison helped define the tone of adventure-driven science fiction. His works such as Make Room! Make Room! and Deathworld are modern classics, while his humorous space epics continue to inspire generations of writers and readers. With The Misplaced Battleship, Harrison delivers a perfect blend of mischief, mystery, and high-energy space adventure — the kind of story only he could write.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Misplaced Battleship by Harry Harrison — a rowdy vintage science fiction short story featuring the exploits of Slippery Jim diGriz as he uncovers a stolen battleship and races to stop a daring scheme .