It is the most desolate place in the universe. With a surface blasted by temperatures hotter than any oven and an atmosphere heavy with sulphur, months from Earth by even the fastest spacecraft, Venus remains almost unknown even after a century of space travel. But Alex Humphries, son of ruthless space tycoon Martin Humphries, disappeared along with his ship Phosphoros into Venus' infernal atmosphere, and now Humphries has offered ten billion dollars to anyone who can bring his son's body home. Two ships are soon racing against each other to Venus. But when they enter the poisonous hurricane winds of the unknown planet they find something so surprising, so unexepected, that it will change the whole course of space exploration.

'A superb story by a first-class writer.' Daily Telegraph on RETURN TO MARS 'The science fiction author who will have the greatest effect on the world.' -- Ray Bradbury 'Venus is an epic adventure, full of twists and turns and genuine surprises. It should easily be in the running for the highest awards.' -- Hartford Courant (Venus) 'Fun, thought-provoking, pacy and stylish ... Gives a good read while turning your eyes to what might be in the not so distant future, just like Clarke and Asmov used to do so well.' -- SFX (Venus)

An award-winning editor, President Emeritus of the National Space Society and a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, Ben Bova is also the author of more than ninety futuristic novels and non-fiction books. He and his wife live in Florida.