The Nameless Something by Murray Leinster Episode #173

Murray Leinster | January 23, 2024

The Nameless Something by Murray Leinster Episode #173
Murray Leinster

THE NAMELESS SOMETHING

Episode #173· Written by Murray Leinster · Narrated by Scott Miller

A country mechanic drifts from dirt-track races to the center of a global crisis without ever trying to be important. What he can do without effort may decide the fate of an entire nation.

Bud Gregory has no ambition, no patience for authority, and no desire to work harder than absolutely necessary. He travels from town to town with his family in a car that should not function, following dirt-track races and making small bets that always seem to pay off.

At the same time, the world edges toward disaster. A powerful foreign government applies pressure without open war, paralyzing cities through fear alone. Commerce collapses, people flee, and the machinery of democracy grinds to a halt.

One government scientist understands the danger and knows the solution may exist outside laboratories and policy rooms. He tracks Bud Gregory through newspaper oddities and impossible reports, realizing that effortless brilliance may matter more than disciplined genius.

The Nameless Something balances sharp tension with ironic humor. Leinster presents advanced scientific ideas through plain speech and casual invention. The story explores what happens when world-changing power belongs to someone who only wants to be left alone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Murray Leinster, born William Fitzgerald Jenkins, was one of science fiction’s true pioneers. Writing since the early pulp era, he helped establish the genre’s technical credibility while keeping stories accessible and grounded.

Leinster wrote across nearly every branch of science fiction, from near-future speculation to cosmic exploration. He is often credited with anticipating key concepts later popularized by others, including parallel universes and first-contact realism.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Nameless Something by Murray Leinster — a vintage science fiction classic where effortless genius collides with global crisis.

BUD GREGORY STORIES IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

ABOUT THE LOST SCI-FI PODCAST

The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast is the most listened-to vintage science fiction podcast in the world. Ranked #1 in 33 countries and heard in more than 190 countries, the show has surpassed 3.2 million listens, introducing classic science fiction to a global audience of devoted fans.

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:

★★★★★ “Glorious Sci-Fi from a Forgotten Age. I don’t listen to many podcasts, but I am down to under 70 episodes to go on this one! The tales are fascinating.”
— Brett Poling

★★★★★ “Love the stories but especially the presentation – great “cast” of voices.”
— Lee in Ecuador

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.