The Merchants of Venus
"The Merchants of Venus" is a science fiction novella by American writer Frederik Pohl and published in 1972 as part of the collection The Gold at the Starbow's End.[1][2]
It is a satire of runaway free market capitalism. It also features the first appearance of the Heechee.[3]
Plot
[edit]The story is about Audee Walthers, an "airbody driver and tour operator", who scams Earth tourists who visit Venus. He needs a new liver, so he is seeking a rich client to profit from. He is pleased to meet the seemingly well-off Boyce Cochenour, but Walthers finds out that Cochenour also needs money.
Publication
[edit]Novella
[edit]In 1972 by Ballantine Books included the novella in the anthology, The Gold at the Starbow's End.[4]
Adaptation
[edit]The story was adapted as a graphic novel by Victoria Petersen and Neal McPheeters in 1986, as the fourth title in the DC Science Fiction Graphic Novel series.[5]
Nomenclature
[edit]Though user-curated databases claim the work was also known as The Merchants of Venus Underground, authoritative databases do not list it by that name.[1][6][5]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Pohl, Frederik". sf-encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
- ^ "Kornbluth, C M." sf-encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 2025-01-18. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
- ^ "Reading "The Merchants of Venus" to Observe Frederik Pohl's Birthday". Futures Past and Present. 2016-11-27. Archived from the original on 2020-02-25. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
- ^ "Gold at the Starbow's End by Frederik Pohl". www.fantasticfiction.com. Archived from the original on 2016-05-20. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
- ^ a b "The Merchants of Venus". Slings & Arrows. Archived from the original on 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-12-20.
- ^ "Summary Bibliography: Frederik Pohl". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Archived from the original on 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
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