LIFE ON MARS
LINKS Home Colonization Life on Mars Departure Background Analysis Ray Bradbury Bibliography	LIFE ON MARS This section of the books is by far the largest, and deals with the adaptation of humankind to Martian soil, as well as their interactions with the lingering spirit of the Martian people. The Locusts, February 2002 Then the rockets came, like drums, like locusts. first came the carpenters, to make the alien world familiar, then the women, and in six months, it didn't look too different from the old world. Night Meeting, August 2002 Tomas Gomez travels through the hills on his way into town. In the deserted landscape he meets a lone Martian. Neither can see the other's world, only their own, and they proceed to argue about who is the Past and who the Future of Mars. Finally, realizing that they will not agree, they part, returning to their respective times and wondering at the odd dream. The Shore, October 2002 As the human waves lap upon the Martian shore, first come the loners, those accustomed to space and emptiness. Second came those who yearned for space and silence after being cooped up in the cities, and among them were those who looked like they were going to meet God. The Fire Balloons, November 2002 A missionary expedition of Episcopal priests from the United States anticipates sins unknown to them on Mars. Instead, they meet ethereal creatures who glow as blue flames in crystal spheres, and who save the priests from many dangers. Deciding that these spheres are the Martian version of Christ, the priests begin to build a church for them, only to find out that they are the old Martians, who left behind their physical bodies and so were stripped of sin. Interim, February 2003 The average martian town has come to resemble the midwest, full of numbered hymnals and groceries. In fact, it looks like they were scooped up by an Oz-like twister and set down on Mars. The Musicians, April 2003 The boys of Mars run and play in the dead cities, making music with the white xylophones covered in black flakes that were once Martian skins. They splash around in the snow-like skin for all their might, knowing that before long the Firemen will come to burn away the terrible from the normal. The Wilderness, May 2003 Janice and Leonora spend their last remaining day on Earth packing and enjoying the time before the trip. They look forward to seeing their husbands on Mars. They buy all sorts of silly little things and splurge on anti-gravity rides. Finally, Janice gets an opportunity to speak to her husband across the void, and the only word that comes back through to her is "love," so she sits back and waits for the trip. Way in the Middle of the Air, June 2003 All the African-Americans in the South plan to move to Mars, on rockets they have built in secret, and imagine that the days of lynching are over for them. Samuel Teece, an old, crabby white man tries to stop all of the black men from leaving, from making up chores to bringing back old, unneeded debts, but fails each time. Finally, as the last African Americans leave, he takes off after them, remembering nights of white hoods and rope. He never reaches them though, because he takes time to smash all the items like stain glass windows and tools and toys that the departing groups have left carefully bundled on the road. He and his friend then return to the town, look at the rope and shotguns on the store shelves, and wonder what they will do with their nights now. The Naming of Names, 2004-2005 Mars is now being named after the people from the first four expeditions, ie. Spender Hill and Driscoll Forest, covering any last traces of the once magnificent civilization. Then come the sophisticates from Earth. Usher II, April 2005 A literary expert named William Stendahl retreats to Mars and builds his image of the perfect mansion, complete with mechanical bats and creaky door soundtracks. When the Moral Climate Monitors come to visit, he kills themoff one by one using methods from Edgar Allen Poe stories, which were his favorites and have since been destroyed. Finally, he takes his greatest prosecutor to the basement and seals him in a wall, a la The Cask Of Amontillado. Then, as the clock chimes midnight and the Red Death appears, the house of Usher sinks into the lake. The Old Ones, August 2005 Finally, once Mars has become hosptiable and comfortable, the elderly come to the Red Planet. The Martian, September 2005 LaFarge and his wife Anna have forged a new life for themselves, but they still miss their dead son Tom. They encounter an alien with an apparent empathic shapeshifting ability: it appears as their dead son to them, but appears to another family as a lost daughter. The Martian cannot control the image it presents, it just is. LaFarge and the Martian travel to town together, where the Martian's ability makes it shapeshift into all the townspeople's lost loved ones. All the demands put on the Martian at once prove too great, and it spasms and dies.

LIFE ON MARS

LINKS

LIFE ON MARS

This section of the books is by far the largest, and deals with the adaptation of humankind to Martian soil, as well as their interactions with the lingering spirit of the Martian people.

The Locusts, February 2002

Then the rockets came, like drums, like locusts. first came the carpenters, to make the alien world familiar, then the women, and in six months, it didn't look too different from the old world.

Night Meeting, August 2002

Tomas Gomez travels through the hills on his way into town. In the deserted landscape he meets a lone Martian. Neither can see the other's world, only their own, and they proceed to argue about who is the Past and who the Future of Mars. Finally, realizing that they will not agree, they part, returning to their respective times and wondering at the odd dream.

The Shore, October 2002

As the human waves lap upon the Martian shore, first come the loners, those accustomed to space and emptiness. Second came those who yearned for space and silence after being cooped up in the cities, and among them were those who looked like they were going to meet God.

The Fire Balloons, November 2002

A missionary expedition of Episcopal priests from the United States anticipates sins unknown to them on Mars. Instead, they meet ethereal creatures who glow as blue flames in crystal spheres, and who save the priests from many dangers. Deciding that these spheres are the Martian version of Christ, the priests begin to build a church for them, only to find out that they are the old Martians, who left behind their physical bodies and so were stripped of sin.

Interim, February 2003

The average martian town has come to resemble the midwest, full of numbered hymnals and groceries. In fact, it looks like they were scooped up by an Oz-like twister and set down on Mars.

The Musicians, April 2003

The boys of Mars run and play in the dead cities, making music with the white xylophones covered in black flakes that were once Martian skins. They splash around in the snow-like skin for all their might, knowing that before long the Firemen will come to burn away the terrible from the normal.

The Wilderness, May 2003

Janice and Leonora spend their last remaining day on Earth packing and enjoying the time before the trip. They look forward to seeing their husbands on Mars. They buy all sorts of silly little things and splurge on anti-gravity rides. Finally, Janice gets an opportunity to speak to her husband across the void, and the only word that comes back through to her is "love," so she sits back and waits for the trip.

Way in the Middle of the Air, June 2003

All the African-Americans in the South plan to move to Mars, on rockets they have built in secret, and imagine that the days of lynching are over for them. Samuel Teece, an old, crabby white man tries to stop all of the black men from leaving, from making up chores to bringing back old, unneeded debts, but fails each time. Finally, as the last African Americans leave, he takes off after them, remembering nights of white hoods and rope. He never reaches them though, because he takes time to smash all the items like stain glass windows and tools and toys that the departing groups have left carefully bundled on the road. He and his friend then return to the town, look at the rope and shotguns on the store shelves, and wonder what they will do with their nights now.

The Naming of Names, 2004-2005

Mars is now being named after the people from the first four expeditions, ie. Spender Hill and Driscoll Forest, covering any last traces of the once magnificent civilization. Then come the sophisticates from Earth.

Usher II, April 2005

A literary expert named William Stendahl retreats to Mars and builds his image of the perfect mansion, complete with mechanical bats and creaky door soundtracks. When the Moral Climate Monitors come to visit, he kills themoff one by one using methods from Edgar Allen Poe stories, which were his favorites and have since been destroyed. Finally, he takes his greatest prosecutor to the basement and seals him in a wall, a la The Cask Of Amontillado. Then, as the clock chimes midnight and the Red Death appears, the house of Usher sinks into the lake.

The Old Ones, August 2005

Finally, once Mars has become hosptiable and comfortable, the elderly come to the Red Planet.

The Martian, September 2005

LaFarge and his wife Anna have forged a new life for themselves, but they still miss their dead son Tom. They encounter an alien with an apparent empathic shapeshifting ability: it appears as their dead son to them, but appears to another family as a lost daughter. The Martian cannot control the image it presents, it just is. LaFarge and the Martian travel to town together, where the Martian's ability makes it shapeshift into all the townspeople's lost loved ones. All the demands put on the Martian at once prove too great, and it spasms and dies.