This particular episode is a sentimental favorite of mine because it was the very first CBS RMT show that I had the pleasure of listening to.

At the ripe ol' age of ten, I stumbled upon this episode while playing around with a brand new AM transistor radio that was given to me as a Christmas present from my father. I had no idea what the creaking door noise was suppose to be but thought it might be worth checking out. As soon as E.G. Marshall began with the opening monologue, I closed my eyes and began listening very intently as the plot unfolded. It wasn't long into the story before I found myself completely immersed in it, setting the wheels in motion that would later create the lifelong fan that I am today.

In the story of the Ninth Volume, oil drillers stumble upon a subterranean cavern several billion years old that contains modern trappings and a library of great literary works, including eight volumes of a history of the world up to the present time. The ninth volume is missing, but should (presumably) record the future as evident by the eighth volume, that covers historical events through the year 2000 (it's 1998 in the story's setting). The problem is that time is not on their side in their quest to find the ninth volume. The oil rig has a deadline to meet and it's drill is headed directly towards the cavern which will destroy everything in it's path. As the desperate men make their way back to the cavern, you find yourself right there along with them, hoping that they're successful because the final volume parallels our future and will enlighten us as to what lead to mankind's demise.

And so the story goes...

The Ninth Volume is simply a wonderful sci-fi story. Well, at least for me anyways as I'm certain that most will agree here that it makes an excellent choice if you're a first time listener.