The Martian Chronicles The Martian Chronicles discussion


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I only liked some parts of this books. What are other reccomendations?

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message 1: by Christian (last edited Aug 06, 2012 07:32PM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Christian I really like the first chapters of this book, where the first expeditions arrive. Because of the absurdity on how the martians react, and how they think.

I also like the part where all the scientist arrive and appreciate it all, but are somewhat afraid of how man is gonna destroy all this beauty.

I don't really get how quickly they managed to create cities and such, and I didn't like the racist man on earth and the religious folks coming to mars.

Is it possible for anyone to recommend any books, just out of these statements? :)


message 2: by Mary (last edited Aug 07, 2012 07:41AM) (new) - rated it 4 stars

Mary if you like books about Mars, maybe not specifically about Martians, but about Earth terra-forming Mars, you can check out Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars /Green Mars/Blue Mars trilogy. I read the first awhile back and plan on starting the second today in honor of Curiosity's Landing. KSR writes in technical and scientific terms but is easy to understand. His ideas about the space elevator and genetic engineering are well thought out and believable. He also spends a lot of time on the social and political and ecological aspects of expedition.


Zoran Krušvar If you liked absurdity, this is the must-read for you: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


Chad3006 Again if you like absurdity in your scifi, you might like the writings of Robert Sheckley. In my opinion, his best work is in short stories.


message 5: by Curtiss (last edited Nov 29, 2012 11:34AM) (new) - rated it 3 stars

Curtiss Try "The Space Willies", part of an Ace Double with "Six Worlds Yonder" both by Eric Frank Russell - or the Short Story/Novella collection, "The Best of Eric Frank Russell".

"Space Willies" is perhaps the single most hilarious Sci-Fi novel ever written, in which a captured human scout persuades his alien captors to release him using only a length of copper wire and a block of wood, and as a by-product he single-handedly undermines the alien coalition against humanity.

"The Best of..." contains the most outrageous Sci-Fi short story ever written, "Alamagoosa", in which a patrol vessel causes sector-wide pandemonium when they concoct a far-fetched excuse to avoid censure by the Inspector General, when they (erroneously as it turns out) think they have missing stores (i.e. an unidentied and apparently lost do-hickey or Alamagoosa called an 'offog') to account for.


Glenn Muller For something a little more plausible - though no aliens - you could try Arthur C. Clarke's Imperial Earth which centers around a mining colony on Titan.

Or you could go the other way and read the Edgar Rice Borough's collection of John Carter on Mars books, starting with A Princess of Mars - and all are free from Many Books.net or Project Gutenberg.

In fact, there is a ton of fun just waiting for the reader of early science fiction on those free sites - original steampunk!


message 7: by Sam (new) - rated it 4 stars

Sam Sisk I think you should check out The Complete Short Stories of H. G. Wells and just flip through the stories. It's the greatest sci-fi fix ever for when you have a short attention span. You'll get humor, macabre, supernatural, and more, all of it so much fun.


message 8: by Sgs (new) - rated it 2 stars

Sgs I liked similar aspects of this book and I read Larry Niven's Ringworld and loved it. It does not mention anything about Mars however there are aliens and the characters travel to a different world.


Diane If you liked scientific sense of wonder encountering an alien intelligence, the professionalism of scientists, and how human reacts to the unknown. I highly recommend Rendezvous With Ramaby Arthur C. Clark.

It has that awe factor and our innate respect and sometimes fear for the greater unknown.


Glenn Muller Diane wrote: "If you liked scientific sense of wonder encountering an alien intelligence, the professionalism of scientists, and how human reacts to the unknown. I highly recommend Rendezvous With Rama by Arthur ..."
I read that a long time ago - good book - deserves a re-read.


Devero Glenn wrote: "Diane wrote: "If you liked scientific sense of wonder encountering an alien intelligence, the professionalism of scientists, and how human reacts to the unknown. I highly recommend Rendezvous With ..."

After the meteor event in tre Russian Urals, I think it's necessary to re-read Rama.


Chris Davison Persoanlly I'm a big Ray Bradbury fan, but I understand what you mean. I would recommend Something Wicked This Way Comes. Possibly the best he's written


message 13: by Jon (new) - rated it 4 stars

Jon Adcock Some good books with a Mars background:

Moving Mars by Greg Bear
Martian Timeslip by Phillip K Dick
Frontera by Lewis Shiner

Some concerning human/alien interaction:

Probability Moon by Nancy Kress
Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card
Embassytown By China Mieville
Emissaries From the Dean by Adam-troy Castro
Little Fuzzy by H. Beam Piper


Diana Alksne I can absolutely relate, the first parts were surprising and amazing, but as the book went on, it seemed a bit boring to me.


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