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The Space Merchants #1-2
A Venus-üzlet
Book club edition.
A compilation of two previously published books: The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth and The Merchant's War by Frederik Pohl.
In a future world controlled by the power of advertising, an underground group plans to colonize Venus where they can create their own advertising-free society.
A compilation of two previously published books: The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth and The Merchant's War by Frederik Pohl.
In a future world controlled by the power of advertising, an underground group plans to colonize Venus where they can create their own advertising-free society.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
2 people are currently reading
137 people want to read
About the author
Frederik Pohl
1,151 books1,057 followersFrederik George Pohl, Jr. was an American science fiction writer, editor and fan, with a career spanning over seventy years. From about 1959 until 1969, Pohl edited Galaxy magazine and its sister magazine IF winning the Hugo for IF three years in a row. His writing also won him three Hugos and multiple Nebula Awards. He became a Nebula Grand Master in 1993.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
February 18, 2021
This is an omnibus containing two novels, The Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth from 1952 and Pohl's 1984 sequel, The Merchants' War. The Space Merchants is one of the undisputed classics of the field, a brilliant satiric work that lampoons advertising and big corporations and how they manipulate the public. I thought the sequel was okay, but didn't live up to the original; it was a terrific work that didn't need a sequel. Though it was fine on its own, it didn't mesh well enough with the original, nor quite live up to it. Perhaps too much time had passed between the two, both in writing and in setting. I'd rate The Space Merchants an enthusiastic five and The Merchant's War a happy three.
September 26, 2012
A Must Read for anybody seeking to understand marketing, advertising & big business -- and the connection to politics. Written as fiction but it's alllllll too true
September 17, 2015
Venus, Inc. is a collection of 2 novels by Frederik Pohl, the first, The Space Merchants, was co-authored with C.M. Kornbluth, while Pohl was the sole author of the sequel, The Merchants' War. The two books take place in the same fictional timeline many years apart, with the main character from the first being mentioned as a historical figure in the second.
The story arc of both books share many similarities, starting with a sort of "riches to rags" story with a "star-class" ad man gaining a new perspective on their world. The stories take place in a dystopian future version of the United States in which corporate advertisers are at the top of the economic and political systems, with Congress representing the big corporations and the President serving as a figurehead.
Both novels paint a fairly dark image of the future as an extrapolation of corporate greed and an expansion of corporate rights above and beyond the rights of the individual. The second novel also juxtaposes the advertising-run Earth with the anti-advertising Venus, very much mirroring the cold war atmosphere in which the novel was born.
In the modern United States the pair of stories told in this collection are perhaps even more relevant than when they were written.
The story arc of both books share many similarities, starting with a sort of "riches to rags" story with a "star-class" ad man gaining a new perspective on their world. The stories take place in a dystopian future version of the United States in which corporate advertisers are at the top of the economic and political systems, with Congress representing the big corporations and the President serving as a figurehead.
Both novels paint a fairly dark image of the future as an extrapolation of corporate greed and an expansion of corporate rights above and beyond the rights of the individual. The second novel also juxtaposes the advertising-run Earth with the anti-advertising Venus, very much mirroring the cold war atmosphere in which the novel was born.
In the modern United States the pair of stories told in this collection are perhaps even more relevant than when they were written.
November 9, 2007
This was an interesting read. It's a compilation of two stories, one published first in 1952 and the second in 1984.
The first story establishes a future world where the power and influence of advertising is extrapolated to the nth degree. The protagonist is one of the privileged few to work in the upper echelons of one of the largest advertising firms in the world. Throughout the story he gradually comes to view the role of advertising and its effect on society in a new way.
The world the authors have created is well thought out and well explored. The characters are interesting enough and the story is well written. I felt the ending was a little bit cut short.
The second story, written decades later, isn't quite as strong as the first. It features a new main character who is much less likable than the first. The protagonist spends a lot of time dealing with an advertising-induced addiction to a particular soft-drink, and the story here drags a bit. I felt the character's transformation was a bit more difficult to "buy." But the ending of the story was a lot stronger than that of the first, and it was a good way to end the novel.
Overall, this was a fun read. It was a well-written, and fairly well-paced story with a strong message. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys good science fiction.
The first story establishes a future world where the power and influence of advertising is extrapolated to the nth degree. The protagonist is one of the privileged few to work in the upper echelons of one of the largest advertising firms in the world. Throughout the story he gradually comes to view the role of advertising and its effect on society in a new way.
The world the authors have created is well thought out and well explored. The characters are interesting enough and the story is well written. I felt the ending was a little bit cut short.
The second story, written decades later, isn't quite as strong as the first. It features a new main character who is much less likable than the first. The protagonist spends a lot of time dealing with an advertising-induced addiction to a particular soft-drink, and the story here drags a bit. I felt the character's transformation was a bit more difficult to "buy." But the ending of the story was a lot stronger than that of the first, and it was a good way to end the novel.
Overall, this was a fun read. It was a well-written, and fairly well-paced story with a strong message. I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys good science fiction.
Read
April 30, 201977 meat - meant
326 We have to act - missing opening quote
In Chapter 9 Mitch complains about the library, mentions Moby Dick as some dusty thing, meanwhile he's quoting poetry to Jack earlier on. Thought plot took a general down turn when he flipped
326 We have to act - missing opening quote
In Chapter 9 Mitch complains about the library, mentions Moby Dick as some dusty thing, meanwhile he's quoting poetry to Jack earlier on. Thought plot took a general down turn when he flipped
July 15, 2016
Both "Merchants War" and the "Merchants of Venus" are combined in this Book Club edition. Both novels read well back to back seamlessly.
February 8, 2018
I finished reading the 1952 classic The Space Merchants by Frederick Pohl and C.M. Kornbluth. I wanted to love this book, but it is not a total thumbs up. I know that styles have changed over the decades, and science fiction has never been know for its complex character development, but I found the ending and many of the emotional transitions abrupt. I had high hopes for the story and it didn’t quite live up to my expectations, even though I’m glad I read it.
So what did I like? The satire of a society driven by ever increasing sales was spot on, in spite of the author’s failure to predict so much of modern society. What made the dichotomy between the ruling class of advertisers and lower class consumers work was the way in which the sales people so thoroughly misunderstood the lives of the average person. It’s barely a spoiler to reveal that protagonist and ad agency executive Mitchell Courtenay finds himself stripped of his identity and turned into a low life laborer. Once he is on the receiving end of his own work, his perspective changes. The privileged Mitch discovers that workers do not hold menial jobs merely because they are lazy. In fact, he is surprised to learn just how much hard work a menial job requires.
Mitch Courtney is willing to sell anybody anything, until he experiences a life in which his small amount of discretionary income is the continual target of clever ads trying to pry his limited money away for things that bring him little joy and even harm him. The emotional transition that rang most true in this novel was the story a man who learns to see the world through the eyes of another, and changes his own life as a result.
So what did I like? The satire of a society driven by ever increasing sales was spot on, in spite of the author’s failure to predict so much of modern society. What made the dichotomy between the ruling class of advertisers and lower class consumers work was the way in which the sales people so thoroughly misunderstood the lives of the average person. It’s barely a spoiler to reveal that protagonist and ad agency executive Mitchell Courtenay finds himself stripped of his identity and turned into a low life laborer. Once he is on the receiving end of his own work, his perspective changes. The privileged Mitch discovers that workers do not hold menial jobs merely because they are lazy. In fact, he is surprised to learn just how much hard work a menial job requires.
Mitch Courtney is willing to sell anybody anything, until he experiences a life in which his small amount of discretionary income is the continual target of clever ads trying to pry his limited money away for things that bring him little joy and even harm him. The emotional transition that rang most true in this novel was the story a man who learns to see the world through the eyes of another, and changes his own life as a result.
December 24, 2023
This story depicts a future in which advertising models are taken to their extremes and all societies of Earth are influenced by it, save for some rebel-like groups on Venus and in its sequel the Weenies. Both novels that are in this omnibus edition have an interesting take on what might happen if people start to think outside of the box and what might be the consequences. These were very enjoyable reads.
June 1, 2017
Great fun. Mad Men in the "high-tech, sci-fi 1950s that never was", with advertising, buying, and selling the cetral focus of life and American culture. And then, things start to happen.
April 29, 2020
Kind of a 2.5. The two novels, set in the same "world" but 40-ish years apart, are deep dive, fascinating concepts - taking our obsession with advertising and product placement influencing free will all the way down the rabbit hole to a tangled mess where ethics are less desirable and understood than the newest soda, where everything is a commodity, where those who create the demand rule the roost. So the world is detailed and horrible and fascinating and borderline prescient (not fully, not yet, but we've all seen what the right "branding" can get people to buy or vote for). The heroes (and I use the term loosely) are horrible, horrible human beings in both books. Yet they were well written and detailed and fit completely and perfectly in the world created. Usually I can't get through a book if I loathe the hero/heroine but somehow this was so seamless and made so much sense that I was able to go on through it all. Perhaps it was the world or the fact that, awful as they were, the main characters were actually realized and had voices.
But, oh, heavens, the very dated trope of I Can't Help Myself, I've Fallen For Him appears in both and makes my blood curdle because, again, there is no reason to stick your neck out for either of these reprobates. For 90% of each book, I wouldn't spit on 'em if they were on fire. Maybe it was just a Thing for this time period of sci-fi/fantasy. I hope.
But, oh, heavens, the very dated trope of I Can't Help Myself, I've Fallen For Him appears in both and makes my blood curdle because, again, there is no reason to stick your neck out for either of these reprobates. For 90% of each book, I wouldn't spit on 'em if they were on fire. Maybe it was just a Thing for this time period of sci-fi/fantasy. I hope.
March 27, 2024
2.5 - The Space Merchants
November 3, 2011
This is a combination book containing two novels. The first, The Space Merchants, is a collaboration between C.M. Kornbluth and Frederik Pohl, which was originally published in 1952. The second, The Merchants' War, is a sequel by Frederik Pohl, published originally in 1984.
My feelings about "old" science fiction can be extremembly variable. Sometimes the changes from the time of writing to the time of reading are too great - too much change (technological, political) has taken place in the actual world that contrasts too sharply with the authors' assumed "changes to come". In this case, however, despite the relatively long time (for science fiction) that has passed, these books are both still very accessible, and the differences between real world and fictional are not great enough to distract.
These titles are more social and political than technological. The authors poke sticks at what I personally refer to in our society as "rampant consumerism". There is a great deal of tongue in cheek humor, greatly assisted by the choice of narrators. The narrator/protagonists in both stories are advertising executives who end up "turning" against uncontrolled capitalism for personal (both romantic and economic) reasons. This specific course of society has definitely not been derailed in the last 60 years, if anything it seems to be more entrenched. Thus the lightly presented cynicism here is still relevant, and the authors' style is easy - no Ms. Rand here to beat you over the head with a baseball bat. The plots move relatively quickly, especially in the second title. The feel and style of the second novel is very close to the first, and they make a great collection.
A couple passages that struck me:
"That's the glory of advertising - not just to fill needs, but to CREATE them."
".... I paid off my pedicab, pulled the soot-extractor plugs out of my nostrils and strutted into the main lobby of the huge Taunton, Gatchweiler and Schocken Agency Tower.
We get older and we get cynical, but after the years of absence there was almost an epiphany of feeling that shook me as I entered. Imagine two thousand years ago entering the court of Augustus Caesar, and knowing that here, in this place, the affairs of the entire world had their control center and inspiration. With the Agency, the same. True, there were other agencies - but it was a bigger world, too! Here was where Power was. The whole vast building was dedicated to one sublime mission: the betterment of mankind through the inspiration to buy. More than eighteen thousand poeople worked in that building. Copysmiths and apprentice word-jugglers; media specialists who could sound a commercial out of the ambient air or print a message on your eyeball; product researchers dreaming up, every day, new and more sellable drinks, foods, gadgets, vices, possessions of all sorts; artists; musicians; actors; directors; space buyers and time buyers - the list went on indefinitely - and above them all, on the fortieth floor and higher, there was Executive Country where the geniuses who directed it all brooded and conceived their godlike plans. Oh, sure. I joked about the civilizing mission of us who dedicated our lives to advertising - but under the joking was the same real reverence and commitment that I'd felt as a cub scout in the Junior Copywriters, going after my first merit badges and just then beginning to perceive where my life could lead...."
Okay, okay, that is pretty heavy handed, but that is the worst (and the longest) it gets! And, after all, maybe that says more about me (since I focused on and marked those passages) than it says about the author.
These were really pretty fun.
My feelings about "old" science fiction can be extremembly variable. Sometimes the changes from the time of writing to the time of reading are too great - too much change (technological, political) has taken place in the actual world that contrasts too sharply with the authors' assumed "changes to come". In this case, however, despite the relatively long time (for science fiction) that has passed, these books are both still very accessible, and the differences between real world and fictional are not great enough to distract.
These titles are more social and political than technological. The authors poke sticks at what I personally refer to in our society as "rampant consumerism". There is a great deal of tongue in cheek humor, greatly assisted by the choice of narrators. The narrator/protagonists in both stories are advertising executives who end up "turning" against uncontrolled capitalism for personal (both romantic and economic) reasons. This specific course of society has definitely not been derailed in the last 60 years, if anything it seems to be more entrenched. Thus the lightly presented cynicism here is still relevant, and the authors' style is easy - no Ms. Rand here to beat you over the head with a baseball bat. The plots move relatively quickly, especially in the second title. The feel and style of the second novel is very close to the first, and they make a great collection.
A couple passages that struck me:
"That's the glory of advertising - not just to fill needs, but to CREATE them."
".... I paid off my pedicab, pulled the soot-extractor plugs out of my nostrils and strutted into the main lobby of the huge Taunton, Gatchweiler and Schocken Agency Tower.
We get older and we get cynical, but after the years of absence there was almost an epiphany of feeling that shook me as I entered. Imagine two thousand years ago entering the court of Augustus Caesar, and knowing that here, in this place, the affairs of the entire world had their control center and inspiration. With the Agency, the same. True, there were other agencies - but it was a bigger world, too! Here was where Power was. The whole vast building was dedicated to one sublime mission: the betterment of mankind through the inspiration to buy. More than eighteen thousand poeople worked in that building. Copysmiths and apprentice word-jugglers; media specialists who could sound a commercial out of the ambient air or print a message on your eyeball; product researchers dreaming up, every day, new and more sellable drinks, foods, gadgets, vices, possessions of all sorts; artists; musicians; actors; directors; space buyers and time buyers - the list went on indefinitely - and above them all, on the fortieth floor and higher, there was Executive Country where the geniuses who directed it all brooded and conceived their godlike plans. Oh, sure. I joked about the civilizing mission of us who dedicated our lives to advertising - but under the joking was the same real reverence and commitment that I'd felt as a cub scout in the Junior Copywriters, going after my first merit badges and just then beginning to perceive where my life could lead...."
Okay, okay, that is pretty heavy handed, but that is the worst (and the longest) it gets! And, after all, maybe that says more about me (since I focused on and marked those passages) than it says about the author.
These were really pretty fun.
January 2, 2024
This omnibus of Pohl and Cornbluth's collaboration _The Space Merchants_ (1952) and Pohl's later sequel _The Merchants' War_ (1984) was not at all what I expected from the jacket blurb, in that both volumes were much more satirical than I might have guessed - less "Golden Age" science fiction and something that felt much more like an early "New Wave" entry, bringing to mind PKD or John Brunner. There were marked differences between the two novels, definitely making Kornbluth's contributions clear (first had better characterization despite Kornbluth's misanthropy, second had a more fulfilling narrative arc and more justified conclusion). I wasn't sure of the whole package while in-process, but after completing it found it much more impactful than I anticipated.
August 7, 2011
This was a SFBC edition, featuring the 1950's story The Space Merchants and the 1984 story The Merchant's War. I actually liked this better than I thought I would. Its st in the future when those who do advertising are more powerful than the government.
Read
August 2, 2013Second part more successful than first. I kept expecting them to actually spend time on Venus; they mostly didn't. Tension and world-building perhaps the best parts.
Want to read
February 21, 2017Frederik Pohl & C. M. Kornbluth
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews