Innocent at Large

By Poul Anderson and Karen Anderson

A hayseed Martian among big-planet slickers ... of course he would get into trouble. But that was nothing compared to the trouble he would be in if he did not get into trouble!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jovian Press
• Release date: Oct 30, 2016
• ISBN: 9781537803920

Poul Anderson

Poul Anderson (1926–2001) grew up bilingual in a Danish American family. After discovering science fiction fandom and earning a physics degree at the University of Minnesota, he found writing science fiction more satisfactory. Admired for his “hard” science fiction, mysteries, historical novels, and “fantasy with rivets,” he also excelled in humor. He was the guest of honor at the 1959 World Science Fiction Convention and at many similar events, including the 1998 Contact Japan 3 and the 1999 Strannik Conference in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Besides winning the Hugo and Nebula Awards, he has received the Gandalf, Seiun, and Strannik, or “Wanderer,” Awards. A founder of the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America, he became a Grand Master, and was inducted into the Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame. In 1952 he met Karen Kruse; they married in Berkeley, California, where their daughter, Astrid, was born, and they later lived in Orinda, California. Astrid and her husband, science fiction author Greg Bear, now live with their family outside Seattle.

Book preview

INNOCENT AT LARGE

..................

Poul Anderson and Karen Anderson

JOVIAN PRESS

Thank you for reading. If you enjoy this book, please leave a review or connect with the author.

All rights reserved. Aside from brief quotations for media coverage and reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in any form without the author’s permission. Thank you for supporting authors and a diverse, creative culture by purchasing this book and complying with copyright laws.

Copyright © 2016 by Poul Anderson and Karen Anderson

Interior design by Pronoun

Distribution by Pronoun

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INNOCENT AT LARGE

INNOCENT AT LARGE

..................

THE VISIPHONE CHIMED WHEN PERI had just gotten into her dinner gown. She peeled it off again and slipped on a casual bathrobe: a wisp of translucence which had set the president of Antarctic Enterprise—or had it been the chairman of the board?—back several thousand dollars. Then she pulled a lock of lion-colored hair down over one eye, checked with a mirror, rumpled it a tiny bit more and wrapped the robe loosely on top and tight around the hips.

After all, some of the men who knew her private number were important.

She undulated to the phone and pressed its Accept. Hello-o, there, she said automatically. So sorry to keep you waiting. I was just taking a bath and—Oh. It’s you.

Gus Doran’s prawnlike eyes popped at her. Holy Success, he whispered in awe. You sure the wires can carry that much voltage?

Well, hurry up with whatever it is, snapped Peri. I got a date tonight.

I’ll say you do! With a Martian!

---

Peri narrowed her silver-blue gaze and looked icily at him. You must have heard wrong, Gus. He’s the heir apparent of Indonesia, Inc., that’s who, and if you called up to ask for a piece of him, you can just blank right out again. I saw him first!

Doran’s thin sharp face grinned. You break that date, Peri. Put it off or something. I got this Martian for you, see?

"So? Since when