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The Martian Chronicles

Ray Bradbury

Start date: November 1, 2018

Finish date: November 30, 2018

Discussion: Science Fiction and Fantasy

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Feb 24, 2016 Sara rated it it was amazing

Shelves: classics

Although I have read some independent short stories by Bradbury, this is my first collection. Although they are all set on Mars, they are not a continuous story. Once I realized I should not be trying to find any continuity between the stories, I relaxed and just enjoyed them individually.

The initial story, Rocket Summer, was very interesting in the unexpected way the Martians dealt with the coming of the Americans. Much as I would expect we would deal with aliens alighting on our own shores. A Although I have read some independent short stories by Bradbury, this is my first collection. Although they are all set on Mars, they are not a continuous story. Once I realized I should not be trying to find any continuity between the stories, I relaxed and just enjoyed them individually.

The initial story, Rocket Summer, was very interesting in the unexpected way the Martians dealt with the coming of the Americans. Much as I would expect we would deal with aliens alighting on our own shores. A little like looking into a mirror. I particularly liked "And the Moon Be Still as Bright", as well. I found myself understanding Spender, who finds himself at odds with his own people and goes to very extreme means to attempt to save Mars from the damage he knows will follow. "Usher II" is another captivating story, with the threads of Poe references that run through it and the very recognizable voice of Bradbury regarding both censorship and the delight of revenge.

My favorite chronicle, however, is "There Will Come Soft Rains." The title comes from the Sara Teasdale poem quoted below:

There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white,

Robins will wear their feathery fire
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.

This poem has always been a personally meaningful one for me, it begins so softly and quietly and then reveals itself to be a commentary on all that is horrible and violent and destructive of mankind. It says so much so succinctly, and both Teasdale, in her poem, and Bradbury, in his collection of stories, are making the same point about man's foolishness and transience. The story and the poem seem to be of one piece to me. As for Bradbury and his style, I especially loved some of the imagery in the story, like the cleaning mice robots coming out of the walls to clean the house that is devoid of life.

Despite the fact that most of these stories are far from upbeat or joyous, they are also not entirely devoid of hope or promise. In the end mankind is hanging by a thread, but he is hanging. The question will be has he learned enough to do anything different on Mars than he did on Earth. Bradbury seemed to think the jury was out on that one...and if you look around you, it would seem it still is. ...more

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May 07, 2022 Martina Dee rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Every Ray Bradbury book is a jewel which transcends genres. As usual, he plays with metaphors and allegories, laced with his unmistakable style. Written 70 years ago, this is actually us now, humans "emphasizing the wrong items, emphasizing machines instead of how to run the machines". It never gets old. The stuff of immortal writers. ...more

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