The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury is a classic science fiction novel, but it’s really more like a set of vignettes covering almost 30 years of Earth astronauts going to and living on Mars. The book was written in the late 1940s before being collected as a novel in the early 1950s. My first introduction to The Martian Chronicles was the TV mini-series in 1980 (starring Rock Hudson) and from there I went to the find the books. It was my first introduction to Ray Bradbury and what an introduction it was.

The book starts with Earth Astronuats landing on Mars in 1999. The story is told from the point-of-view of a Martian wife who keeps having dreams of the Earth astronauts. Her husband keeps ignoring her and pretending it’s just a dream. We find out later that it was all true and the Martians got rid of the astronauts. The second landing happens and these astronauts are believed to be crazy Martians and end up in a Martian insane asylum. Eventually the astronauts win, in a believable, but unexpected way. And we follow the adventures of the people on Mars and going to Mars for the rest of the book.

The Martian Chronicles is a huge influence for all Mars books that follow. People have long had a fascination with the red planet and dreamed of what life would be like there. Bradbury brings it to life with his tales of the Martian elders, the people who travel there and the people who love them. And Bradbury’s poetic background helps the read visualize Mars and Martians as never before. The Martian Chronicles deserves all the awards it’s received. Highly recommended.