The Merchants of Venus
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"The Merchants of Venus", also known by the title "The Merchants of Venus Underground", is a science fiction novella by American writer Frederik Pohl published in 1972 as part of the collection The Gold at the Starbow's End.[1]
It is a satire of runaway free market capitalism. It also features the first appearance of the Heechee.
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.
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.
References
[edit]- ^ Clute, John; Langford, David, eds. (2025). "Pohl, Frederik". The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (Online ed.). Retrieved 30 March 2025.
External links
[edit]- The Merchants of Venus title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
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