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nwhyte's review against another edition
http://nhw.livejournal.com/588971.html[return][return]Classic sf, published in 1952, that had somehow passed me by - I thought I remembered a scene where advertising executives were reassuring young politicians that is is just about possible to make a living as a senator, but it's not in this book, so I guess I must have read the sequel written by Pohl on his own decades afterwards.[return][return]The satirical future setting, in which corporate interests have taken over the world, is a little heavy-handed ("You know the old saying. Power ennobles. Absolute power ennobles absolutely.") but the basic story of the narrator's redemption holds pretty well. I thought I picked up a couple of nods in the direction of both Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four.
louzander's review against another edition
3.0
I'm fond of science fiction movies; less so of sci-fi books. But mid-twentieth century, the genre had some real power behind it; at its best, science fiction is a playground for ideas. This book/novella certainly was that. In fact, as much science fiction as I've consumed in my life, there were quite a few things that Pohl did in this story that I'd never encountered before.
It's a fairly standard "dystopian future" novel, with elements of a classic thriller, but less serious than the contemporary examples of the sub-genre. I'd recommend it as a fun, fast read with some very clever bits.
It's a fairly standard "dystopian future" novel, with elements of a classic thriller, but less serious than the contemporary examples of the sub-genre. I'd recommend it as a fun, fast read with some very clever bits.
arkron's review against another edition
3.0
This dystopian satire about advertising agencies which rule the world was written in 1952. Which means, it was pre-Computer miniaturization, before industrial automation and of course before cell phones and the internet revolution.
Sometimes, this doesn't matter when reading classical sci fi. I simply ignore or smile about actors who stop for a telephone cell to call someone or having to flight in person to achieve something.
But in this novel, the antique technology projection into the future disturbes: The plot depends heavily on loads of manual work done by people - nowadays, most of this work would be done by factory automation.
The world building is interesting - a business promotion equals climbing the social ladder and leads to different rights. Everything is ruled by advertising. The US Congress directly represents corporations.
But the characterization of the main actor - Mitch - isn't very believable. Very often he acts and thinks quite strange and sometimes absurd. Changes in directions aren't motivated very well.
And the simplicity of this detective story is a little bit one dimensional, but makes it a quick read with all its action density.
Thankfully, this is a quite short read with it's less than 200 pages which makes it quite easy to forgive the plot holes.
Sometimes, this doesn't matter when reading classical sci fi. I simply ignore or smile about actors who stop for a telephone cell to call someone or having to flight in person to achieve something.
But in this novel, the antique technology projection into the future disturbes: The plot depends heavily on loads of manual work done by people - nowadays, most of this work would be done by factory automation.
The world building is interesting - a business promotion equals climbing the social ladder and leads to different rights. Everything is ruled by advertising. The US Congress directly represents corporations.
But the characterization of the main actor - Mitch - isn't very believable. Very often he acts and thinks quite strange and sometimes absurd. Changes in directions aren't motivated very well.
And the simplicity of this detective story is a little bit one dimensional, but makes it a quick read with all its action density.
Thankfully, this is a quite short read with it's less than 200 pages which makes it quite easy to forgive the plot holes.
tam's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
2.5
liliom's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
2.75
Ugh this book had so much potential but it ended up falling so flat. There were so many things that were touched on that were commentaries on capitalism and consumerism and climate change but they felt almost secondary to the plot. I wanted it to be fleshed out and inspected more. The whole book was constantly moving to get to more action rather than fully exploring the issue they had just created. Having said that what they did explore I really enjoyed and thought they wrote well.
thecheesestandsalone's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
broswag's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism
dark_reader's review against another edition
3.0
Audiobook during road trip. I have limited audiobook experience; is it just me, or just this book or this narrator, or do they tend toward goofiness with their silly voices and accents for the different characters? I didn't know the details of this book when I picked it; it has a decidedly 1950's feel to it, unsurprising since it turns out that's when it was written. It does a good job at predicting the future scope of immersive advertising and commercialization; kind of like Mad Men: 2040. The protagonist is a typical 1950s tough-guy-good-guy executive, and his dismissive POV does a good job of revealing the harsh realities of this semi-dystopian universe. Women are, for the most part, sterotypical secretary types and/or love interests. Overall it's wonderfully prescient but doesn't transcend its decade of publication.
tome15's review
5.0
Pohl, Frederik, and C. M. Kornbluth. The Space Merchants. 1953. Space Merchants No. 1. Orion, 2003.
The Space Merchants is satirical science fiction at its very best. Pohl is an excellent story-teller and a writer with excellent world-building skills. Kornbluth is a cynical fellow with a trenchant sense of humor. Together they have created a story that must have impressed and influenced Philip K. Dick, whose career was just getting underway when this novel was published. Here’s the premise: the Madison Avenue advertising industry has become the major source of political power in the country. Two rival firms are duking it out over a plan to colonize Venus, hellishly hot and uninviting. They are opposed by some conservationists who don’t always play fair. Our first-person narrator is a Star-class Copysmith, who is given the task of selling Venus to the unsuspecting masses of sheep-like consumers. He is not very likable, but maybe a little more likable than his competitors.
The Space Merchants is satirical science fiction at its very best. Pohl is an excellent story-teller and a writer with excellent world-building skills. Kornbluth is a cynical fellow with a trenchant sense of humor. Together they have created a story that must have impressed and influenced Philip K. Dick, whose career was just getting underway when this novel was published. Here’s the premise: the Madison Avenue advertising industry has become the major source of political power in the country. Two rival firms are duking it out over a plan to colonize Venus, hellishly hot and uninviting. They are opposed by some conservationists who don’t always play fair. Our first-person narrator is a Star-class Copysmith, who is given the task of selling Venus to the unsuspecting masses of sheep-like consumers. He is not very likable, but maybe a little more likable than his competitors.