Die Mars- Chroniken. Roman in Erzählungen.

Paperback, 272 pages

German language

Published Jan. 1, 1981 by Diogenes Verlag.

ISBN:
978-3-257-20863-4
Copied ISBN!

View on OpenLibrary

(14 reviews)

This is a collection of science fiction short stories, cleverly cobbled together to form a coherent and very readable novel about a future colonization of Mars. As the stories progress chronologically the author tells how the first humans colonized Mars, initially sharing the planet with a handful of Martians. When Earth is devastated by nuclear war the colony is left to fend for itself and the colonists determine to build a new Earth on Mars.

77 editions

Excellent prose

Full of Bradbury's style of rich writing. Some definite allegory between martians and native peoples of North America, and not trying to be subtle about it.

Also in Bradbury fashion, one especially fat-phobic story in here. Actually his cruellest one, I think--at least by my reading. While I'm problematizing, his characterization of many women as delicate pale flowers and such is a bit disheartening, but that's also kind of Bradbury.

Despite these gripes, it's a varied and nourishing collecting of short stories, stitched together in a much much more coherent fashion than I would have thought (my understanding is that these were written separately over the course of many years).

Someone expecting sci-fi might be disappointed by the lack of sci, but if you know what Ray's about already, then you'll likely enjoy this a lot.

Too old-fashioned for me

I never got around to reading this genre classic when I was a teenager and perhaps I left it too late. The book comes off as very old-fashioned, even outdated as it reproduces the classical gender roles of the 50s in the US, even among the Martians. According to the foreword, Bradbury wanted to write a story with that exact old-school feel but set on Mars. He succeeded but I kind of struggled with relating to the stories and characters as a result. Nevertheless, some aspects were intriguing (the somewhat crude critique of the explorer mindset and the strangeness of the alien planet) and I really liked the melancholy vibe towards the end of the book.

avatar for boylucas

rated it

avatar for boylucas@lectura.social

rated it

avatar for ssaus@books.faithcollapsing.com

rated it

avatar for esttorhe

rated it

avatar for jaapstronks

rated it

avatar for rooneymcnibnug

rated it

avatar for maryaed

rated it

avatar for Quepasa67

rated it

avatar for steampunkLemur

rated it

avatar for kyonshi@bookrastinating.com

rated it

avatar for barning

rated it

avatar for Zuggaschnegge

rated it