The Merchants of Venus

"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.

Not to be confused with The Merchant of Venus, Merchant of Venus, or The Merchant of Venice.

It is a satire of runaway free market capitalism. It also features the first appearance of the Heechee.

Plot

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. However, Walthers finds out that Cochenour also needs money.

Adaptation

It 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.

gollark: The operating principles are different though.
gollark: It's easier to think about them as sigils to invoke dark gods instead of electronic circuits.
gollark: I'm sure someone somewhere is studying this.
gollark: What if RF electrochemistry?
gollark: I mean, you can already 3D-print technically-functional guns. Eventually it'll probably be actually-functional ones. Within a few decades with biotech advancements you might be able to just shove together a deadly pathogen on a desktop.

See also
  • The Merchant of Venus (story)

References
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