Wainer by Michael Shaara Episode #488

Michael Shaara | February 10, 2026

Wainer by Michael Shaara Episode #488
Michael Shaara

WAINER

Episode #488 · Written by Michael Shaara · Narrated by Scott Miller

In a future where most minds are enhanced for precision and control, William Wainer grows up marked as incompatible. His brain cannot accept the implanted systems that organize thought and memory, leaving him outside the technical world that defines success. He survives on the margins, carrying a physical strength and inner pressure that never quite finds a place.

Wainer turns to music, not out of ambition, but because it is one of the few paths left open to him. His work alternates between brief acclaim and long stretches of neglect, while his deeper longing remains fixed on space—a destination he is repeatedly denied. As years pass, his body begins to fail in a way no one expects, and the reason for that failure points toward something far larger than illness.

The story unfolds through recollection, shaped by regret, admiration, and late understanding. What begins as the account of a man excluded from progress becomes a confrontation with the limits of civilization itself. Wainer must decide whether to accept the role assigned to him—or to step into a future no one else is willing to face.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michael Shaara published science fiction early in his career in magazines such as Astounding Science Fiction, where “Wainer” first appeared in 1952. Before becoming widely known for historical novels like The Killer Angels, Shaara wrote speculative fiction that focused on individual cost within large systems. “Wainer” stands out as one of his most enduring science fiction works, connecting biological change, social exclusion, and personal resolve in a story that remains distinct from his later historical writing.

LISTEN TO THE STORY

Listen to Wainer by Michael Shaara — a powerful vintage science fiction short story about a man left behind by progress—and the role he was born to play.

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 3.3 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:

★★★★★ “Narration perfection. Your voice is… incredible. The books ain’t so bad either 😉 In all honestly though, the story choices and themes are so wonderful and so exactly what the doctor ordered that I feel blessed to find this podcast. You have a genuine gift to bring these lost gems to life. Please keep it up for a long time!”
— E. Vasileva

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— M Coats

Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.