Venus Smiles (and Other Vermillion Sands Stories) (2026)

Welcome to Vermilion Sands, the fully automated desert resort ready to fulfil your most exotic whims. High above the towering Coral D, sky artists paint the clouds. A musical statue is broken down but finds new life in unwanted places, while a mysterious new resident introduces a new way of making poetry with the help of a machine. This short collection brings together four stories from J. G. Ballards art-infused Vermilion Sands universe: Cry Hope, Cry Fury!, The Cloud-Sculptors of Coral-D, Venus Smiles and Studio 5, The Stars.