Project Gutenberg 2009-08-05 Public domain in the USA. 1297 Kornbluth, C. M. (Cyril M.) 1923 1958 Kornbluth, Cyril M. Eisner, Simon Cooke, Arthur Kornbluth, C.M. Lavond, Paul Dennis Corwin, Cecil Ashman, William Ashman Ashman, Bill The Altar at Midnight Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction November 1952. Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net "The Altar at Midnight" by C. M. Kornbluth is a science fiction short story written in the early 1950s. The narrative delves into themes of human experience amidst the backdrop of space travel, exploring the psychological and physical toll it takes on individuals. The story is set in a gritty urban environment, reflecting the social challenges faced by those who navigate through the complexities of modern life. The plot centers around a chance meeting between an older man and a young spacer, marked by deep conversations that reveal the harsh realities of life as an astronaut. The young spacer, affected by the physical scars of his profession, seeks solace in bars and human connections while grappling with feelings of isolation and purpose. Their interactions expose the struggles of identity, the search for belonging, and the impact of societal expectations. As the older man guides the young spacer through the nightlife, their dialogue showcases the bittersweet nature of seeking escape while confronting the haunting truths of their lives. In the end, the story raises questions about the value of human connection and the sacrifices made in the name of progress. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 92.7 (5th grade). Very easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories PS Text Science Fiction Category: Short Stories Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 41871 2025-08-12T08:32:44.589935 text/html 37686 2021-01-05T10:40:10 text/html 197842 2025-08-12T08:32:48.481932 application/epub+zip 196166 2025-08-12T08:32:46.299960 application/epub+zip 105971 2025-08-12T08:32:45.207935 application/epub+zip 313953 2025-08-12T08:32:50.074937 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 249036 2025-08-12T08:32:47.787933 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 135234 2022-09-13T16:16:54.001883 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 34977 2025-08-12T08:32:44.324944 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 34782 2021-01-05T10:40:10 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19379 2025-08-12T08:32:50.210898 application/rdf+xml 12622 2025-08-12T08:32:45.701916 image/jpeg 3397 2025-08-12T08:32:45.453920 image/jpeg 129910 2021-01-05T10:40:10 application/octet-stream application/zip 13500 2021-01-05T10:40:10 application/octet-stream application/zip 196862 2025-08-12T08:32:44.602934 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia