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Venus Prime #4
The Medusa Encounter
After her last mission to Mars, Sparta, a beautiful operative with a mysterious past and superhuman abilities--thanks to the benefits of advanced biotechnology--is set for some much-needed relaxation, until she finds herself investigating the Space Board itself, which has been infiltrated by members of the Free Spirit, a religious cult seeking control of the galaxy. Original.
306 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1971
About the author
Paul Preuss
36 books21 followersPaul Preuss is an American writer of science fiction and science articles, who also works as science consultant for film companies. He is the author of numerous stand-alone novels as well as novels in Arthur C. Clarke's Venus Prime series, based upon incidents, characters, and places from Clarke's short stories. (source: wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 7, 2026
So we are now 2/3 the way through the series and I guess at this point the storyline should now start coming in to view - which to be honest is about time since we all started with so little.
However this is where also I think the story line starts to take a direction I am not sure I am comfortable with. Yes I will try and keep to my choice of no spoilers which I will admit will make things a little challenging however I will give it a go.
You see a large portion of this book focuses on one persons adventure - by its very nature it is a solo trip so of course the story has to focus on other activities. These activities certainly support the story but I am not sure I agree with the actions of the characters - they feel our of place from the earlier books. Or if they are in character then I have utterly misread them for the first 3 books.
Either way I am not sure I agree with what happened in this book - true it appears to have sorted itself out by the end of the story ready for a potential reset in the next instalment however I guess I will need to see.
However this is where also I think the story line starts to take a direction I am not sure I am comfortable with. Yes I will try and keep to my choice of no spoilers which I will admit will make things a little challenging however I will give it a go.
You see a large portion of this book focuses on one persons adventure - by its very nature it is a solo trip so of course the story has to focus on other activities. These activities certainly support the story but I am not sure I agree with the actions of the characters - they feel our of place from the earlier books. Or if they are in character then I have utterly misread them for the first 3 books.
Either way I am not sure I agree with what happened in this book - true it appears to have sorted itself out by the end of the story ready for a potential reset in the next instalment however I guess I will need to see.
August 14, 2020
This is the fourth novel in the Venus Prime series, a set of books that expand on Arthur C. Clark’s short stories. This one finds our hero Sparta, a beautiful and mysterious woman with advanced abilities due to advanced biotech engineering, recovering from her recent Mars mission in what is supposed to be some R&R time. But it seems the “Free Spirit”, the arch enemies for the series, have infiltrated the Space Board and Sparta must investigate. Tied up in all this intrigue is the first manned mission to Jupiter which Sparta fears has been corrupted by the influence of the Free Spirit cult.
Mixed in with the fun space adventure plot of this book is a pretty detailed hard science look at what a manned mission to the massive atmosphere of Jupiter might look like. Plenty of technobabble is included here that might turn some readers off but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Mixed in with the fun space adventure plot of this book is a pretty detailed hard science look at what a manned mission to the massive atmosphere of Jupiter might look like. Plenty of technobabble is included here that might turn some readers off but I thoroughly enjoyed it.
September 19, 2018
Mea Culpa J'ai eu le tort de lire cet épisode avant les autres ce que je déconseille car les différents organismes et protagonistes sont difficiles à comprendre sans avoir lu leur passé bien que l'auteur y fasse allusions
Comme toujours avec Clarke, on touche à une multitude de concepts passionnants sans s'y attarder A la place, on doit résoudre un imbroglio politique et sociétal !!! à qui profite le crime et quelle organisation défend le bien ????
Reste la plongée sur Jupiter, une évocation très visuelle et très bien rendue On s'y croirait ... K SAGAN évoquait, dans Cosmos, la possibilité d'une vie de ce type ce qui fait qu'on y croit (on retrouve le même thème des mantas jupitériennes dans Manta's Gift de T. ZAHN)
Paru dans les années 70, question style et personnages, cela a vieilli mais reste un ouvrage qui cherche à réunir dans un seul univers tous les concepts de SF : élévation, AI, ET, explorations scientifiques, questions philosophiques etc etc C'est un peu fastidieux par moment mais cela mérite tout de même 3 étoiles
Comme toujours avec Clarke, on touche à une multitude de concepts passionnants sans s'y attarder A la place, on doit résoudre un imbroglio politique et sociétal !!! à qui profite le crime et quelle organisation défend le bien ????
Reste la plongée sur Jupiter, une évocation très visuelle et très bien rendue On s'y croirait ... K SAGAN évoquait, dans Cosmos, la possibilité d'une vie de ce type ce qui fait qu'on y croit (on retrouve le même thème des mantas jupitériennes dans Manta's Gift de T. ZAHN)
Paru dans les années 70, question style et personnages, cela a vieilli mais reste un ouvrage qui cherche à réunir dans un seul univers tous les concepts de SF : élévation, AI, ET, explorations scientifiques, questions philosophiques etc etc C'est un peu fastidieux par moment mais cela mérite tout de même 3 étoiles
April 25, 2018
A wonderful trip into the clouds of Jupiter.
June 26, 2017
I had been enjoying this series more than I expected (or wanted to), but this one was a sharp left turn straight into the crapper.
Almost all of what made the previous books appealing is missing here. Instead of a good mix of action, sci-fi, and intrigue, punctuated with good dialogue and credible character interactions, this is just a tedious slog. There are a few "bursts" of action, but a lot of rambling narrative interludes and the entire story was just soporific for me. What's worse, the author largely tore down the interesting heroine he'd created in the prior books in the series, not so much humanizing her (as being flawed) as undermining a lot of what made her compelling and interesting.
Almost all of what made the previous books appealing is missing here. Instead of a good mix of action, sci-fi, and intrigue, punctuated with good dialogue and credible character interactions, this is just a tedious slog. There are a few "bursts" of action, but a lot of rambling narrative interludes and the entire story was just soporific for me. What's worse, the author largely tore down the interesting heroine he'd created in the prior books in the series, not so much humanizing her (as being flawed) as undermining a lot of what made her compelling and interesting.
May 9, 2021
Other 4 and 5 star reviewers have given copious details of this six part series to which i won’t attempt to add. There are many other wonderfully detailed reviews.
I will say that this amalgamation of Arthur C Clarke’s original individual stories, woven into a much longer 6 volume mystery / Sci-Fi tale by Paul Preuss is exceptionally well executed.
In particular for volume 4, there is a very nice twist, about 3/4 of the way through, that resets the way the last several pages of volume 3 seem to have left the story. I liked it. It had me flipping back through the last pages of each chapter in #4 until I realized it was the very ending of #3 that was “upset”. Totally unexpected and nicely changes where I THOUGHT volume 3 had left me (which wasn’t a comfortable place).
I like this series of 6 books a lot and vaguely remember reading them 20+ years ago. I only remembered that I LIKED the books and the main character (Sparta) a lot, but the story details had faded. Rereading this series and recapturing all of the puzzle piece details is extremely satisfying.
‘Nuff said. I am continuing on to Venus Prime volume 5 after a short meander to a different genre for a one book side-track.
I will say that this amalgamation of Arthur C Clarke’s original individual stories, woven into a much longer 6 volume mystery / Sci-Fi tale by Paul Preuss is exceptionally well executed.
In particular for volume 4, there is a very nice twist, about 3/4 of the way through, that resets the way the last several pages of volume 3 seem to have left the story. I liked it. It had me flipping back through the last pages of each chapter in #4 until I realized it was the very ending of #3 that was “upset”. Totally unexpected and nicely changes where I THOUGHT volume 3 had left me (which wasn’t a comfortable place).
I like this series of 6 books a lot and vaguely remember reading them 20+ years ago. I only remembered that I LIKED the books and the main character (Sparta) a lot, but the story details had faded. Rereading this series and recapturing all of the puzzle piece details is extremely satisfying.
‘Nuff said. I am continuing on to Venus Prime volume 5 after a short meander to a different genre for a one book side-track.
January 26, 2018
Este libro me ha dejado con un sabor agridulce.
A lo largo de toda la historia los personajes principales han sufrido un cambio extremo y sin una explicación racional. En el anterior Blake y Sparta se preocupaban uno por otro e incluso en el principio de este tomo se querían, pero luego nos encontramos con que se separan y ya no quieren saber nada uno del otro. Es más, luego Sparta (una drogadicta que ya no siente nada por nadie) intenta matar al propio Blake.
Toda esta parte del libro es algo caótica. Incluso el motín a bordo de la Garuda está explicado de una manera sumamente extraña. Parece como si el autor hubiera estado lanzando varias ideas sin tener claro cómo unirlas.
A pesar de ello, toda la parte de la expedición a Júpiter es muy interesante, haciéndote leer con ansias para saber qué encontrará Falcon en ese mundo. El final nos invita a leer la siguiente novela pues aún quedan muchos misterios que resolver y puede que con los nuevos personajes y la nueva aventura que se está gestando comprendamos finalmente muchos puntos de esta saga.
A lo largo de toda la historia los personajes principales han sufrido un cambio extremo y sin una explicación racional. En el anterior Blake y Sparta se preocupaban uno por otro e incluso en el principio de este tomo se querían, pero luego nos encontramos con que se separan y ya no quieren saber nada uno del otro. Es más, luego Sparta (una drogadicta que ya no siente nada por nadie) intenta matar al propio Blake.
Toda esta parte del libro es algo caótica. Incluso el motín a bordo de la Garuda está explicado de una manera sumamente extraña. Parece como si el autor hubiera estado lanzando varias ideas sin tener claro cómo unirlas.
A pesar de ello, toda la parte de la expedición a Júpiter es muy interesante, haciéndote leer con ansias para saber qué encontrará Falcon en ese mundo. El final nos invita a leer la siguiente novela pues aún quedan muchos misterios que resolver y puede que con los nuevos personajes y la nueva aventura que se está gestando comprendamos finalmente muchos puntos de esta saga.
June 25, 2023
So, yeah, I guess this will be a Ludlum-in-space thing until the very end. Sparta is gradually deprived of her augmentations, which might make the plot more interesting (instead of "Supergirl bops baddies" laziness), but in this instalment she also gets shunted to a sideline for a large part of the novel. Strange move, that, as if the author forgot she's the protagonist.
In addition, the worldbuilding creaks. Clarke's stories weren't a homogenous scaffolding, so the decision to hold on to them results in more and more cracks appearing in the construction.
In addition, the worldbuilding creaks. Clarke's stories weren't a homogenous scaffolding, so the decision to hold on to them results in more and more cracks appearing in the construction.
June 19, 2018
The series moved up a gear after book 3. ACC,s A meeting with Medusa, when I read it so many years ago, was the story that and ignited my imagination and began a lifelong enjoyment of science fiction. The descriptions still get to me to this day. This was a good reimagination of that story.
July 12, 2024
"Why do you want to go to Jupiter?"
"As Springer said when he lifted for Pluto, 'because it's there.'"
"Thanks, I'm sure. And now that we've got that out of the way... what's the real reason?"
"As Springer said when he lifted for Pluto, 'because it's there.'"
"Thanks, I'm sure. And now that we've got that out of the way... what's the real reason?"
May 31, 2020
Keep the stories coming. Book 3 is just as good as number 1. Keep on reading.
Want to Read
July 5, 2020306 p!
sony-or-android
September 29, 2020DDA owns and gives five stars.
November 1, 2024
Większość nie powala, niektóre dość sztampowe, albo po prostu nudnawe, ale dla trzech (Droga przez ciemność, Wiatr od słońca ❤️ i tytułowe Spotkanie z meduzą) warto wziąć do ręki.
May 22, 2026
This series is unfolding in very interesting ways. I loved the character exploration in this novel and the planet exploration. Alongside the first novel in the series, it is probably my favorite.
December 9, 2020
The novel series cranks up into full throttle as main charachters attempt to put the pieces to the puzzle and save the world from the power driven cult known as The Free Spirits. This book in particular was such an exciting read, and I really loved it.
December 16, 2012
by Paul Preuss, published in 1990.
This is the fourth in the Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime series based off of (Arthur C. Clarke’s short work entitled “Medusa”), but not written by Arthur C. Clarke at all but rather Paul Preuss.
But don’t let that stop you from reading it, just be aware that the author is Paul Preuss and you will be okay. This is not an easy book to follow though and should only be read after completing the first three in the series - if you don’t you will be even more confused than if you did.
A lot happens in this novel, but it is (at least it was to me) not very satisfying. Sparta or Ellen or Linda (choose your protagonist’s name now as all three seem to be in use in this volume) is a guest of the Space Board as she recovers from her Mars mishap, but the Space Board is corrupt and this, you just know, will lead to events which can not be good.
Long story short - fanatics are going to screw with the mission to Jupiter and Sparta goes undercover, as well as Blake her love interest, to make sure the fanatics are foiled. Sounds straight forward, but it is not. And what is revealed around, and actually in the atmosphere of, Jupiter is nothing short of astounding. The setup just begs for more answers and I’m sure we will get them in volumes 5 and 6.
The story jumps around a bit too which maybe makes it a little harder to follow and there is a jump of two years at one point to get into the heart of the Jupiter adventure. I almost found this one two stories in one with the pre-Jupiter stuff and then the Jupiter stuff.
I don’t want to reveal too much but let me just say Sparta goes off the deep end in deep space and leave it at that. She may be super-human, but the key here is the word human.
Overall I found it a worthwhile short adventure novel and the Jupiter section was really cool. A lot has been set up for the next two novels and I’m off to read number 5 already.
Worth finding at the bookstores or downloading the ebooks if you like mystery science fiction. It is no Asimov or Clarke, but it is pretty entertaining.
The six books in the Venus Prime series all written by Paul Preuss are:
Venus Prime 1: Breaking Strain
Venus Prime 2: Maelstrom
Venus Prime 3: Hide and Seek
Venus Prime 4: The Medusa Encounter
Venus Prime 5: Diamond Moon
Venus Prime 6: The Shining Ones
This is the fourth in the Arthur C. Clarke’s Venus Prime series based off of (Arthur C. Clarke’s short work entitled “Medusa”), but not written by Arthur C. Clarke at all but rather Paul Preuss.
But don’t let that stop you from reading it, just be aware that the author is Paul Preuss and you will be okay. This is not an easy book to follow though and should only be read after completing the first three in the series - if you don’t you will be even more confused than if you did.
A lot happens in this novel, but it is (at least it was to me) not very satisfying. Sparta or Ellen or Linda (choose your protagonist’s name now as all three seem to be in use in this volume) is a guest of the Space Board as she recovers from her Mars mishap, but the Space Board is corrupt and this, you just know, will lead to events which can not be good.
Long story short - fanatics are going to screw with the mission to Jupiter and Sparta goes undercover, as well as Blake her love interest, to make sure the fanatics are foiled. Sounds straight forward, but it is not. And what is revealed around, and actually in the atmosphere of, Jupiter is nothing short of astounding. The setup just begs for more answers and I’m sure we will get them in volumes 5 and 6.
The story jumps around a bit too which maybe makes it a little harder to follow and there is a jump of two years at one point to get into the heart of the Jupiter adventure. I almost found this one two stories in one with the pre-Jupiter stuff and then the Jupiter stuff.
I don’t want to reveal too much but let me just say Sparta goes off the deep end in deep space and leave it at that. She may be super-human, but the key here is the word human.
Overall I found it a worthwhile short adventure novel and the Jupiter section was really cool. A lot has been set up for the next two novels and I’m off to read number 5 already.
Worth finding at the bookstores or downloading the ebooks if you like mystery science fiction. It is no Asimov or Clarke, but it is pretty entertaining.
The six books in the Venus Prime series all written by Paul Preuss are:
Venus Prime 1: Breaking Strain
Venus Prime 2: Maelstrom
Venus Prime 3: Hide and Seek
Venus Prime 4: The Medusa Encounter
Venus Prime 5: Diamond Moon
Venus Prime 6: The Shining Ones
February 13, 2015
Ok, 4th in the Venus Prime series and Ellen / Linda / Sparta is recovering from her emergency operation. Lots of intrigue already as the plot lines for the story start to take shape and more hints at her origins in the series' story arc.
Getting a little irritated though. I am only a couple of chapters in and I have already picked up a spelling mistake and an inconsistency in character descriptions. Some sloppy proofreading and editing which spoils my enjoyment, just a bit.
Whoa! Talk about a change in direction! Books 1 to 3 had a detective novel feel in a sci-fi environment while Ellen / Linda / Sparta tried to find her origins and who killed her parents. Book 4 takes a drunken lurch off the road as she becomes a hopeless junkie out for revenge while life is discovered in the clouds of Jupiter.
Based on Arthur C Clarke's A Meeting with Medusa
Getting a little irritated though. I am only a couple of chapters in and I have already picked up a spelling mistake and an inconsistency in character descriptions. Some sloppy proofreading and editing which spoils my enjoyment, just a bit.
Whoa! Talk about a change in direction! Books 1 to 3 had a detective novel feel in a sci-fi environment while Ellen / Linda / Sparta tried to find her origins and who killed her parents. Book 4 takes a drunken lurch off the road as she becomes a hopeless junkie out for revenge while life is discovered in the clouds of Jupiter.
Based on Arthur C Clarke's A Meeting with Medusa
Read
July 3, 2010Immenintly human after all: There are surprises galore in this latest in the Venus Prime series, among them revalations about the Commander, changes in Sparta's views on things, and the central surprise which would be rude to reveal.
As Preuss says in his notes after the novel's conclusion, this book is setting up more events in the future, while still being a good read when held alone. I'd read the first three Venus Prime books in one weekend, and then had to wait months for the fourth. Hopefully, the next books in the series will arrive more quickly, but if not, at least I know they will be well-written.
April 14, 2012
This book seems nothing more than a stepping stone to the resolution of the series. Although there is some good discussion about what makes us human (at what point do we become cyborg, i.e.), mostly it was plodding and less than thrilling. I s disappointed in the main character's inability to manage the stresses of her situations and turn to drugs - not sure how she'll be able to meet future challenges that surely will be more difficult. Two more books in the series, but I'm not sure I'm as excited to read them as I once was.
January 13, 2012
Lo malo de estos libros es que se basan en cuento anteriores de Clarke. Y si los has leído, se nota. Lo bueno es toda la historia de Sparta que se agrega a esas tramas. Y en este caso, me gustó bastante el giro de tuerca a la historia de la heroina, mostrando que no es la semidiosa que habían construido los otros 3 libros. Recomendable.
November 21, 2010
Nothing memorable about this book (though the original short story was good), except for the cover. Was eventually able to get a print of Jim Burns' awesome artwork. Gave up on the series after this book failed to excite.
July 3, 2011
The mystery seems to have been resolved, but there's still one more book.... Finally getting the sense that this is about the pressures of being human and how those gradients push us individually and culturally.
June 28, 2017
I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the others I've read in the series, but I attribute that to having read the others so many years ago that I'm now unfamiliar with the characters and especially the storyline.
Want to Read
February 28, 2008I have not read this book because I am trying to find the first in the series, and once I do I will beging reading through the books.
August 20, 2008
Excellent Clarke scifi read. Stimulating and imaginitive. What happened to dreaming of science and space? Oh yeah, TV.
Read
August 10, 2011nice point of view about cyborgs
interesting piece of psi-fi culture.
didnt read the 3 before so i was somtimes lost in story
7/10
interesting piece of psi-fi culture.
didnt read the 3 before so i was somtimes lost in story
7/10
Want to Read
February 29, 2012Received as a present for winning a sweepstakes.
September 17, 2012
VENUS PRIME ARTHUR C. CLARKE
TIE-TOGETHER SERIES OF SIX CLARKE STORIES INTO NEW SERIES BY PREUSS.
TIE-TOGETHER SERIES OF SIX CLARKE STORIES INTO NEW SERIES BY PREUSS.
June 24, 2014
Didn't like as much as previous books in series. Little revelation of characters and the newest character - who seems like he might reappear - doesn't get any development.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews