S.O.S. Aphrodite!

"S.O.S. Aphrodite!" by Stanley Mullen is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The book revolves around Steve Coran, an ISP patrolman who is assigned a dangerous mission involving space pirates and a government conspiracy. The narrative features elements of space travel, intrigue, and complex character relationships, showcasing a struggle against an organized group working to sow chaos in the interplanetary realm. The storyline follows Steve Coran as he is tasked with recovering sensitive documents from a fugitive tied to a series of space transportation crimes while he embarks on a journey aboard the emigration ship "Aphrodite". Along the way, he inadvertently becomes involved with Gerda Mors, a woman desperate to reach Venus in search of her brother, who is implicated in the crimes. As tensions escalate, the vessel collides with an asteroid, leading to a series of confrontations with pirates and ultimately revealing underlying connections between the characters. The tale intricately weaves themes of loyalty, moral ambiguity, and survival, culminating in a dramatic conclusion that challenges Coran's personal beliefs and relationships. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Stanley Mullen was an American artist, short story writer, novelist and publisher. He studied writing at the University of Colorado at Boulder and drawing, painting and lithography at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center where he was accepted as a professional member in 1937. A series of his paintings of Indian ceremonial dances is part of the permanent collection of the Denver Art Museum. Mullen worked as assistant curator of the Colorado State Historical Museum during the 1940s.