- Hardcover: 302 pages
- Publisher: Tor Books; First Edition edition (April 2000)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 031287216X
- ISBN-13: 978-0312872168
- Product Dimensions: 21.1 x 14 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,461,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Review
'A superb story by a first-class writer.' Daily Telegraph on RETURN TO MARS 'The science fiction author who will have the greatest effect on the world.' -- Ray Bradbury 'Venus is an epic adventure, full of twists and turns and genuine surprises. It should easily be in the running for the highest awards.' -- Hartford Courant (Venus) 'Fun, thought-provoking, pacy and stylish ... Gives a good read while turning your eyes to what might be in the not so distant future, just like Clarke and Asmov used to do so well.' -- SFX (Venus)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Ray Bradbury
‘The science fiction author who will have the greatest effect on the world.'
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I'm sure there's space out there (puns not intended) for a Kim Stanley Robinson-esque epic/series about the colonisation of Venus, but for now I must say that Bova has slotted together a quite impressive story-driven narrative with this book. It's a *tale*, as opposed to a piece of techno- or sociologically-centred literature, as KSR might write.
Quite unlike his two "Mars" books, the tale is one of unremitting corruption, greed, violence, and death, these facets almost unsettling in their explicit profuseness. The hero is a weakling, whose main character advancement is to prove himself otherwise to a ship-full of brash, macho survivors he finds himself marooned with, when he is rescued from the death of his own ship high in Venus' cloud-tops. The gore and sex-soaked contents are almost-but-not-quite sickening, and anyway manage to portray enough of a moral message to excuse them. The central conceit swinging around hatred, rejection and family loyalties is exceedingly well done. And there's a twist towards the close which, although well-executed, is distinctly lifted from a well-known film I could name...
The make-up of the book seems to encapsulate the planet: hellishly gripping, morally corrosive, thick and murky and unremittingly hostile, turning up the heat the deeper down you go. Soaked in familial loathing, death and greed. Which of course gives it a certain appeal. And the ending is thoroughly bittersweet. Bravo!
A nearly unrecognised masterpiece, in my opinion, like so much other hard SF. Four point five stars.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I read this book a second time after some considerable years, and enjoyed it even more.
It's true to say that some parts are predictable (even the first time round), but I don't think it is necessary to try too hard to be different just to avoid criticism like this.
For me, SF is about entertainment with some inspiration thrown in, and this book provides it in heaps. It is the perfect book to read at the airport, in the garden or when you just want to "free your mind" from the daily grind.
I think most mainstream SF buffs will love it!
It's true to say that some parts are predictable (even the first time round), but I don't think it is necessary to try too hard to be different just to avoid criticism like this.
For me, SF is about entertainment with some inspiration thrown in, and this book provides it in heaps. It is the perfect book to read at the airport, in the garden or when you just want to "free your mind" from the daily grind.
I think most mainstream SF buffs will love it!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I had already read both Moonrise and Moonwar by Bova, (both of which I 100% recommend) however I felt that Venus offered something very different. Venus will grip you, as will his other books, the story will keep moving and you'll keep reading. Venus is not for the die hard Shakespear/Austen fan, it's certainly not going to be studied in schools! But, if you enjoy reading a fun, fastmoving and lively story, then Venus is for you!
(If you have any queries or questions on any of Bova's books, feel free to contact me.)
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Lightweight Space Adventure
Having just completed the Kim Stanley Robinson "Mars" series, I was attracted to this Ben Bova title, expecting something of similar quality , but unfortunately this was not to be... Read more
Published on 24 Oct 2005 by L. Davidson
Bova does it again.
Ben Bovas writing leaves me breathless. I'm not one of these amateur reviewers who enjoys ruining the plot while giving my opinion on a book, so I'll be breif... Read more
Published on 9 Oct 2001 by sweapon@madscientist.co.uk
Competent, interesting, but somehow lacking
I'm currently working my way through BB's "Grand Tour" novels (Mars, Jupiter, Venus, etc), and I'm finding my response to all of them to be similar. Read more
Published on 7 Oct 2001
recommended for good straightforward story telling
For those of us who like our science fiction rooted in hard facts, Ben Bova,s 'Venus' is recommended. Read more
Published on 16 Sep 2000 by hanroc@lineone.net
An incredible disappointment
I am an absolute Ben Bova fan. I have particularly enjoyed the 'Moon' and 'Mars' series and was very much looking forward to enjoying 'Venus'. Read more
Published on 25 Aug 2000
Must've been a good idea at one time
I read MARS and I read RETURN TO MARS, I then gave them to others to read and they were as blown away as I was. But then came VENUS... Read more
Published on 28 April 2000
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