Venus series

<h2 id="series">Series</h2>
<h3>Original books</h3>
<ul><li><i><a href="/facts/Pirates_of_Venus/w6IBKMeq">Pirates of Venus</a></i> (<a href="/facts/1932_in_literature/rrD4aHtr">1932</a>)</li>
<li><i><a href="/facts/Lost_on_Venus/7jjcTc7X">Lost on Venus</a></i> (<a href="/facts/1933_in_literature/rfzKdo9H">1933</a>)</li>
<li><i><a href="/facts/Carson_of_Venus/DRkQFayl">Carson of Venus</a></i> (<a href="/facts/1938_in_literature/JhgX1MD4">1938</a>)</li>
<li><i><a href="/facts/Escape_on_Venus/YHVRuN40">Escape on Venus</a></i> (<a href="/facts/1946_in_literature/6T4zQyUJ">1946</a>)</li>
<li><i><a href="/facts/The_Wizard_of_Venus/HHcEXwn9">The Wizard of Venus</a></i> (<a href="/facts/1964_in_literature/DoDWdPHG">1964</a>) (novella)</li></ul>
<p>In 2011, the Edgar Rice Burroughs estate commissioned a sixth Amtor novel, <i>Skies of Venus: A Novel of Amtor</i>, from writer Neal Romanek, which was released in 2022.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p><p>In January 2020 <i>Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds</i> by Matt Betts was published.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a>
</p>
<h3>Adaptations and spinoffs</h3>
<p>When <a href="/facts/DC_Comics/gvuKz3yL">DC Comics</a> had adaptation rights to various Burroughs series, they did an adaptation of <i>Pirates of Venus</i> (in <i>Korak, Son of Tarzan</i> #46–53, partially reprinted in <i>Tarzan Family</i> #60–65) and started an adaptation of <i>Lost on Venus</i> (in <i>Korak</i> #54–56 and <i>Tarzan</i> #230), with art by <a href="/facts/Michael_Kaluta/XAPVSMS3">Michael Kaluta</a>.
</p><p>Later, <a href="/facts/Dark_Horse_Comics/fTal0C6o">Dark Horse Comics</a> obtained adaptation rights to the Burroughs series, and in 1995 published a four-issue miniseries crossover, <i><a href="/facts/Tarzan/DMjBa2xo">Tarzan</a>/Carson of Venus</i>, written by <a href="/facts/Darko_Macan/3eV9S91U">Darko Macan</a> and illustrated by <a href="/facts/Igor_Kordej/8Bfoyv8o">Igor Kordej</a>. It was collected into a trade paperback in 1999.
</p><p>In 2004 an option for the entire Venus series were secured by Angelic Entertainment, Inc. a film production company based in San Diego, California. They have since lost the option rights to this property.  The entire Venus Series property is under option by Jupiter 9 Productions, which is developing the books as a series of features.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="plot">Plot</h2>
<h3>Setting</h3>

<p>Amtor is a cloud-covered world with a primarily oceanic southern hemisphere known as Trabol, where large islands and two <a href="/facts/Continent/Pysd9Sw8">continents</a>, Thora and a smaller northern landmass, dominate the landscape. The planet’s unusual geography includes massive vegetation, giant animals, and dangerous fauna, limiting exploration. Amtorians hold a bizarre cosmology, believing the world is a flat disc or hemisphere floating on lava, leading to warped maps and a lack of celestial navigation. With no clear understanding of the northern hemisphere, they rely on a pseudo-scientific theory to reconcile their geographical misconceptions. 
</p><p>On Amtor, the human natives range from the sophisticated, long-lived Vepajans, to hostile and often violent groups like the Thorists, Angans, and Nobargans. The Thorists, who overthrew the Vepajans, struggle with decay and inefficiency, while the Vepajans, possessing advanced technology and longevity serums, live isolated on a remote island. Other regions include Morov, ruled by a mad scientist who turns people into zombies, and Havatoo, a eugenic society with advanced knowledge and strict social classes. Various tribes and kingdoms, like the Samary and Korva, add further complexity, with unique customs and internal conflicts shaping the planet's diverse cultures.
</p>
<h3>Story</h3>
<p>In the first book <a href="/facts/Pirates_of_Venus/w6IBKMeq">Pirates of Venus</a>, Carson Napier, a human from Earth, crash-lands on Venus (Amtor) and is immediately thrust into the chaotic world of warring factions. He encounters the sophisticated Vepajans, who have advanced technology but are under threat from the Thorists, a revolutionary group that overthrows their society, killing or driving out the educated elite. Napier also deals with pirates and dangerous wildlife while learning the complexities of Amtorian politics and culture.
</p><p>In <a href="/facts/Lost_on_Venus/7jjcTc7X">Lost on Venus</a>, Napier embarks on a journey to rescue Princess Duare, who has been kidnapped by various factions. He encounters a variety of strange creatures and hostile tribes, including the Angans, winged humanoids who serve the Thorists. His travels bring him deeper into the mysteries of Amtor, including its distorted geography and flawed cosmology. In <a href="/facts/Carson_of_Venus/DRkQFayl">Carson of Venus</a>, the political situation on Venus escalates with the rise of the Zanis, a fascist group inspired by Nazi Germany. Napier becomes embroiled in spy intrigue and war as he navigates the shifting allegiances of various factions. The Zanis' brutal tactics and fascist ideology contrast with the earlier, more chaotic revolutionary forces, marking a shift in the novel's political satire. The book <a href="/facts/Escape_on_Venus/YHVRuN40">Escape on Venus</a> consists of four interconnected stories, each focusing on different aspects of Venusian life and society. Napier faces various challenges, including being enslaved by fish-men, encountering a fire-worshipping cult, and dealing with the living dead. The stories showcase the diversity of Venus's environments and the ongoing struggles for power among its inhabitants.
</p><p><a href="/facts/The_Wizard_of_Venus/HHcEXwn9">The Wizard of Venus</a> is the final entry of the series, where Carson Napier confronts a mad "wizard" on Venus who controls the local population through hypnotic powers. Napier, possessing similar abilities, must outwit the tyrant and free the oppressed people. This novella, written during WWII, features Napier’s use of his own powers in a more direct, confrontational way, and concludes his adventures on the strange and dangerous world of Amtor.
</p>

<h2 id="external-links">External links</h2>
<ul><li><a href="http://erblist.com/index.shtml">The Edgar Rice Burroughs Summary Project</a></li>
<li><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080703173532/http://www.angelicpictures.com/pov.htm">Angelic Pictures POV Site</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.piratesofvenusmovie.com">Pirates of Venus Movie Site</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.erbzine.com/mag14/1494.html">Unravelling Amtor: Following in the Footprints of Matching Mars</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.erbzine.com/mag30/3040.html">Maps of Amtor</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/pe.cgi?67312">Edgar Rice Burroughs's Venus universe</a> series listing at the <a href="/facts/Internet_Speculative_Fiction_Database/3pvkKL6m">Internet Speculative Fiction Database</a></li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Caryad; Römer, Thomas; Zingsem, Vera (2014). "Ein geplatzter Traum" [A Shattered Dream]. Wanderer am Himmel: Die Welt der Planeten in Astronomie und Mythologie [Wanderers in the Sky: The World of the Planets in Astronomy and Mythology] (in German). Springer-Verlag. p. 78. ISBN 978-3-642-55343-1. <a href="978-3-642-55343-1" target="_blank">978-3-642-55343-1</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Skies of Venus: A Novel of Amtor <a href="https://edgarriceburroughs.com/store/product/skies-of-venus-a-novel-of-amtor/" target="_blank">https://edgarriceburroughs.com/store/product/skies-of-venus-a-novel-of-amtor/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>Cover Reveal: Carson of Venus: The Edge of All Worlds by Matt Betts <a href="https://www.blackgate.com/2019/12/17/cover-reveal-carson-of-venus-the-edge-of-all-worlds-by-matt-betts/" target="_blank">https://www.blackgate.com/2019/12/17/cover-reveal-carson-of-venus-the-edge-of-all-worlds-by-matt-betts/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>James Sullos, the president of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Venus series open-in-new

Venus series