WANTED: One Sane Man by Frank M. Robinson Episode #15
Frank M. Robinson | May 3, 2022-
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WANTED: One Sane Man by Frank M. Robinson Episode #15
Frank M. Robinson
WANTED: ONE SANE MAN
Episode #15 · Written by Frank M. Robinson · Narrated by Scott Miller
A world that prides itself on efficiency believes it can assign the right person to any task. Psychological screening, procedural safeguards, and statistical certainty promise control. Wanted: One Sane Man begins where that confidence quietly cracks.
Once the mission is underway, comfort and distance vanish. Isolation turns routine into strain, and preparation offers little protection against the slow grind of time, fear, and physical stress. The story tightens not through sudden disaster, but through the steady pressure of being alone with one’s thoughts, responsibilities, and limits.
Robinson’s tension comes from accumulation. Small discomforts refuse to stay small. Minor doubts refuse to disappear. With no one to consult and no escape from the environment, the question becomes less about success and more about endurance—how long composure can survive when every hour demands attention and resolve.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frank M. Robinson published widely during the postwar expansion of science fiction, with stories appearing in magazines such as Astounding Science Fiction, Galaxy, and Imagination. His fiction frequently placed capable professionals inside rigid systems that failed to account for human strain, ambition, or obsession.
Beyond short fiction, Robinson co-authored the novel The Power, a political thriller that became one of his best-known works, and later served as a book editor and publisher. Wanted: One Sane Man reflects his recurring interest in how institutions define “fitness” while overlooking the costs imposed on the individual.
LISTEN TO THE STORY
Listen to WANTED: One Sane Man by Frank M. Robinson — a vintage science fiction short story where a flawless system fails its final test during a dangerous mission.
FRANK M. ROBINSON SHORT STORIES
Frank M. Robinson brought a sharp, psychological edge to vintage science fiction, crafting stories that often begin in familiar territory before quietly revealing something far more unsettling underneath. His work doesn’t rely on spectacle alone. Instead, it builds tension through subtle shifts—where a simple idea, a new technology, or a single decision begins to reshape reality in ways no one fully anticipates.
His stories frequently center on individuals placed under pressure by forces they don’t completely understand. A promise that sounds too good to question. A system that seems perfectly reliable—until it isn’t. A situation that looks manageable at first, then tightens with each passing moment. As events unfold, characters are forced to confront consequences that arrive faster than they can react.
Robinson had a talent for letting ideas evolve in real time. Each new revelation changes the meaning of what came before, pushing the story into territory that feels both logical and surprising. The result is science fiction that keeps the listener engaged from start to finish, where the tension builds through discovery rather than explanation.
The stories below showcase Frank M. Robinson’s distinctive approach to classic science fiction—where strong concepts, rising pressure, and unexpected turns drive every moment forward.
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 3.8 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.
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★★★★★
“Bingeable Classic Sci-Fi. Wow. Just wow! I have put all of my other extensive podcast listening on hold, and I’m listening only to past episodes of The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast. Thanks to Scott for accompanying me on my winter runs, weight lifting sessions, and chores around the house. Scott’s selection of stories is right on the money, and his voice and characterizations are the work of a master. Thank You!”
— Doktorwoo
Vintage science fiction. Professionally narrated. Carefully curated.
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