02420cam a22003613u 4500 31686 UtSlPG 20260610133725.0 m cr n 260607r2010||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 PS Smith, Evelyn E., 1922-2000 Collector's Item Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2010 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction December 1954. Release date is 2010-03-18 Produced by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net "Collector's Item" by Evelyn E. Smith is a science fiction novel written during the mid-20th century. The story unfolds on Venus and revolves around a group of Earth scientists who find themselves entangled with intelligent alien lizard-like beings amidst the planet's hostile environment. The narrative explores themes of intelligence, identity, and the nuanced relationships between species, raising questions about civilization and what it means to be "civilized." The plot centers on Professor Bernardi and his expedition team as they navigate the challenges of survival on Venus, from dealing with hostile flora and fauna to encountering telepathic alien beings. Initially, they believe they are the only intelligent life forms on the planet, but they quickly discover that the lizard-man, Jrann-Pttt, and his companion Dfar-Lll, have their own agenda. As the characters grapple with trust and suspicion, they face existential dilemmas about their place in the universe and the consequences of their actions. Ultimately, the story blends humor and adventure with deeper philosophical inquiries, culminating in an unexpected twist about the nature of captivity and autonomy. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Original publication data not identified Science fiction Human-alien encounters -- Fiction Venus (Planet) -- Fiction Emshwiller, Ed, 1925-1990 Produced from Galaxy Science Fiction December 1954. https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/31686 72532 72532