View source for The Hades Business

{{Infobox short story 
| name             = The Hades Business
| author           = [[Terry Pratchett]]
| country          = United Kingdom
| language         = English
| series           = 
| genre            = Short story
| publication_type = Magazine
| published_in     = ''Science Fantasy Magazine''<br/>''The Unfriendly Future''<br/>{{OMWF}}<br/>{{BS}}
| publisher        = 
| media_type       = Print
| pub_date         = 1963-08-??
| preceded_by      = 
| followed_by      = 
}}
{{THB}} - originally titled '''“Business Rivals”''' — was [[Terry Pratchett|Terry Pratchett’s]] first published work. He wrote it for an English assignment at the age of fourteen<ref>In his intro to the story for {{BS}}, Pratchett says he was thirteen, but {{ALWF}} says fourteen. The story was first published in the ''Cygnet'' in December 1962, when Pratchett was certainly fourteen, so the latter age is more likely correct.</ref>, and it was published in Pratchett’s school magazine, ''The Technical Cygnet'', in December 1962. He submitted it for publication to the editor of three prominent science fiction magazines, John Carnell, and made changes and additions based on Carnell's advice. Carnell accepted the revised and expanded version for publication, and it appeared in the August 1963 edition of ''Science Fantasy'' under the final title. The same version without any alterations has been republished several times.

== Synopsis ==
Crucible, an advertising man whose dealings are not always above board, arrives home one day to find his study full of smoke - and the Devil himself. The Devil has an offer for him he can’t refuse: he wants Crucible to sell Hell to the public, as it’s been empty of souls for the past two thousand years...

== Podcast episodes ==

=== Major appearances ===
These are episodes primarily devoted to discussing this story.

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date !! Show !! Episode !! External link
|-
| 2024-06-08 || {{PC}} || “How to Get Below in Advertising” || [https://pratchatpodcast.com/2024/06/08/pratchat77-how-to-get-below-in-advertising/ pratchatpodcast.com]
|}

=== Other appearances ===
These are episodes which contain significant discussion about this story, but which are primarily about something else. 

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Date !! Show !! Episode !! External link
|}

== External links ==
* {{THB|ls}} at the L-Space Wiki

== Footnotes ==
<references/>

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hades Business, The}}
[[Category:Short fiction]]