Genesis!

"Genesis!" by R. R. Winterbotham is a science fiction novella written during the early 1940s, appearing originally in "Planet Stories" in the summer of 1941. The story presents a speculative exploration of the nature of life and evolution, set against the backdrop of space travel and extraterrestrial fantasy. The narrative focuses on the character of Harry Renzu, a scientist determined to create a new form of life on Venus, delving into themes of domination, gratitude, and the ethics of scientific experimentation. The plot follows Captain Vic Arlen and his crew, including the enigmatic Venusian Gheal, as they embark on an expedition to Venus with Renzu, who seeks to mold life from the planet's protoplasm. Conflict arises between Renzu's cruel treatment of Gheal and Arlen's efforts to treat him humanely. The discovery of a brutal scheme by Renzu—to use the bones of his crew members to perfect his protoplasmic creations—leads to a violent confrontation between the scientist and his own monstrous creations. As Arlen and engineer McFerson navigate this alien world, they grapple with the consequences of playing god, successfully escaping Renzu's insanity thanks to Gheal's unexpected loyalty. The story ultimately challenges the notion of what it means to be truly alive and the moral implications of scientific ambition. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Russell Robert Winterbotham was an American writer of western and science fiction genre fiction, and the author of instructional pamphlets and several Big Little Books. He also wrote crime stories and one science fiction novel using the pen name "J. Harvey Bond". Another science fiction novel used the pseudonym "Franklin Hadley". He also wrote scripts for Fred Harman's western comic Red Ryder.