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Life on Mars #1
Life on Mars: Blood, Bullets and Blue Stratos
It’s time to pull on the stringbacks, leap into the Cortina, and whack on some Bowie as DI Sam Tyler and DCI Gene Hunt roar back into action in a brand new instalment of the ground-breaking Life on Mars series.
“If you think I’m gonna stand here listening to yet more of your Mary, Mungo and Midge about waiting for back-up, you’re even dopier than the front of your head suggests, Tyler. I’m going right up them stairs to nail me a villain – and that, Sammy-boy, is called law enforcement!”
When detective Sam Tyler was catapulted into the alien world of 1973, he could think of nothing but getting home. It was a world where men swigged scotch before breakfast, smoked fifty Embassy No. 6’s day and where birds put the kettle on.
But when at last Sam got home, he realized he’d left his heart back in the seventies amongst the fly-wing collars and pints of Skol. And he missed Annie Cartwright, the woman he had fallen in love with, and perhaps – just perhaps – he even missed The Guv, that nicotine-stained, sexist, homophobic caveman who was his DCI.
Now Sam is back in ’73 for good, but is this the greatest mistake he’s ever made? The creepy little girl from the TV test card seems to think so. As Sam dodges bullets, deals with what appears to be a IRA bombing campaign, and clashes with the irrepressible Gene Hunt, the test card girl keeps warning him, “you should never have come back here, Sam. It’s all going to end in tears. You’ll see… you’ll see…”
“If you think I’m gonna stand here listening to yet more of your Mary, Mungo and Midge about waiting for back-up, you’re even dopier than the front of your head suggests, Tyler. I’m going right up them stairs to nail me a villain – and that, Sammy-boy, is called law enforcement!”
When detective Sam Tyler was catapulted into the alien world of 1973, he could think of nothing but getting home. It was a world where men swigged scotch before breakfast, smoked fifty Embassy No. 6’s day and where birds put the kettle on.
But when at last Sam got home, he realized he’d left his heart back in the seventies amongst the fly-wing collars and pints of Skol. And he missed Annie Cartwright, the woman he had fallen in love with, and perhaps – just perhaps – he even missed The Guv, that nicotine-stained, sexist, homophobic caveman who was his DCI.
Now Sam is back in ’73 for good, but is this the greatest mistake he’s ever made? The creepy little girl from the TV test card seems to think so. As Sam dodges bullets, deals with what appears to be a IRA bombing campaign, and clashes with the irrepressible Gene Hunt, the test card girl keeps warning him, “you should never have come back here, Sam. It’s all going to end in tears. You’ll see… you’ll see…”
- GenresMedia Tie In
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 6, 2012
29 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Tom Graham
26 books6 followersMultiple authors with the same name, this author is entered with 1 space.
Tom Graham left school at 14 without qualifications. He is a smoker, and says that writing the Life on Mars novels is the nearest thing he's had to a regular job since he got banned from driving. He part-owns a greyhound called Arthur and his ambition is to get fruity with Raquel Welch (to be clear about it, that's Tom's ambition, not Arthur's).
Tom Graham left school at 14 without qualifications. He is a smoker, and says that writing the Life on Mars novels is the nearest thing he's had to a regular job since he got banned from driving. He part-owns a greyhound called Arthur and his ambition is to get fruity with Raquel Welch (to be clear about it, that's Tom's ambition, not Arthur's).
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
March 18, 2013
There's no other way to describe this book than cripplingly disappointing. I do not recommend reading this unless you fancy seeing beloved characters being reduced to bland caricatures of themselves, with slurs never used in the T.V show being thrown around casually, perhaps for the author to assert himself as a 'daring writer'. Annie is reduced to some sort of soppy prize for Sam, and Gene Hunt’s quips were far too frequent and contrived to feel authentic. The whole book simply serves as an example – or rather, a hefty warning – of what happens when you let your brother have a slice of your successful creation because he felt left out before.
Two stars instead of one because Sam’s dreams were interesting and added slightly to the original story but the rest was unnecessary and disappointing.
(However, having read the "About the Author" in which Tom Graham seems to brag about leaving school aged 14 unqualified, being a smoker (relevant how?), being largely unemployed until now since he was banned from driving and confesses his desire to "get fruity with Raquel Welch" I am not surprised.)
Two stars instead of one because Sam’s dreams were interesting and added slightly to the original story but the rest was unnecessary and disappointing.
(However, having read the "About the Author" in which Tom Graham seems to brag about leaving school aged 14 unqualified, being a smoker (relevant how?), being largely unemployed until now since he was banned from driving and confesses his desire to "get fruity with Raquel Welch" I am not surprised.)
March 12, 2023
This is my second read of this book. I loved the Life On Mars/Ashes to Ashes TV series, and like to revisit their worlds every now and then! We go back into DI Sam Tyler's 1973 world, which is full of DCI Gene Hunt, DS Ray Carling and DC Chris Skelton. As soon as I read Gene Hunt refer to Tyler as 'Sammy boy', I knew I was in my happy place!
There's an IRA campaign going on in 1973, Gene wants to handle it in his usual gung-ho manner, although Sam wants to tread more carefully. It really is like watching the TV version, the writing is spot on, and as you read you can hear the characters voices coming through the pages.
The storyline is nice and easy to read, with a few laughs and amusing quips thrown in. It fits in really well with the TV program, picking up where it ended. The perfect read for any die hard Life on Mars fans!
There's an IRA campaign going on in 1973, Gene wants to handle it in his usual gung-ho manner, although Sam wants to tread more carefully. It really is like watching the TV version, the writing is spot on, and as you read you can hear the characters voices coming through the pages.
The storyline is nice and easy to read, with a few laughs and amusing quips thrown in. It fits in really well with the TV program, picking up where it ended. The perfect read for any die hard Life on Mars fans!
May 11, 2025
3.75 ⭐️
Great case to keep you engaged and it’s good to be back with the gang. I could have had 20 series of Life on Mars and still never get bored of it. Sam’s visions and nightmares are really unsettling and I’m excited to see where they lead knowing what we know from Ashes to Ashes.
The thing that was a little off about this for me was the banter and the characters themselves , sometimes I could clearly read it in their voice and other times it didn’t sound like them at all.
Great case to keep you engaged and it’s good to be back with the gang. I could have had 20 series of Life on Mars and still never get bored of it. Sam’s visions and nightmares are really unsettling and I’m excited to see where they lead knowing what we know from Ashes to Ashes.
The thing that was a little off about this for me was the banter and the characters themselves , sometimes I could clearly read it in their voice and other times it didn’t sound like them at all.
September 8, 2012
Great to see the Gene Genie and the rest back in action. Tom Graham has captured the heart and spirit of Life on Mars with this first of four novels. I loved both Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes, and this book makes a great addition to the mythos. I am thrilled that the mostly unknown parts of this story (the years between 1973 and 1981) are finally being told. I can't wait for the next installment!
January 24, 2013
Filling the space between Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes,this captured the set and feel perfectly. Graham has the tone of the dialogue for each character down pat. Anything with the Gene Genie in it will receive high marks from me.
September 29, 2014
Love it! Gene Hunt was even more the "Gene Genie" that he was in the TV series.
With one small exception, I thought Tom Graham had the speech patterns, of the main characters, down to a T. The only thing missing was the 70's sound-track.
I can't wait to read the other three titles.
With one small exception, I thought Tom Graham had the speech patterns, of the main characters, down to a T. The only thing missing was the 70's sound-track.
I can't wait to read the other three titles.
March 20, 2020
I enjoyed this book but it was far from perfect.
The action scenes were well written and the author also nailed some of the more intimate scenes at the station that really made the show feel realistic but there were two glaring problems with the book. The first was that it is WAY more violent than anything seen in the TV show and despite the fact this makes for interesting reading it really seemed uncharacteristic of Life On Mars, this is only the first volume in a series and Gene Hunt was a bona fide MURDERER by the end of it.
The other problem was just general characterisation, to my knowledge Tom Graham didn't write for the tv show so to a degree I can understand the difficulty of writing a cast of characters that are all iconic in their own right when you didn't create them but sometimes it was painfully noticeable, mainly in dialogue, that he didn't create these characters. This also plays into my first point about Gene's questionable moral choices.
I'll pick up the next book in the series if I come across it but won't go out of my way for it. 3/5
The action scenes were well written and the author also nailed some of the more intimate scenes at the station that really made the show feel realistic but there were two glaring problems with the book. The first was that it is WAY more violent than anything seen in the TV show and despite the fact this makes for interesting reading it really seemed uncharacteristic of Life On Mars, this is only the first volume in a series and Gene Hunt was a bona fide MURDERER by the end of it.
The other problem was just general characterisation, to my knowledge Tom Graham didn't write for the tv show so to a degree I can understand the difficulty of writing a cast of characters that are all iconic in their own right when you didn't create them but sometimes it was painfully noticeable, mainly in dialogue, that he didn't create these characters. This also plays into my first point about Gene's questionable moral choices.
I'll pick up the next book in the series if I come across it but won't go out of my way for it. 3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2024
I don’t think this is the most well written book in the world, nor is the story that different from some plot lines in the TV series. Yet for fans of Life on Mars who want more stories about Sam and Gene, this is an entertaining book. It captures the tone of the TV show, and is an interesting continuation of the story.
It took me a little while to be won over by it. There are a few lines of dialogue here and there that don’t seem to fit characters, or don’t fit the era very well. However, these moments are easy to overlook. I was surprised by how quickly I burned my way through this book. I’ll definitely be checking out the following three in the series.
It took me a little while to be won over by it. There are a few lines of dialogue here and there that don’t seem to fit characters, or don’t fit the era very well. However, these moments are easy to overlook. I was surprised by how quickly I burned my way through this book. I’ll definitely be checking out the following three in the series.
September 7, 2021
Absolutely loved this book. It picks up right where the show left off. The book reads just like you're watching an episode! The characters are portrayed perfectly as is the environment around them. If you're a fan of the show, this book is the perfect follow up to the show.
Not to mention it portrays one thing I had always imagined. Gene Hunt as the Doctor. Brilliant lol
Not to mention it portrays one thing I had always imagined. Gene Hunt as the Doctor. Brilliant lol
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2019
The Gene Genie is back!!!
Life On Mars is one of my absolute favourite tv programmes so reading this book was like catching up with old friends. This is set soon after the end of Life on Mars and if you haven't watched that yet, well, what are you waiting for????
Life On Mars is one of my absolute favourite tv programmes so reading this book was like catching up with old friends. This is set soon after the end of Life on Mars and if you haven't watched that yet, well, what are you waiting for????
July 21, 2025
3/5 for using similar case that was already in the TV show. and I hoped it would be more characters focus.
the test card girl was so much scarier and better written than the show.
I didn't expect to read about sam funeral and even though it's short it really hits you hard. it couldn've made a great scene):
the test card girl was so much scarier and better written than the show.
I didn't expect to read about sam funeral and even though it's short it really hits you hard. it couldn've made a great scene):
February 1, 2024
Started off a tad slow but after 2 chapters it feels just like your watching thr TV show.
December 28, 2024
how do i even begin to write this review
April 1, 2015
So, book adaptations of cancelled series.
I remember reading the Prisoner books - there were three. Well done.
I remember reading all seven Get Smart! books. They were funny.
I read a Welcome Back Kotter novel - one joke in it was really funny.
I read three Babylon 5 paperbacks - the Londo Mollari trilogy by Peter David. Excellent.
And I didn't read as many Doctor Who novels as some have, but I've read a few.
My favorite author wrote a Star Trek novelization. It sucked.
But the problem is, of course, that television shows are a different medium than novels, and novels can't do what TV shows can do, and vice versa. So why would I read one? Well, because the show is over, and I want to have more episodes, and I can't, but look, here is a novel. So there we are. The novelist has an almost impossible task. And almost all of them read like fanfic. The Prisoner ones had literary merit, but they weren't the Prisoner. The B5 paperbacks were actually really really good. And at times they felt like I was watching B5. But not really.
So here we are reading the Life on Mars novels. This is the first one. The author got the voices of the characters right. Except almost - too right. Gene's lines were perfect "Gene-isms" except that in the show, not EVERYTHING Gene says is a Gene-ism. He talks like an imdb list of "Great Gene Hunt Quotes!" Except for one line which is honest, straight, and sincere. It would have had a big impact, but it was lampshaded "It was such an uncharacteristic thing for Gene to say!!!"
This novel takes place after the last episode of Life on Mars. If you've seen the excellent series, you know how hard it was for the author to continue the story. The series had a pretty definite ending. One strength of the series was the interplay between Sam's life in the 1970s and his gleaning what's happening to his comatose body in the 2000s. How do we continue that tension after the series ended? Tom Graham actually found a way. So, there's that.
In TV-Land, there were two explanations for what happened to Sam, one presented at the end of Life on Mars, and one at the end of the sequel series, Ashes to Ashes. I think both are fine, but they ARE different. And in my mind, the "real" end to Sam's story is the end we saw on Life on Mars. Ashes to Ashes was, to me, a separate series, and its explanations don't carry over to the first series in my mind. In this novel, it is clear that Graham is using the Ashes to Ashes explanation, and that is a detriment in my mind; a small one.
Overall recommendation: If you loved Life on Mars, and miss it, then this book will ease the pain. It was an entertaining read, and enjoyable for what it is. If you don't miss Life on Mars, there are other books you'd enjoy more.
I remember reading the Prisoner books - there were three. Well done.
I remember reading all seven Get Smart! books. They were funny.
I read a Welcome Back Kotter novel - one joke in it was really funny.
I read three Babylon 5 paperbacks - the Londo Mollari trilogy by Peter David. Excellent.
And I didn't read as many Doctor Who novels as some have, but I've read a few.
My favorite author wrote a Star Trek novelization. It sucked.
But the problem is, of course, that television shows are a different medium than novels, and novels can't do what TV shows can do, and vice versa. So why would I read one? Well, because the show is over, and I want to have more episodes, and I can't, but look, here is a novel. So there we are. The novelist has an almost impossible task. And almost all of them read like fanfic. The Prisoner ones had literary merit, but they weren't the Prisoner. The B5 paperbacks were actually really really good. And at times they felt like I was watching B5. But not really.
So here we are reading the Life on Mars novels. This is the first one. The author got the voices of the characters right. Except almost - too right. Gene's lines were perfect "Gene-isms" except that in the show, not EVERYTHING Gene says is a Gene-ism. He talks like an imdb list of "Great Gene Hunt Quotes!" Except for one line which is honest, straight, and sincere. It would have had a big impact, but it was lampshaded "It was such an uncharacteristic thing for Gene to say!!!"
This novel takes place after the last episode of Life on Mars. If you've seen the excellent series, you know how hard it was for the author to continue the story. The series had a pretty definite ending. One strength of the series was the interplay between Sam's life in the 1970s and his gleaning what's happening to his comatose body in the 2000s. How do we continue that tension after the series ended? Tom Graham actually found a way. So, there's that.
In TV-Land, there were two explanations for what happened to Sam, one presented at the end of Life on Mars, and one at the end of the sequel series, Ashes to Ashes. I think both are fine, but they ARE different. And in my mind, the "real" end to Sam's story is the end we saw on Life on Mars. Ashes to Ashes was, to me, a separate series, and its explanations don't carry over to the first series in my mind. In this novel, it is clear that Graham is using the Ashes to Ashes explanation, and that is a detriment in my mind; a small one.
Overall recommendation: If you loved Life on Mars, and miss it, then this book will ease the pain. It was an entertaining read, and enjoyable for what it is. If you don't miss Life on Mars, there are other books you'd enjoy more.
October 20, 2012
I’m usually wary of books that are TV or film spin offs, but this remains quite true to its source. It picks up pretty much where the TV series left off and all the familiar elements are in place: the weird dreams, the test card girl, the on/off relationship with Annie, and of course Gene Hunt, as racist, sexist and pretty much any other kind of ist you can mention, as ever.
If you haven’t seen the TV series you won’t have a clue what’s going on and it helps if you’ve seen Ashes to Ashes too as there are subtle hints as to the real purpose of Sam’s world.
The plot rattles along at a fair pace – it’s a pretty short book anyway – and you’ll find you can easily read it in two or three sittings. For me it wasn’t quite as sharply written as the TV series, the dialogue isn’t quite as snappy. It lacks the “nervous as a small nun at a penguin shoot” type lines that made the original such a delight. Also Hunt, whilst he’s always been a bit one-dimensional, at times descends almost into caricature here.
If you enjoyed Life on Mars you’ll like this, it’s a fun read but it just slightly misses the mark.
If you haven’t seen the TV series you won’t have a clue what’s going on and it helps if you’ve seen Ashes to Ashes too as there are subtle hints as to the real purpose of Sam’s world.
The plot rattles along at a fair pace – it’s a pretty short book anyway – and you’ll find you can easily read it in two or three sittings. For me it wasn’t quite as sharply written as the TV series, the dialogue isn’t quite as snappy. It lacks the “nervous as a small nun at a penguin shoot” type lines that made the original such a delight. Also Hunt, whilst he’s always been a bit one-dimensional, at times descends almost into caricature here.
If you enjoyed Life on Mars you’ll like this, it’s a fun read but it just slightly misses the mark.
October 10, 2012
As a big fan of Life On Mars I was very happy to see they've been continuing the series in ebook format, which meant INSTANT GRATIFICATION for yours truly :D. It was very excting to have the gang back in action again, and Tom Graham's characterizations are absolutely spot on. The story itself was engaging, though I found the subject matter a bit repetitive in terms of what had already happened in the series (bombs, IRA, hostages, etc.). I also felt Annie didn't have the same strength in the novel that she did in the series, and the blossoming romance between her and Sam Tyler felt more than a little tacked on. Overall, however, it is a very good start to the planned series of books and this issue will probably be alleviated as it progresses. Seeing the Test Card Girl freed of her television prison is horrifying indeed. I'm fascinated as to how her character developes as well.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 8, 2014
I started off thinking this book would be a solid 3 stars but the quality declined as the story went on. I agree with another reviewer who basically said that Annie got written off as a 'soppy mare' and didn't have the quiet strength Liz White brought to the character on screen. Gene Hunt's voice was pitch perfect but sometimes it felt like the writer was trying too hard. And I loathed the way he claimed characters 'intoned' things. That's just bad writing. I did enjoy the hint of an Ashes to Ashes link and Annie's secret.
It's a weak start, but it could improve quite easily!
It's a weak start, but it could improve quite easily!
November 11, 2016
3.75 stars. A well written police procedural romp, with exactly the same pace as the show. However, Gene is definitely here in his Ashes to Ashes persona, all glib and godlike, than his slightly more respectful Life on Mars one. He slaps Annie's bum in this.
Which brings me into another thing. Despite the fact that canon has Annie become a fully fledged member of the team, she's demoted in this book to tea maker, typist and woman of few words. In a nutshell - NOT ENOUGH ANNIE. NEVER enough Annie. Enjoyed it though.
Which brings me into another thing. Despite the fact that canon has Annie become a fully fledged member of the team, she's demoted in this book to tea maker, typist and woman of few words. In a nutshell - NOT ENOUGH ANNIE. NEVER enough Annie. Enjoyed it though.
October 13, 2012
As a fan of LOM and A2A, was unsure how good this book would be. Happy to say that Tom Graham takes Gene Genie, Sam Tyler et al to continued adventures with all the detail spot on. Added to that, there is a good plot to this story, in the same way as the TV series and it is relevant, well written and engrossing. If the next one were available, I would have downloaded it already. If you are a fan of the Gene Genie, you won't be disappointed.
July 13, 2015
I just finished a Life on Mars rewatch as well as starting one for Ashes to Ashes, and this book was a delight to jump into at this point. Some things may have moved a bit quickly at times--like Sam's conversations with Annie about the strange feelings they have--but overall the book was fun and insightful. Definitely building towards the events described at the end of Ashes to Ashes, but it's good to be getting them from this perspective.
April 13, 2015
I adored the series Life on Mars and only recently discovered there was a spin-off book series.
This is ok, but the characters are caricatures of their tv selves and as for Annie she didn't show much of the spark or backbone that the tv Annie had.
An ok read, but I won't be reading the follow ups to this.
This is ok, but the characters are caricatures of their tv selves and as for Annie she didn't show much of the spark or backbone that the tv Annie had.
An ok read, but I won't be reading the follow ups to this.
October 20, 2012
Picking up right were the tv series left off, it's easy to get into as you'll already know the characters. The story itself sticks to the LOM formula & is a very good read. Can't wait for the next one
September 19, 2012
The characters are perfectly recreated, and the plot is pretty good. Looking forward to the next one!
March 7, 2013
Great story to continue the Life On Mars universe, starting to fill in the gaps between that show and Ashes To Ashes.
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October 1, 2013... juz loved it ! .. wicked ! ...
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews