When a brilliant inventor tries to control volcanic eruptions with a mechanical valve, his bold experiment threatens to unleash fiery chaos on an unsuspecting world. The Volcanic Valve by W. L. Alden. That’s next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast.Is Humorous Historical Science Fiction a real genre? I have no idea—but if it isn’t, someone better invent it fast, because The Volcanic Valve would be its founding father, spiritual guide, and poster child.W. L. Alden, born October 9th, 1837, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, wore many hats: journalist, fiction writer, humorist, canoe fanatic (yes, really), and U.S. diplomat in Rome from 1885 to 1890. Somewhere between paddling rivers and negotiating foreign policy, he also found time to be hilarious.Oddly enough, Alden didn’t dive into science fiction until he was in his mid-50s. Maybe he just needed a few decades to warm up. But once he got going, he cranked out 30 short stories in 10 years—because who needs sleep?Today’s story, The Volcanic Valve, is inspired by a real event that happened a little more than a decade before it was written. It was published in Pall Mall Magazine in July 1897, The Volcanic Valve by W. L. Alden…Next on The Lost Sci-Fi Podcast, The professor invented a perfume that would never come off! He didn't know it was irresistible. The Irresistible Perfume by Harold Lawlor. ☕ Buy Me a Coffee https://www.buymeacoffee.com/scottsV===========================Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheLostSciFiPodcastTwitter - https://x.com/LostSciFiPodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/lostscifiguyThreads - https://www.threads.net/@scottscifiguy=========================== ❤️ ❤️ Thanks to All Our Listeners Who Bought Us a Coffee$200 Someone$100 Tony from the Future$75 James Van Maanenberg$50 Anonymous Listener$25 Someone, Eaten by a Grue, Jeff Lussenden, Fred Sieber, Anne, Craig Hamilton, Dave Wiseman, Bromite Thrip, Marwin de Haan, Future Space Engineer, Fressie, Kevin Eckert, Stephen Kagan, James Van Maanenberg, Irma Stolfo, Josh Jennings, Leber8tr, Conrad Chaffee, Anonymous Listener$15 Every Month Someone$15 Someone, Carolyn Guthleben, Patrick McLendon, Curious Jon, Buz C., Fressie, Anonymous Listener$10 Anonymous Listener$5 Denis Kalinin, Timothy Buckley, Andre'a, Martin Brown, Ron McFarlan, Tif Love, Chrystene, Richard Hoffman, Anonymous ListenerPlease participate in our podcast survey https://podcastsurvey.typeform.com/to/gNLcxQlk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related