The Machine that Saved the World
Murray Leinster
Read by Phil Chenevert
They were broadcasts from nowhere--sinister emanations flooding in from space--smashing any receiver that picked them up. What defense could Earth devise against science such as this? In the far future of 1972, on a secret military installation, Staff Sergeant Bellews is an expert on the latest scientific discovery: a way for ordinary machines like vacuums and lawnmowers to gather experience in their jobs, becoming error free over time. Then the strange broadcasts began to blow up transmitters everywhere. Were they from space? Enemies? the future? He didn't care until they started messin' with his machines. Then he took it personally. (summary from the first chapter and Phil Chenevert) (1 hr 36 min)
Chapters
| 1 - Part 1 | 17:52 | Read by Phil Chenevert |
| 2 - Part 2 | 17:55 | Read by Phil Chenevert |
| 3 - Part 3 | 19:54 | Read by Phil Chenevert |
| 4 - Part 4 | 19:22 | Read by Phil Chenevert |
| 5 - Part 5 | 21:37 | Read by Phil Chenevert |
Reviews
The Machine that Saved the World
David R. Smith
Great read. Fun fast paced with interesting twist to plot and likeable characters with a good climax and unexpected ending... Thanks!
Fun, short, and still enjoyable.
Elizabeth Burke
This story has aged well. O.K. - some stuff is just wrong. One of things S.F. stands for is "Speculative Fiction". So they got a few things wrong? They got most of it right. Also, the message of this story is told with out outdate stuff that would get in the way.
rather humorous
Bobocela
this is a rather humorous SciFi with surprisingly some surprisingly modern ideas of future technology even if the technology is explained in a rather ridiculous manner. I tried to discover the year this was published but couldn't find any info online. Great job by Phil Chenevert!
Love Leinster
mikezane
I love early sci-fi, and this is one of my favorite authors. This quick story has a bit of everything: the military guys who don't want the science guys getting in, and don't listen, and the conspiracy plot by foreign powers. The way the hero gets the bad guys is a great bit of twist. Excellent reading too, enjoy!
Entertaining but...
Janelle
There was an awful lot of repetition in this short story, particularly regarding the machines. Perhaps the author was excited to prove how special his machines were. Anyhow it spoiled the potential of this otherwise entertaining story. Many thanks to the reader for his excellent narration.
A brief work, read excellently
Timothy Ferguson
It's early scifi, and has one of the sort of crashing conclusions which seemed so obvious to American writers at the time, but it carries its plot well and the performance is excellent.
As someone born in 1972, surprisingly modern
Mark Burchard
as other reviewers have noted this story is not nearly as anachronistic as most Golden age sci-fi, but then again I'm now older than fiction so get off my Astroturf!
Another great narration!
Brian Fuller
The story was confusing and too much "telling" instead of "showing" was done. But the narrator made the best of it to make the story seem exciting at least!