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The Explorers.
The present collection - the first ever published of his shorter fiction - includes both one of his earliest stories ("Thirteen O'Clock") and a brand-new novelette, "Gomez," which appears here in print for the first time. Told with excitement and power, these stories display the delightfully ironic imagination of a writer who is master of his craft.
Contains the short
"Gomez"
"The Mindworm"
"The Rocket of 1955"
"The Altar at Midnight"
"Thirteen O'Clock"
"The Goodly Creatures"
"Friend to Man"
"With These Hands"
"That Share of Glory"
Contains the short
"Gomez"
"The Mindworm"
"The Rocket of 1955"
"The Altar at Midnight"
"Thirteen O'Clock"
"The Goodly Creatures"
"Friend to Man"
"With These Hands"
"That Share of Glory"
Paperback
Published January 1, 1954
About the author
C.M. Kornbluth
391 books92 followers
Cyril M. Kornbluth
grew up in Inwood in New York City. As a teenager, he became a member of the Futurians, the influential group of science fiction fans and writers. While a member of the Futurians, he met and became friends with Isaac Asimov, Frederik Pohl, Donald A. Wollheim, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and his future wife Mary Byers. He also participated in the Fantasy Amateur Press Association.
Kornbluth served in the US Army during World War II (European Theatre). He received a Bronze Star for his service in the Battle of the Bulge, where he served as a member of a heavy machine gun crew. Upon his discharge, he returned to finish his education, which had been interrupted by the war, at the University of Chicago. While living in Chicago he also worked at Trans-Radio Press, a news wire service. In 1951 he started writing full time, returning to the East Coast where he collaborated on a number of novels with his old Futurian friends Frederik Pohl and Judith Merril (as Cyril Judd).
He used a variety of pen-names: Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, Walter C. Davies, Simon Eisner, Jordan Park, Arthur Cooke, Paul Dennis Lavond and Scott Mariner.
Kornbluth served in the US Army during World War II (European Theatre). He received a Bronze Star for his service in the Battle of the Bulge, where he served as a member of a heavy machine gun crew. Upon his discharge, he returned to finish his education, which had been interrupted by the war, at the University of Chicago. While living in Chicago he also worked at Trans-Radio Press, a news wire service. In 1951 he started writing full time, returning to the East Coast where he collaborated on a number of novels with his old Futurian friends Frederik Pohl and Judith Merril (as Cyril Judd).
He used a variety of pen-names: Cecil Corwin, S. D. Gottesman, Edward J. Bellin, Kenneth Falconer, Walter C. Davies, Simon Eisner, Jordan Park, Arthur Cooke, Paul Dennis Lavond and Scott Mariner.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
November 26, 2011
review of
C. M. Kornbluth's The Explorers
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - November 26, 2011
I started reading Kornbluth by accident. I'd read some collaborations by G. C. Edmondson & C. M. Kotlan that I'd liked & some work by Edmondson alone that I'd liked less so I decided to look for work by Kotlan alone to see if I'd like that. I was in a bkstore & cdn't remember Kotlan's name so I got bks by Kornbluth instead. Similar names. & what a find Kornbluth seems to be turning out to be!
I'm reading the bks by him that I initially got in chronological order. That meant starting w/ The Explorers - 1st published in 1954. This collection of short stories includes his 1st published one, "The Rocket of 1955", presented in Escape magazine in 1939. Kornbluth was 15 or 16 when he wrote it. The 1st story in The Explorers is about a Puerto Rican immigrant working as a dishwasher who's discovered to be a physics genius & subsequently exploited by the U.S. military.
Thru this story Kornbluth immediately struck me as someone w/ a subversive bent who's far from naive about the actions & motives of governments. What particularly interests me is that this wd've been published during the McCarthy Red Scare. It wd appear that SF writers were under McCarthy's radar since McCarthy went after more high-profile people like Hollywood folks who were making big bucks. There's an advantage, sometimes, to barely scraping by financially.
Kornbluth, alas, only made it to age 34 when he died of a heart attack, so I consider the world to be fortunate that he wrote as much as he did starting as early as he did. I'll be reading everything by him that I can get my hands on.
C. M. Kornbluth's The Explorers
by tENTATIVELY, a cONVENIENCE - November 26, 2011
I started reading Kornbluth by accident. I'd read some collaborations by G. C. Edmondson & C. M. Kotlan that I'd liked & some work by Edmondson alone that I'd liked less so I decided to look for work by Kotlan alone to see if I'd like that. I was in a bkstore & cdn't remember Kotlan's name so I got bks by Kornbluth instead. Similar names. & what a find Kornbluth seems to be turning out to be!
I'm reading the bks by him that I initially got in chronological order. That meant starting w/ The Explorers - 1st published in 1954. This collection of short stories includes his 1st published one, "The Rocket of 1955", presented in Escape magazine in 1939. Kornbluth was 15 or 16 when he wrote it. The 1st story in The Explorers is about a Puerto Rican immigrant working as a dishwasher who's discovered to be a physics genius & subsequently exploited by the U.S. military.
Thru this story Kornbluth immediately struck me as someone w/ a subversive bent who's far from naive about the actions & motives of governments. What particularly interests me is that this wd've been published during the McCarthy Red Scare. It wd appear that SF writers were under McCarthy's radar since McCarthy went after more high-profile people like Hollywood folks who were making big bucks. There's an advantage, sometimes, to barely scraping by financially.
Kornbluth, alas, only made it to age 34 when he died of a heart attack, so I consider the world to be fortunate that he wrote as much as he did starting as early as he did. I'll be reading everything by him that I can get my hands on.
August 8, 2020
A collection of Golden Age short sci-fi stories.
These were all decent but not stellar, relying heavily on a clever type of ending in which someone doesn't do something, in order to accomplish their goals. I don't want to spoil any endings, but when your only logical action will clearly result in dooming yourself to a miserable life, then maybe not taking any action (or taken a forbidden action) is your best bet.
If you're on a Golden Age kick, go for it.
These were all decent but not stellar, relying heavily on a clever type of ending in which someone doesn't do something, in order to accomplish their goals. I don't want to spoil any endings, but when your only logical action will clearly result in dooming yourself to a miserable life, then maybe not taking any action (or taken a forbidden action) is your best bet.
If you're on a Golden Age kick, go for it.
August 27, 2009
I was pleasantly surprised. The book cover implied some gung-ho rocketship stuff, but the stories here were more varied, more interested in the characters, and had a classic feel without seeming dated.
I would love to read more about the world/universe described in "That Share of Glory", about a quasi-pacifistic order of monks who primarily get what they want through trickery and knowledge of the cultures they encounter on behalf of their mercantile clients.
I would love to read more about the world/universe described in "That Share of Glory", about a quasi-pacifistic order of monks who primarily get what they want through trickery and knowledge of the cultures they encounter on behalf of their mercantile clients.
May 27, 2014
Nine stories from the author. I rated each separately (out of 5) and came up with an avg of 3.11. Mainly because of two 1-star stinkers. However, there is so much that would be missed out on if a reader only went by numerical averages. This collection displays an intelligent, learned author. The stories are unpredictable, fun, and ironic. Many examine morality - the author has a critical (but not miserable) eye upon society. My favorite: "That Share of Glory," though "The Altar of Midnight" is a powerful story, too. Perfect for: vintage sci-fi readers and for anyone who wants smart reading without typical sci-fi tropes.
March 22, 2020
Full review: https://sciencefictionruminations.com...
"I’ve stayed away from C. M. Kornbluth for far too long. I read Kornbluth and Pohl’s The Space Merchants (1953) when I was quite young and was put off for some unexplainable reason. What a shame! This collection of short stories and novelettes contains some of the best short works I’ve[...]"
"I’ve stayed away from C. M. Kornbluth for far too long. I read Kornbluth and Pohl’s The Space Merchants (1953) when I was quite young and was put off for some unexplainable reason. What a shame! This collection of short stories and novelettes contains some of the best short works I’ve[...]"
February 5, 2013
The Mindworm”
Psychic vampire devises cruel methods to push victims into states of emotional crisis. Eventually he retreats to the country, where the “simple” rural folks recognize him for what he is and drive a stake through his heart. Noteworthy for the viciousness of the mindworm and the darkness of the tale.
7 “The Altar at Midnight”
Two men meet in a bar. One is a space worker who has been scarred, physically and emotionally, by space travel.
6 “Gomez”
Mathematic savant gets recruited by the government to work on scientific projects. He closes in on unified field theory, but when he realizes that his discoveries will be used to make weapons, he develops a convenient case of amnesia.
8 “The Rocket of 1955”
Bitterly cynical vignette resembles a sci-fi recasting of Mel Brooks’ The Producers. The narrator recounts, in the form of a police confession, a conspiracy to bilk investors buying into a rocket ship that has no chance of working.
Psychic vampire devises cruel methods to push victims into states of emotional crisis. Eventually he retreats to the country, where the “simple” rural folks recognize him for what he is and drive a stake through his heart. Noteworthy for the viciousness of the mindworm and the darkness of the tale.
7 “The Altar at Midnight”
Two men meet in a bar. One is a space worker who has been scarred, physically and emotionally, by space travel.
6 “Gomez”
Mathematic savant gets recruited by the government to work on scientific projects. He closes in on unified field theory, but when he realizes that his discoveries will be used to make weapons, he develops a convenient case of amnesia.
8 “The Rocket of 1955”
Bitterly cynical vignette resembles a sci-fi recasting of Mel Brooks’ The Producers. The narrator recounts, in the form of a police confession, a conspiracy to bilk investors buying into a rocket ship that has no chance of working.
December 31, 2015
Most of the stories in this collection also appear in "The Best Of C.M. Kornbluth," which in itself is a good indicator of just how strong this book is. Kornbluth's favorite subjects -- the future of advertising & trade -- are explored in stories that range from pedestrian to downright clever.
January 7, 2017
I liked Kornbluth when I was just discovering sci-fi. Now, it doesn't do anything for me.
January 13, 2025
Some absolute standout short stories here. Kornbluth is awesome.
Want to Read
October 4, 2025"Gomez"
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews