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Mars is Heaven
ebook
First published January 1, 1948
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About the author
Ray Bradbury
2,559 books25.3k followersRay Douglas Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 10, 2023
This is a very grumpy three stars.
Very much of it’s time (1948), but with an interesting premise. Feels like a Twilight Zone episode, but one of the shock value ones instead of the psychologically poignant ones. One of the characters was the child of Dachau victims (he was there too, but survived whilst the rest of his family died)… and it looked for a moment like Bradbury was leading up to a significant commentary, but took the easy route for the ending. Ugh.
Listening to the original radio play was cool, though. It was well done :)
Very much of it’s time (1948), but with an interesting premise. Feels like a Twilight Zone episode, but one of the shock value ones instead of the psychologically poignant ones. One of the characters was the child of Dachau victims (he was there too, but survived whilst the rest of his family died)… and it looked for a moment like Bradbury was leading up to a significant commentary, but took the easy route for the ending. Ugh.
Listening to the original radio play was cool, though. It was well done :)
July 1, 2023
A spaceship arrives on Mars only to find a perfect small American town populated with small town Americans. Is it heaven or some kind of hell?
September 23, 2022
This is an all too terrifying and realistic way of humans exploring Mars. What would the Martians, of there are any, so if they thought we were invading their planet? This is one way they would fight us.
June 29, 2022
*Read for my Advanced Studies in Science Fiction class*
This is exactly what a short story should be. Very reminiscent of “There Will Come Soft Rains” which have since been compiled in the same Martian Chronicles collection. If you like The Twilight Zone, you’ll love this one.
This is exactly what a short story should be. Very reminiscent of “There Will Come Soft Rains” which have since been compiled in the same Martian Chronicles collection. If you like The Twilight Zone, you’ll love this one.
May 12, 2023
Humans travel to Mars only to be tricked into letting their guard down.
"Mars is Heaven" is a science fiction short story that explores the potential consequences of technological advancements and scientific discovery. Science fiction often addresses the implications of technology on society, exploring the impact that new discoveries and developments may have on the human condition.
In terms of where "Mars is Heaven" fits within the science fiction genre, it is a classic example of Bradbury's writing, which often focused on the intersection of science and the human experience. Bradbury was known for his ability to create rich, immersive worlds and to explore complex themes through science fiction. "Mars is Heaven" is a prime example of this style, as it presents a fantastical scenario that forces the characters to grapple with issues of nostalgia, loss, and the consequences of playing God.
To enhance your understanding of "Mars is Heaven," it can be helpful to read other works by Ray Bradbury, such as "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles." These works offer additional examples of Bradbury's approach to science fiction and can provide context for his writing style.
In terms of social and cultural influences, "Mars is Heaven" reflects a post-World War II society that was still grappling with the impacts of war and technological advancements. The story takes place in a world that is on the cusp of space exploration, and the characters are faced with the daunting prospect of exploring the unknown. Additionally, the story touches on themes of nostalgia and the desire for connection, which were particularly resonant in a time when many families had been torn apart by war. Overall, "Mars is Heaven" reflects the anxieties and hopes of a society that was undergoing rapid technological change and facing an uncertain future.
"Mars is Heaven" has held up very well over time and is still considered to be a classic work of science fiction. Despite being written over 70 years ago, the story continues to resonate with readers today due to its exploration of timeless themes such as the consequences of scientific discovery and the human desire for connection and nostalgia.
Ray Bradbury's writing style and approach to science fiction have also stood the test of time. He was known for his ability to create rich, immersive worlds that explored complex themes through the lens of science fiction, and this approach has influenced countless writers in the decades since "Mars is Heaven" was first published.
Moreover, "Mars is Heaven" remains relevant in the context of ongoing developments in space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. As scientists continue to discover more about the universe, questions about the potential consequences of these discoveries on humanity become increasingly relevant, and "Mars is Heaven" offers a thought-provoking exploration of these themes.
Overall, "Mars is Heaven" remains a valuable and engaging work of science fiction that has stood the test of time. Its themes and ideas continue to resonate with readers today, and it remains a cornerstone of the science fiction genre.
"Mars is Heaven" is a science fiction short story that explores the potential consequences of technological advancements and scientific discovery. Science fiction often addresses the implications of technology on society, exploring the impact that new discoveries and developments may have on the human condition.
In terms of where "Mars is Heaven" fits within the science fiction genre, it is a classic example of Bradbury's writing, which often focused on the intersection of science and the human experience. Bradbury was known for his ability to create rich, immersive worlds and to explore complex themes through science fiction. "Mars is Heaven" is a prime example of this style, as it presents a fantastical scenario that forces the characters to grapple with issues of nostalgia, loss, and the consequences of playing God.
To enhance your understanding of "Mars is Heaven," it can be helpful to read other works by Ray Bradbury, such as "Fahrenheit 451" and "The Martian Chronicles." These works offer additional examples of Bradbury's approach to science fiction and can provide context for his writing style.
In terms of social and cultural influences, "Mars is Heaven" reflects a post-World War II society that was still grappling with the impacts of war and technological advancements. The story takes place in a world that is on the cusp of space exploration, and the characters are faced with the daunting prospect of exploring the unknown. Additionally, the story touches on themes of nostalgia and the desire for connection, which were particularly resonant in a time when many families had been torn apart by war. Overall, "Mars is Heaven" reflects the anxieties and hopes of a society that was undergoing rapid technological change and facing an uncertain future.
"Mars is Heaven" has held up very well over time and is still considered to be a classic work of science fiction. Despite being written over 70 years ago, the story continues to resonate with readers today due to its exploration of timeless themes such as the consequences of scientific discovery and the human desire for connection and nostalgia.
Ray Bradbury's writing style and approach to science fiction have also stood the test of time. He was known for his ability to create rich, immersive worlds that explored complex themes through the lens of science fiction, and this approach has influenced countless writers in the decades since "Mars is Heaven" was first published.
Moreover, "Mars is Heaven" remains relevant in the context of ongoing developments in space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. As scientists continue to discover more about the universe, questions about the potential consequences of these discoveries on humanity become increasingly relevant, and "Mars is Heaven" offers a thought-provoking exploration of these themes.
Overall, "Mars is Heaven" remains a valuable and engaging work of science fiction that has stood the test of time. Its themes and ideas continue to resonate with readers today, and it remains a cornerstone of the science fiction genre.
September 13, 2024
Creepy ngl
January 24, 2025
Excellent. Perfect sci-fi .
Read
August 26, 2021Read this for my literature class
Read
December 9, 2022Do the senses make sense?
March 10, 2025
Mandatory short-story reading for my sci-fi course.
This story was a cool, unique way to portray the assumptions or questions about the afterlife—death, and if there’s anything after death.
In my opinion, because I know there can be many assumed portrayals or messages this story is trying to make, this is a story of astronauts who passed away on their difficult journey to mars, and their journey in acknowledging/accepting that they died through a journey that catered mostly to their roles as astronauts. Of course some might not agree, but it’s my takeaway after reading this story.
There were seventeen men aboard the spaceship, including the captain. One died, as said in the beginning of the story, during their travel to mars, but then that fellow astronomer was never mentioned again. This means there were only sixteen men left in total that ‘survived.’ They land on Mars, expecting there to be Martians and strange things, but they find Mars to be similar to earth—breathable air, green grass, houses, and even a town. They meet other ‘humans’ and the three men, one being the captain, who decided to explore while the others stayed on the spacecraft, grappled with trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Then comes old relatives. The whole town is relatives of all the astronauts, but the strange thing is, is that all these relatives had died years prior. How could this be? The town is consisting of all of their childhood homes/roads they grew up on. It seems too good to be true, right? All the men join their dead relatives and split up, and that night, the captain comes back to his senses and brings forth the assumption to the readers that maybe these relatives are martians in disguise, holding them under some sort of hypnosis spell to avoid detection. Just as the captain tries to flee, he gets killed. The next morning, merely a few hours after this event occurs, you find out that all the other astronauts have been killed as well, and these deceased family members are holding a funeral for all of them—graves dug, and headstones with their names all ready for them. BUT…, remember how only sixteen men survived? There were seventeen graves. How did these Martians, or dead relatives—whatever you wanna call them—know there was one extra man, lying dead, on board the spacecraft? That’s where I believe this is a story of their journey to the pearly gates.
There’s assumptions/beliefs that relatives meet you after your death to guide you and help you accept that you’ve died. There’s assumptions/beliefs/some people who have died briefly and come back to life that say your whole life plays out right before.
What I take away is that all of the astronauts died during their travels, and their mission to mars was actually their mission to heaven through the depiction of something that they all identified and dedicated their lives to. Them finding their deceased relatives was their relatives in the afterlife guiding them and trying to make them accept their deaths. Their murders were when they all came to realize that all of what they were experiencing wasn’t actually what it seemed. Their realization, at the end, was the last step for them to finally be at peace, and that’s where the ‘murders’ take place. The graves were already dug, the headstones were already made, their family members were weeping for them…, it just makes the most sense to me.
I think the author wanted the readers to sit there and really think about all the possibilities, and explore the ideas/assumptions/beliefs that surround death and the afterlife. There’s no way for us readers to definitively say exactly what happened in the story, or why, or how, or anything of the sort—we can only assume. However…, stay with me here…, isn’t that the whole point? None of us, not one soul, can definitively say for certain what happens after death, and if there’s life after death, just as we can’t say for certain what exactly happens/happened in ‘Mars is Heaven!’
The author really did a phenomenal job getting that point across to the readers.
8/10.
This story was a cool, unique way to portray the assumptions or questions about the afterlife—death, and if there’s anything after death.
In my opinion, because I know there can be many assumed portrayals or messages this story is trying to make, this is a story of astronauts who passed away on their difficult journey to mars, and their journey in acknowledging/accepting that they died through a journey that catered mostly to their roles as astronauts. Of course some might not agree, but it’s my takeaway after reading this story.
There were seventeen men aboard the spaceship, including the captain. One died, as said in the beginning of the story, during their travel to mars, but then that fellow astronomer was never mentioned again. This means there were only sixteen men left in total that ‘survived.’ They land on Mars, expecting there to be Martians and strange things, but they find Mars to be similar to earth—breathable air, green grass, houses, and even a town. They meet other ‘humans’ and the three men, one being the captain, who decided to explore while the others stayed on the spacecraft, grappled with trying to figure out what the hell was going on.
Then comes old relatives. The whole town is relatives of all the astronauts, but the strange thing is, is that all these relatives had died years prior. How could this be? The town is consisting of all of their childhood homes/roads they grew up on. It seems too good to be true, right? All the men join their dead relatives and split up, and that night, the captain comes back to his senses and brings forth the assumption to the readers that maybe these relatives are martians in disguise, holding them under some sort of hypnosis spell to avoid detection. Just as the captain tries to flee, he gets killed. The next morning, merely a few hours after this event occurs, you find out that all the other astronauts have been killed as well, and these deceased family members are holding a funeral for all of them—graves dug, and headstones with their names all ready for them. BUT…, remember how only sixteen men survived? There were seventeen graves. How did these Martians, or dead relatives—whatever you wanna call them—know there was one extra man, lying dead, on board the spacecraft? That’s where I believe this is a story of their journey to the pearly gates.
There’s assumptions/beliefs that relatives meet you after your death to guide you and help you accept that you’ve died. There’s assumptions/beliefs/some people who have died briefly and come back to life that say your whole life plays out right before.
What I take away is that all of the astronauts died during their travels, and their mission to mars was actually their mission to heaven through the depiction of something that they all identified and dedicated their lives to. Them finding their deceased relatives was their relatives in the afterlife guiding them and trying to make them accept their deaths. Their murders were when they all came to realize that all of what they were experiencing wasn’t actually what it seemed. Their realization, at the end, was the last step for them to finally be at peace, and that’s where the ‘murders’ take place. The graves were already dug, the headstones were already made, their family members were weeping for them…, it just makes the most sense to me.
I think the author wanted the readers to sit there and really think about all the possibilities, and explore the ideas/assumptions/beliefs that surround death and the afterlife. There’s no way for us readers to definitively say exactly what happened in the story, or why, or how, or anything of the sort—we can only assume. However…, stay with me here…, isn’t that the whole point? None of us, not one soul, can definitively say for certain what happens after death, and if there’s life after death, just as we can’t say for certain what exactly happens/happened in ‘Mars is Heaven!’
The author really did a phenomenal job getting that point across to the readers.
8/10.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 27, 2024
The first human crew to travel to Mars leaves from New Mexico (hello, pre-Cape Canaveral launch center!), lands on the Red Planet, opens the hull, and --
Wait a gosh-darned minute, this planet isn't Red at all! The grass is green, the picket fences are white, the Martians all speak American English, and, by golly, is that my grandma?
Yeah, the astronauts were as confused as you probably are at this moment. Mars is Heaven! is Ray Bradbury's 1948 short story about what happens when a space crew goes to Mars but finds what very much looks like Earth there. As the title suggests, one of the possible explanations they consider is that their ship has had a hard landing, and they have been transported to the afterlife.
The story reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode called I Shot An Arrow into the Air, which is also about a crew of astronauts that have made their landing - except its plot is the perfect antiparticle of Mars Is Heaven! In my amateur opinion, the Twilight Zone episode is the superior SF story between the two.
We can talk about the mildly shoddy mechanics behind Mars is Heaven!, but I don't think that's what makes it interesting, because I believe that Bradbury may have (intentionally or not) wrapped an allegory or two into this relatively short piece.
1948 was quite early on in the Cold War, but McCarthyism (the Second Red Scare) was in full swing by the time this story came out. The origins of the Cold War are complex, but one of the events leading up to it was the USSR's blindsiding the West in Central Asia in the mid-1940s. I see strong parallels between Mars is Heaven! and the bad faith that the American public must have perceived as their (admittedly reluctant) WWII allies breached their agreements with the US.
The parallel between the Red Planet and the official color of communism may be a bit too obvious for Bradbury, so I don't think that an allusion to McCarthyism was his intention. Nevertheless, a reflection of the country's internal struggle against its perceived domestic enemy can certainly be found in this story.
For the SF giant that Bradbury is, I was surprised by the plot holes in this story. The biggest one is (spoiler spoiler spoiler) (end spoiler)
Granted, I listened to the radio adaptation of this story, and reading the full text may have addressed the flaws a bit better. But then I would have missed out on the fabulous sound mixing and delectable 1950 radio ads. I think I'd rather live with the plot holes.
Wait a gosh-darned minute, this planet isn't Red at all! The grass is green, the picket fences are white, the Martians all speak American English, and, by golly, is that my grandma?
Yeah, the astronauts were as confused as you probably are at this moment. Mars is Heaven! is Ray Bradbury's 1948 short story about what happens when a space crew goes to Mars but finds what very much looks like Earth there. As the title suggests, one of the possible explanations they consider is that their ship has had a hard landing, and they have been transported to the afterlife.
The story reminded me of the Twilight Zone episode called I Shot An Arrow into the Air, which is also about a crew of astronauts that have made their landing - except its plot is the perfect antiparticle of Mars Is Heaven! In my amateur opinion, the Twilight Zone episode is the superior SF story between the two.
We can talk about the mildly shoddy mechanics behind Mars is Heaven!, but I don't think that's what makes it interesting, because I believe that Bradbury may have (intentionally or not) wrapped an allegory or two into this relatively short piece.
1948 was quite early on in the Cold War, but McCarthyism (the Second Red Scare) was in full swing by the time this story came out. The origins of the Cold War are complex, but one of the events leading up to it was the USSR's blindsiding the West in Central Asia in the mid-1940s. I see strong parallels between Mars is Heaven! and the bad faith that the American public must have perceived as their (admittedly reluctant) WWII allies breached their agreements with the US.
The parallel between the Red Planet and the official color of communism may be a bit too obvious for Bradbury, so I don't think that an allusion to McCarthyism was his intention. Nevertheless, a reflection of the country's internal struggle against its perceived domestic enemy can certainly be found in this story.
For the SF giant that Bradbury is, I was surprised by the plot holes in this story. The biggest one is (spoiler spoiler spoiler) (end spoiler)
Granted, I listened to the radio adaptation of this story, and reading the full text may have addressed the flaws a bit better. But then I would have missed out on the fabulous sound mixing and delectable 1950 radio ads. I think I'd rather live with the plot holes.
August 27, 2023
I was told about this one frequently.
In 1960 (over a decade from the time this first appeared in the last 1940s), the first exploratory spaceship from Earth arrives on Mars. The team is shocked to discover a familiar colony, believing it is the 1920s. In the Dimension X radio adaptation in 1950, the first Earth ship XR-53 lands on Mars on April 20, 1987. On June 18, 1987, Earth was evacuated due to the fallout from a nuclear war. Humanity settled on Mars. By 2007, consideration was being given to repopulating Earth.
In 1960 (over a decade from the time this first appeared in the last 1940s), the first exploratory spaceship from Earth arrives on Mars. The team is shocked to discover a familiar colony, believing it is the 1920s. In the Dimension X radio adaptation in 1950, the first Earth ship XR-53 lands on Mars on April 20, 1987. On June 18, 1987, Earth was evacuated due to the fallout from a nuclear war. Humanity settled on Mars. By 2007, consideration was being given to repopulating Earth.
December 9, 2023
I’ve often praised Ray Bradbury’s broad range of genres and he never disappoints. His science fiction may not be as “sciency” as that of other writers (hard sci-fi writers) but it’s very good nevertheless. SF may be my favorite Bradbury genre, though I also like his horror and fantasy themes.
Another great story by a great and versatile author!
Another great story by a great and versatile author!
August 8, 2025
A terrifyingly genius slower burner of a short story, but it's absolutely brilliant all the same. Sure, the twist is fairly predictable, but it's also frightening to think about it as a real possibility for space-faring humans one day...
December 16, 2021
Strangle. But I liked it a lot.
January 12, 2023
Mars is Heaven, by Ray Bradbury
Intense and engaging, but ultimately depressing. Gives an idea to the sense of uncertainty that existed in the 40s and 50s. ***
Intense and engaging, but ultimately depressing. Gives an idea to the sense of uncertainty that existed in the 40s and 50s. ***
November 10, 2023
one of the most memorable stories from the book, as i recall.
January 20, 2024
Read as part of The Martian Chronicles, see my thoughts on that book here: https://www.skjam.com/2016/09/11/book...
February 27, 2024
Hellish American landscapes will always find its way into sci-fi thrillers, we enjoy ourselves too much.
ex-anthology
May 13, 2024Aka “The Third Expedition”.
October 9, 2024
This would make a great movie
November 7, 2025
Read for the SF Hall of Fame podcast series. Link when it is public.
January 8, 2026
Now I need to read more Bradbury…
August 25, 2024
I saw on the cover for this story that it is part of Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles which I recall reading, and enjoying, when I was in high school. As I listened, somewhere after the mid-point but before two-thirds through, I remembered the twist at the end; but it was fun to finish the story anyway. And I should go back and re-read the entire Chronicles.
Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol 1
Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol 1
December 21, 2024
Read as part of this book:
I really enjoyed this little sci-fi story!
A team of astronauts land on what they thought was Mars, except it looks exactly like Earth when they land; complete with grass, birds, houses and people. Soon they discover that relatives that had been long dead live there. They know they're dead but are happy to be given a second chance at living, and are happy to see their living relatives again. But soon, all of this seems too good to be true and the protagonist starts to question how this place came to be and how all of the right relatives are all put together at the same time...
I really enjoyed this little sci-fi story!
A team of astronauts land on what they thought was Mars, except it looks exactly like Earth when they land; complete with grass, birds, houses and people. Soon they discover that relatives that had been long dead live there. They know they're dead but are happy to be given a second chance at living, and are happy to see their living relatives again. But soon, all of this seems too good to be true and the protagonist starts to question how this place came to be and how all of the right relatives are all put together at the same time...
February 28, 2024
A good story with an interesting ending.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews