Venus
by Ben Bova
Perhaps it is a little juvenile to write book reports when there isn’t any teacher to force me to write it. A history teacher in high school had suggested we always write book summaries whenever we read any book so that we can recall the content easier in the future. It was good advice that every single one of his students completely ignored. Well I for one will can see when I’ve made a mistake. If not 15 years later, then when?
Ben Bova is a rather prolific science fiction writer although I’ve never ever (until now) read any of his books. The problem with sci-fi and other types of magic/fantasy books is that the writing itself is usually rather poor. The authors become so wrapped up in explaining the world around the characters, they tend to completely neglect the characters and story. Michael Crichton and Robert Sawyer (authors of books I’ve read recently) are both horribly guilty of this crime.
So it was with some refreshment that I wandered into my local library (call me cheap) and pulled out a book written by Ben Bova. Although there were rows of his books available I avoided anything that appeared to be a part of a trilogy or a sequel of a previous work. Strangely, libraries neglect having the first novel of a trilogy written by an author, perhaps because it is the first that is superior to its literary siblings. I settled on Venus, which although others had a similar theme (named after other planets) each book was unrelated to the others and stood on its own.
Venus is a first-person narrative (which I find to be a riskier but a wonderfully overwhelming form of story telling) about Van Humphries, the rich, pampered son of one of the richest corporate CEOs of the solar system. His older brother died recently on a risky mission to explore Earth’s nearest neighbour. His brother went to study the impact of greenhouse gases and its possible relation to Earth’s own man-made climate problems.
His father puts up a ten billion dollar reward for the return of Van’s older brother’s remains. Despite his hatred for his morally bankrupt father, Van decides to try for the prize himself. His father, who blames Van for his mother’s death and has decided to cut him off financially, is happy to see the little runt go. His father even assists in financing the mission. Other competitors, however, desire the prize as well. An old arch rival of his father, an asteroid miner named Fuchs, is determinedly set on the prize as well. And Fuchs has more reason to hate the ultra billionaire than anyone else.
What follows is the story told from Van Humphries perspective: the father who never loved him, friends who cared only for his wealth, a blood disease that keeps him stunted and weak, and an planetary adventure no man has ever attempted. It is an interesting story of pushing limits and fighting for independence. And it tries to explore the pain and anguish of living under a horrible, unloving father. But from that perspective Venus fails. There is simply so much futuristic content and conflict from all sides that it squeezes out any attempt to really delve into Van’s pain.
The story is standard sci-fi with some twists here and there. A disaster would bring both Venus missions under the tyrannical rule of Captain Fuchs and his cold and calculating Asian crew. Mutinies and biological disasters pits Van’s strength to the test – a strength he never fathomed he had. Alongside is the beautiful biologist Marguerite who became involved in the project after fleeing Van’s father’s unwanted advances. They find Van’s brother’s ship decimated and succeed in bringing the remains back on board (after his brother had failed to escape in an escape pod). There is even life on Venus, biological bacteria that eat away at metal (and space ships) and monsters that hide beneath Venus’ hellish overheating rock. Bova finds time to quote Milton and often enjoys the comparison between hell and our planetary neighbour to the sun.
So would I recommend Venus or will I look for others by the same author? Well after reading several rather poorly written Sci-Fi novels centering around Neanderthals by Robert Sawyer (who lives in Mississauga somewhere), I must assure you I would. Ben Bova did his homework on the planet and kept away those annoying (and glaring) plot inconsistencies. Nor did he require a ridiculous suspension of belief to enjoy his work. But best of all, like most Sci-Fi novels (damn you War of the Worlds), this one is both an easy and interesting read.
4 stars out of 5
