Synopsis
At a time when Venusians are considering fighting for equal rights with Terrans, Karl and Antil visit a lost Venusian city.
History
First publication: Amazing, May 1939
Review
This story is an excellent one, especially for today’s readers. Many people believe that the best science fiction is that which uses speculative situations to reflect our own issues today. This story does exactly that and remarkably predates the greatest strains on our society to have come from minority groups wanting to be treated better. This is a statement against colonialism and racism. It shows the ultimate stupidity of such “Manifest Destiny” and “Master Race” theories that are used to justify putting down and enslaving whole groups of people. It’s embarrasing that we are still fighting this issue today. This is not a perfect story. Especially the end where the Venusians destroy their only method for keeping the peace with earth. What now is to keep earth from enslaving them all over again? But this story is not of scientific ideas like “Marooned Off Vesta.” All of the science here is pure fantasy. The idea of this story is social and political, getting across the idea that at some time we must grow up and stop trying to put other people down. Recommended!
Videos
We have the story in these editions:
The Early Asimov, hardcover, Doubleday / SFBC, 1972-12-00
