Episodes
A young magician is given the opportunity to learn real magic, but it comes with consequences. This story appears in Sarah Pinsker's collection LOST PLACES, published by Small Beer Press. Content advisory: brief sexual reference
Published 10/10/23
Knick-knacks are tagged, life choices are interrogated, and secrets are revealed after the family matriarch passes away. This story appears in Shannon Sanders' collection COMPANY, published by Graywolf Press. Content advisory: mentions death
Published 10/03/23
Neighborhood kids help a curmudgeonly old man with a family curse. This story appears in The Essential Peter S. Beagle: Volume 2. For more of Peter S. Beagle's work, visit https://beagleverse.com. Content advisory: mentions death
Published 09/26/23
The sole survivor of a pandemic must determine the true intentions of a robot who arrives to save her. This story appears in RECLAIM THE STARS: 17 TALES ACROSS REALMS AND SPACE. For more of Lilliam Rivera's work, visit www.lilliamrivera.com. Content advisory: mentions illness and death
Published 09/19/23
LeVar Burton Reads is back September 19th! We've got stories from Peter S. Beagle, Sarah Pinsker, Tobi Ogundiran and more. It's good to be back, y'all.
Published 09/12/23
Hoping to make their fortune (or at least climb out of debt), a trio of space traders travel on a dangerous hunt for a space whale. "An Equal Share of the Bone" was originally published at Escape Pod. Find more of Karen Osborne's work at www.karenosborne.com. Content Advisory: Animal death. Our immersive audio is best with headphones! If you'd prefer to listen without immersive audio, visit levarburtonpodcast.com/mono.
Published 04/04/23
In a small German village, an orphaned boy lives at a home for "displaced persons," and puzzles over where he belongs. "D.P.” from the book WELCOME TO THE MONKEY HOUSE by Kurt Vonnegut. Copyright © 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968 by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. Used by permission of HarperCollins Publishers.
Published 02/28/23
As a generation ship hurtles toward a distant star, one of its crew members receives a rare and precious opportunity. For more from Gregory Marlow, visit www.greganimates.com/writing.html. Content advisory: illness, death
Published 02/21/23
An artist works as a dream concierge, creating augmented dream packages for clients. For more from Violet Allen, visit her on Twitter @blipstress. Content advisory: mind / body control
Published 02/14/23
A time traveler is stranded in a small town. This story appears in SOMEONE IN TIME: TALES OF TIME-CROSSED ROMANCE, published by Solaris. Find more from Jeffrey Ford at well-builtcity.com. Content advisory: suicide
Published 02/07/23
A hapless salesman flees the librarian hell-bent on retrieving her lost library book. This story appears in Africa Risen: A New Era of Speculative Fiction, published by Tordotcom in hardcover and e-book, and by Recorded Books in audiobook format. For more from the author, visit tobiogundiran.com. Content advisory: Explicit language, gore
Published 01/31/23
A story of a stolen wok, magic, and manipulation. This story was originally published in Strange Horizons. You can find more of the author's work at guanun.com.
Published 01/24/23
A financial advisor meets his new client: a hardworking, unassuming man with a curious and potentially life-changing secret.
Published 01/17/23
A waitress is jolted from her morning routine when she's visited by a mysterious child.
Published 01/10/23
A struggling college student gains new perspective on her studies from her classmate, who's come to study from another planet. Find more of the author's work at www.nickydrayden.com.
Published 01/03/23
A young girl explores her own power, and finds kinship with a bird of prey.
Published 12/27/22
A family matriarch takes up residence in the Underworld.
Published 12/20/22
A group of mall Santas celebrating Christmas Eve discover that there is a stranger in their midst. "The Usual Santas" appears in Mick Herron's collection DOLPHIN JUNCTION, published by Soho Press (US) and John Murray (UK), 2021.
Published 12/13/22
A mystical phenomenon brightens the dreary days of winter — until one year, when it suddenly stops.
Published 12/06/22
A boy discovers his father's hidden kingdom. This story appears in the anthology Small Odysseys: Selected Shorts Presents 35 New Stories, published by Algonquin Books. Find more from Luis Alberto Urrea at luisurrea.com.
Published 11/29/22
A tale of complicated family relationships and magical cooking. This story was first published in Uncanny Magazine.
Published 11/22/22
An adventurer carried back spoils from a journey to the center of the earth. Now, his family joins him on a return trip, hoping to ensure their access to his fortune. This story appears in the anthology LOST WORLDS AND MYTHOLOGICAL KINGDOMS, available now in hardback, e-book and audio. Tobias Buckell's collection SHOGGOTHS IN TRAFFIC AND OTHER STORIES is available in paperback, e-book and audio. Content advisory: Violence, death
Published 11/15/22
When an Instagram-famous rock climber comes to an untimely death, his friends and admirers gather to memorialize him. This story appears in Kim Fu's collection LESSER KNOWN MONSTERS OF THE 21ST CENTURY, published by Tin House. Content advisory: Description of death
Published 11/08/22
While on a quest to beat the high score at his local arcade, a sixth grader has an unusual, life-altering experience. For more from Stephen Graham Jones, visit www.demontheory.net. Content advisory: Descriptions of violence, death
Published 11/01/22
LeVar Burton Reads is back November 1st with stories from Stephen Graham Jones, Kim Fu, Tobias Buckell and more, in our new immersive format!
Published 10/25/22