The Space Merchants

Hardcover, 154 pages

English language

Published April 30, 2003 by SFBC.

ISBN:: 978-0-7394-3218-1
OCLC Number:: 58591331

(1 review)

In this classic send-up of American commercialism, a near-future earth is resource-depleted but callously ruled by advertising, splitting society between all-powerful ad agencies & exploited consumers. Mitchell Courtenay is a glib ad-exec who has just landed the assignment of a lifetime: enticing consumers to colonize Venus. So what if the atmosphere reeks of formaldehyde, the ambient temperature boils water & the winds reach 500 mph? Here was a bright new tomorrow to sell. No one was better at convincing consumers to stake their futures on a hellhole than Mitch Courtenay.

But Mitch no sooner dusts the confetti of victory from his shoulders when he discovers that his wife wants to end their trial marriage & that someone is out to kill him. Then his cushy existence is stolen outright when his ID tattoo is altered to the status of a lowly consumer. Rather than serve out a 5-year contract as …

In this classic send-up of American commercialism, a near-future earth is resource-depleted but callously ruled by advertising, splitting society between all-powerful ad agencies & exploited consumers. Mitchell Courtenay is a glib ad-exec who has just landed the assignment of a lifetime: enticing consumers to colonize Venus. So what if the atmosphere reeks of formaldehyde, the ambient temperature boils water & the winds reach 500 mph? Here was a bright new tomorrow to sell. No one was better at convincing consumers to stake their futures on a hellhole than Mitch Courtenay.

But Mitch no sooner dusts the confetti of victory from his shoulders when he discovers that his wife wants to end their trial marriage & that someone is out to kill him. Then his cushy existence is stolen outright when his ID tattoo is altered to the status of a lowly consumer. Rather than serve out a 5-year contract as a menial laborer, he skillfully connives his way back up the social chain to learn who wanted him dead. His suspects include everyone from his former co-workers to rival agencies & a rabid conservationist group called the Consies--even an astronaut out for his wife's affections. In a cutthroat world that would sell lead paint to children, Courtenay must out-fox, out-scam & out-run his enemies.

As only an ad-man can. --front flap

19 editions

Thom reviewed Space Merchants by Frederik Pohl

Review of 'Space Merchants' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

First published in 1952, this book shows a future with advertising agencies on top of the heap, and life isn't pretty for the rest of us. The environment is shot, cities are crowded and food tasteless (and very much GMO).

By coincidence, I was reading this at the same time as [b:The Evening Star: Venus Observed|1911358|The Evening Star Venus Observed|Henry S.F. Cooper Jr.|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266924830s/1911358.jpg|1913297], and unlike other science fiction from the early 50s, Venus was known to be hot and inhospitable. Scientists have a plan to terraform and colonize, led by advertising executive Mitch Courtenay.

I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot and nodded at some of the foresight. At the time this book didn't rate any award nominations, but it is now on several recommended lists and the SF Masterworks. It is also relatively short, and definitely worth a read. Frederick Pohl penned a sequel 32 years later, …

First published in 1952, this book shows a future with advertising agencies on top of the heap, and life isn't pretty for the rest of us. The environment is shot, cities are crowded and food tasteless (and very much GMO).

By coincidence, I was reading this at the same time as [b:The Evening Star: Venus Observed|1911358|The Evening Star Venus Observed|Henry S.F. Cooper Jr.|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1266924830s/1911358.jpg|1913297], and unlike other science fiction from the early 50s, Venus was known to be hot and inhospitable. Scientists have a plan to terraform and colonize, led by advertising executive Mitch Courtenay.

I enjoyed the twists and turns of the plot and nodded at some of the foresight. At the time this book didn't rate any award nominations, but it is now on several recommended lists and the SF Masterworks. It is also relatively short, and definitely worth a read. Frederick Pohl penned a sequel 32 years later, and I will probably add it to my reading list.