Trappers of Venus

Dig Allen, Space Explorer #4

by Joseph Greene

The swamps and wildlife of Venus are in trouble, and Tim Buckle has come to enlist the Space Explorers to their aid. Trouble arises, however, soon after Tim lands on Mars. A henchman throws him into the chilly Mars Canal -- an act which means almost certain death to a man who has spent his life in the swamps of Venus. Dig tries to help him, but the dunking makes Tim go insane. As a result, he and Dig blast off to Venus and leave Ken and Jim stranded. The henchmen who tried to kill Tim take advantage of the situation and convince the other two Space Explorers that Dig has deserted them for being "space Jonas." Their only choice now, he convinces them, is to resign their commission as Space Explorers and throw their lot in with Linton Wells, a rich businessman. Wells wants the two Space Explorers to certify the Venus Kohoolies as being non-intelligent so that he can begin killing them and exporting their skins. Soon both parties are plunged into danger. When a riot stirred up by Linton Wells' henchmen fails to eliminate Dig and Tim, Linton starts a massive manhunt to find them. Jim and Ken soon find out that they have been duped and rejoin Dig -- but Linton manages to recapture them. Things take a sudden turn for the worse when Dig, Jim, and Ken are all caught by the Mist Flower and injected with the flower's fatal venom. Their only choice now is to journey to the intelligent Kohoolies' secret city to be treated by their doctors -- for the fate of all Venus rests upon them!

186 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1962

Reviews

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of the crazier and most convoluted of the Dig Allen adventures. It involves politics and blackmail and interplanetary treachery, whereas I much preferred the stories that featured exploration and travel to mysterious alien settings and exotic habitats. I saw Dig and his pals as younger and not quite as cool cousins to Tom Corbett, which may not have been a fair assessment in retrospect. It was a fun series that appeared just as the space age was beginning, with a forward-thinking optimism and a positive outlook.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this 4th book of the Digby Allen Space Explorer series. This book primarily takes place on the planet Venus, although it starts out on Mars. These planets are civilized, although hot and humid Venus only has one rough town for trappers.

Dig and his friends, and fellow Space Explorers brothers Jim & Ken Barry, are separated. All three end up on Venus. Dig goes there at the behest of some trappers who insist that the animals called Kohoolies on Venus are intelligent creatures and should be saved from trappers killing them. Jim & Ken are accompanying a rich man and his crew to determine if the Kohoolies are intelligent or just animals that can be trapped for their very nice pelts. I loved the Kohoolies! I wish we had some here.

The adventure in the jungles of Venus is very exciting. This is a very good book.