Project Gutenberg 2020-02-18 Public domain in the USA. 132 Carlson, Mary Larson, Mary The Time of Cold Produced from Worlds of If Science Fiction, September 1963 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "The Time of Cold" by Mary Carlson is a science fiction novella written during the early 1960s. The story explores themes of survival and adaptation in an alien environment, focusing on the contrasting lives of its two main characters: a human astronaut and a unique liquid creature. The narrative unfolds in a harsh, extraterrestrial landscape where the characters must face their predatory instincts and the challenges posed by their surroundings. The plot centers around Curt, a stranded astronaut, who must navigate a dangerous landscape filled with hostile wildlife, specifically a terrifying creature known as a liquid scorpion. Injured and desperate, Curt seeks refuge from the relentless heat of three suns as he attempts to survive. Meanwhile, Xen, the liquid creature, observes Curt and is torn between fear and curiosity. As their paths intersect, Xen learns about the human's needs in a time of cold and ultimately assists him in finding safety. The story delves into the themes of empathy and interspecies understanding, showcasing how survival becomes a shared experience despite their inherent differences. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 82.4 (6th grade). Easy to read. en Science fiction Short stories Survival -- Fiction Extraterrestrial beings -- Fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Life on other planets -- Fiction PS Text Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy 41019 2025-07-24T10:35:41.944398 text/html 16998 2024-10-17T16:33:52 text/html 108004 2025-07-24T10:35:43.793375 application/epub+zip 106846 2025-07-24T10:35:42.295378 application/epub+zip 78555 2025-07-24T10:35:42.093409 application/epub+zip 141491 2025-07-24T10:35:45.125395 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 134430 2025-07-24T10:35:43.595422 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 106253 2022-09-27T18:27:42.699999 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 34869 2025-07-24T10:35:41.850396 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 15145 2024-10-17T16:33:52 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 16690 2025-07-24T10:35:45.261397 application/rdf+xml 32212 2025-07-24T10:35:42.173433 image/jpeg 5188 2025-07-24T10:35:42.133399 image/jpeg 331235 2025-07-24T10:35:41.952463 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