One of the most savage and devastating attacks on modern consumer society and the advertising agents who are its high priests, THE SPACE MERCHANTS is uncomfortably prophetic. Two major advertising agencies are fighting for the Venus account--nothing less than total control of the Venus economy and markets. It is a mere bagatelle that Venus is a harsh, unspeakably hostile planet, so far uninhabited. Fowler Schocken Associates, in the person of the Venus project's Vice President, Mitchell Courtenay, have no doubt that they can "persuade" colonists to go there, and once there, they will just have to survive as best they can. The Schocken firm has one major rival, Taunton Associates, Taunton may have lost the final round, but the war is not yet over. The client Congress and the puppet President are in no position to interfere as commercial warfare becomes even more bitter. There is no one force, however, that is still to be reckoned with--the hated and despised Consies (Conservationists). This group of fantastics spend their time in pinprick sabotage and futile propaganda. Futile, that is, until they are able to recruit Courtenay himself. Naturally he does not believe in their message, but helping them is better than life as a Consumer, helplessly hooked on Schocken products, a life to which he was betrayed by--could it be Taunton? He has every intention of betraying the Consies when he can, but in the meantime, he has no choice but to use his star-class advertising mind to further their cause. But even the best-conditioned worm will turn in time.
--front flap