An intrepid Earthman builds a craft to reach Venus and finds himself stranded on the lush, strange world of Amtor, where rival city-states, exotic creatures, and ruthless sea-raiders make every step perilous. Captured and enslaved by pirates, he must use courage, cunning, and unexpected alliances—along the way forging a romantic bond with a native woman—to survive daring escapes and skirmishes while trying to carve out a place for himself and find a way home.