Doorway to Kal-Jmar

"Doorway to Kal-Jmar" by Damon Knight is a science fiction novel written in the early mid-20th century. The story revolves around the evil exploits of Syme Rector, a notorious outlaw who seeks to uncover the secrets of the fabled ancient city of Kal-Jmar, believed to hold untold wealth and advanced technology guarded by impenetrable barriers. The novel explores themes of greed and betrayal, set against the backdrop of Mars, where the remnants of an ancient civilization still linger. In the narrative, Rector, after a series of violent encounters, partners with Harold Tate, a physicist who has discovered a method to breach the city's defenses. As they make their way through the treacherous Martian landscape, they face both the dangers of the environment and the unpredictable Martians rumored to inhabit Kal-Jmar. Ultimately, upon penetrating the city, Rector's greed leads to his downfall when he is fatally betrayed by a robotic feeding machine that does not differentiate between the needs of its Martian masters and the deadly requirements for humans, resulting in a tragic yet poetic end to his ambitious quest.