The Shadow and the Flash by Jack London Episode #371

Jack London | May 10, 2025

The Shadow and the Flash by Jack London Episode #371
Jack London

THE SHADOW AND THE FLASH

Episode #371 · Written by Jack London · Narrated by Scott Miller

Two brilliant rivals chase the same impossible dream: perfect invisibility. When science finally answers them both, their lifelong competition turns into something far more dangerous.

Two men grow up as equals in talent and ambition, yet opposites in temperament. Lloyd Inwood and Paul Tichlorne compete in everything, from childhood games to advanced scientific study. Their rivalry sharpens their brilliance and feeds their pride.

Both men pursue the same impossible goal: invisibility. Lloyd seeks it through absolute blackness, believing a surface that absorbs all light cannot be seen. Paul takes the opposite approach, chasing perfect transparency, where light passes through without reflection or shadow.

Each succeeds in ways that defy expectation. Invisible buildings. Invisible animals. Invisible men. Yet these triumphs carry unintended consequences, including strange sensory effects and disturbing physical risks. Their discoveries do not bring satisfaction, only escalation.

Told by a mutual friend who serves as witness and reluctant mediator, the story blends speculative science with psychological suspense. The rivalry becomes physical, then catastrophic, as obsession strips away restraint. Science does not save them. It exposes them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jack London is celebrated for adventure classics like The Call of the Wild, but his science fiction is equally daring. Writing during a period of rapid scientific change, he explored chemistry, optics, and human psychology with fearless imagination.

In The Shadow And The Flash, London examines pride, competition, and the cost of genius. The story remains strikingly modern, asking whether discovery without humility is progress at all.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to The Shadow And The Flash by Jack London — a classic science fiction short story of rival scientists whose pursuit of invisibility turns ambition into disaster.

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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.

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