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Alien Dust
ALIEN DUST relates the first thirty-five years of the colonization of Mars. It is a poignant story of Man against Nature. No individual hero or heroine marches steadily through its pages. There is no triumphal ending-only faint hope. Instead, against a background of the shifting red sands of a planet unfit for human habitation, emerges the grim picture of pioneer men and women pitting their courage, wits and even lives against the biggest enemy in the Solar System-an alien planet. Rich and warm in human emotion, ALIEN DUST is one of those rare science fiction stories which presents Man in his true perspective-as the intruder.
- GenresScience Fiction
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1955
1 person is currently reading
26 people want to read
About the author
E.C. Tubb
383 books85 followersEdwin Charles Tubb was a writer of science fiction, fantasy and western novels. He published over 140 novels and 230 short stories and novellas, and is best known for The Dumarest Saga (US collective title: Dumarest of Terra) an epic science-fiction saga set in the far future.
Much of Tubb's work has been written under pseudonyms including Gregory Kern, Carl Maddox, Alan Guthrie, Eric Storm and George Holt. He has used 58 pen names over five decades of writing although some of these were publishers' house names also used by other writers: Volsted Gridban (along with John Russell Fearn), Gill Hunt (with John Brunner and Dennis Hughes), King Lang (with George Hay and John W Jennison), Roy Sheldon (with H. J. Campbell) and Brian Shaw. Tubb's Charles Grey alias was solely his own and acquired a big following in the early 1950s.
An avid reader of pulp science-fiction and fantasy in his youth, Tubb found that he had a particular talent as a writer of stories in that genre when his short story 'No Short Cuts' was published in New Worlds magazine in 1951. He opted for a full-time career as a writer and soon became renowned for the speed and diversity of his output.
Tubb contributed to many of the science fiction magazines of the 1950s including Futuristic Science Stories, Science Fantasy, Nebula and Galaxy Science Fiction. He contributed heavily to Authentic Science Fiction editing the magazine for nearly two years, from February 1956 until it folded in October 1957. During this time, he found it so difficult to find good writers to contribute to the magazine, that he often wrote most of the stories himself under a variety of pseudonyms: one issue of Authentic was written entirely by Tubb, including the letters column.
His main work in the science fiction genre, the Dumarest series, appeared from 1967 to 1985, with two final volumes in 1997 and 2008. His second major series, the Cap Kennedy series, was written from 1973 to 1983.
In recent years Tubb updated many of his 1950s science fiction novels for 21st century readers.
Tubb was one of the co-founders of the British Science Fiction Association.
Much of Tubb's work has been written under pseudonyms including Gregory Kern, Carl Maddox, Alan Guthrie, Eric Storm and George Holt. He has used 58 pen names over five decades of writing although some of these were publishers' house names also used by other writers: Volsted Gridban (along with John Russell Fearn), Gill Hunt (with John Brunner and Dennis Hughes), King Lang (with George Hay and John W Jennison), Roy Sheldon (with H. J. Campbell) and Brian Shaw. Tubb's Charles Grey alias was solely his own and acquired a big following in the early 1950s.
An avid reader of pulp science-fiction and fantasy in his youth, Tubb found that he had a particular talent as a writer of stories in that genre when his short story 'No Short Cuts' was published in New Worlds magazine in 1951. He opted for a full-time career as a writer and soon became renowned for the speed and diversity of his output.
Tubb contributed to many of the science fiction magazines of the 1950s including Futuristic Science Stories, Science Fantasy, Nebula and Galaxy Science Fiction. He contributed heavily to Authentic Science Fiction editing the magazine for nearly two years, from February 1956 until it folded in October 1957. During this time, he found it so difficult to find good writers to contribute to the magazine, that he often wrote most of the stories himself under a variety of pseudonyms: one issue of Authentic was written entirely by Tubb, including the letters column.
His main work in the science fiction genre, the Dumarest series, appeared from 1967 to 1985, with two final volumes in 1997 and 2008. His second major series, the Cap Kennedy series, was written from 1973 to 1983.
In recent years Tubb updated many of his 1950s science fiction novels for 21st century readers.
Tubb was one of the co-founders of the British Science Fiction Association.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
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February 8, 2020Loved it. Great approach to dealing with Mars on it's own terms-NOT trying to change it to Earth ll...
Twilightzone
Born in 1949
Science fiction fan since the latter 50's
Twilightzone
Born in 1949
Science fiction fan since the latter 50's
August 12, 2013
I discovered E.C. Tubb after reading one of his short stories in a Science Fiction Mega-pack compilation. I liked his style and decided to try one of his full length novels. The premise of this one sounded interesting; a chronology of mankinds first attempt at the colonization of Mars. I think Tubb did a great job telling this tale of adversity! The way he describes the challenges man faces is so believable, it seems like these things could actually happen if we were to attempt Mars colonization one day. Tubb was very descriptive, but not overly so where it became a boring and over detailed read. I felt it had a nice and enjoyable pace throughout.
Although the book was very good, it was broken up into several short stories that take place over time. He will tell the story of one era of the colonization, and then jump ahead to the next block of time. This creates a problem as a reader, because it doesn't allow you to develop a real emotional connection to the characters. By the time you do so, virtually all of those characters are gone by the next "time jump" in the book. While this can be somewhat of a problem, somehow Tubb makes it work. There is a lot of time to cover in this story and I can't see another way of doing it without breaking it up into separate novels.
Tubb is definitely one of those notable classic science fiction authors, in the same realm as Issac Asimov, Andre Norton and Arthur C Clarke. If you're into sci-fi and like the premise, this is a book I can recommend! Its an oldie but a goodie.
Although the book was very good, it was broken up into several short stories that take place over time. He will tell the story of one era of the colonization, and then jump ahead to the next block of time. This creates a problem as a reader, because it doesn't allow you to develop a real emotional connection to the characters. By the time you do so, virtually all of those characters are gone by the next "time jump" in the book. While this can be somewhat of a problem, somehow Tubb makes it work. There is a lot of time to cover in this story and I can't see another way of doing it without breaking it up into separate novels.
Tubb is definitely one of those notable classic science fiction authors, in the same realm as Issac Asimov, Andre Norton and Arthur C Clarke. If you're into sci-fi and like the premise, this is a book I can recommend! Its an oldie but a goodie.
November 28, 2019
Gelesen als Die Marskolonie
Die Chronik der Marskolonie
Im Jahr 1995 erreicht die Marsexpedition ihr Ziel. Männer landen auf dem roten Planeten und errichten den ersten interplanetarischen Stützpunkt der Menschheit. Sie tun dies unter unglaublich lebensfeindlichen Bedingungen, und sie geben selbst dann nicht auf, als ihre Lage völlig hoffnungslos erscheint. Die meisten von ihnen sterben im Sand der Marswüste, doch die Männer und Frauen, die den ersten Siedlern folgen, stehen ihnen in Zähigkeit und Verbissenheit nicht nach, das Unmögliche möglich zu machen.
Dies ist ihre Geschichte – die Geschichte eines 35jährigen Kampfes um eine Welt.
Ein ziemlich interessantes Buch, das von einer zukünftigen Besiedelung des Mars erzählt mit allem was dazugehört: Katastrophen, Unglücke, Krankheiten, Mord aber auch Zähigkeit, Überlebenswille und Kampf um Anerkennung.
Die Chronik der Marskolonie
Im Jahr 1995 erreicht die Marsexpedition ihr Ziel. Männer landen auf dem roten Planeten und errichten den ersten interplanetarischen Stützpunkt der Menschheit. Sie tun dies unter unglaublich lebensfeindlichen Bedingungen, und sie geben selbst dann nicht auf, als ihre Lage völlig hoffnungslos erscheint. Die meisten von ihnen sterben im Sand der Marswüste, doch die Männer und Frauen, die den ersten Siedlern folgen, stehen ihnen in Zähigkeit und Verbissenheit nicht nach, das Unmögliche möglich zu machen.
Dies ist ihre Geschichte – die Geschichte eines 35jährigen Kampfes um eine Welt.
Ein ziemlich interessantes Buch, das von einer zukünftigen Besiedelung des Mars erzählt mit allem was dazugehört: Katastrophen, Unglücke, Krankheiten, Mord aber auch Zähigkeit, Überlebenswille und Kampf um Anerkennung.
August 31, 2016
A tale of adversity, challenge, and plenty of suspence.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
August 31, 2016
A tale of adversity, challenge, and plenty of suspence.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Read for personal research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
I found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.
Read
May 25, 20151977 no grade
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews