William Oberfield 24 min read

The first Earthmen to land on Venus, McBride and his crew come armed to the teeth against monsters, and feel foolish to find only a misty, drowsing calm and unafraid little creatures.

William Oberfield's 1951 story is a wry, atmospheric space-opera tale of a deceptively peaceful alien world. Sharp, ominous golden-age SF. Read it for a story where the total absence of danger on Venus proves to be the most dangerous thing of all.

In its time

Published in 1951, during the 1950s, post-war optimism meets cold war anxiety.

Reading it

24 min read (a short story, a single idea, delivered and gone).

Illustrated by

Herman B. Vestal