Captain Midas

Somewhere beyond the safe lanes of human travel, a silent prize comes tumbling out of the dark—vast, alien, and ripe for the taking. For a hard-bitten crew used to risk, rules are just paperwork and salvage is a religion. But this isn’t ordinary wreckage. The closer they get, the more the ship seems to change the men who want it most. Suspicion spreads. Tempers spike. And the promise of unimaginable wealth begins to feel less like luck—and more like a trap. Captain Midas is an atmospheric tale of greed in a place where no one can call for help. It’s survival under pressure, with paranoia as the fuel and temptation as the engine. The story hits that perfect vintage note: bold space adventure on the surface, and a dark moral reckoning underneath. When the universe offers “free money,” it’s never free—and the bill always comes due. Alfred Coppel knew how to put human nature under a magnifying glass and watch it catch fire. He wrote with the confidence of someone who understood danger, discipline, and the way fear hides behind bravado. In Captain Midas, he delivers a classic sci-fi nightmare with a pirate’s grin—then quietly twists it into something unforgettable.