Difference between revisions of "Mars Science Fiction"

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[[Category:Science Fiction Literature]]

Revision as of 12:44, 2 September 2019

Science Fiction is a broad genre of fiction that often involves speculation based on current trends in science or technology. It can be termed speculative fiction that encompasses creative works or works of fantasy that include imaginative elements not found in current reality. Today's library shelves often are labeled "science fiction/fantasy" because they include both types of stories. Science fiction differs from fantasy in that the elements are largely possible within scientifically established or scientifically postulated laws of nature. Science fantasy is largely based on writing entertainingly and rationally about alternate possibilities in settings that are contrary to known reality. [Ref: Goodreads]. One should note that the works of Edward R. Burroughs - The john Carter on Mars Series - would properly be termed fantasy today, but early in the 20th century when they were written, some scientist believed there was evidence for water-containing canals on Mars, so then one might have categorized the John Carter series as science fiction and not fantasy.

Common to both types of fiction is a story that deals with the reaction of people to changes in science and technology. [Ref: Asimov]. Both types of fiction have been written using Mars as background. If one wishes to contemplate what the future of humans on Mars will be, the Mars Science Fiction works listed in the table may provide much food for thought. By clicking on the carrot the table can be sorted chronologically by year of publication or by rank of the number of sales (as of Aug 2019) either in ebook (Kindle) or paperback formats. [Ref: Amazon]. Note that not all books are available in both formats.

Title Author Year ebook rank paperback rank Comment
Red Star Alexander Bogdanov 1922 321,499 341,354 A Communist society on Mars
The Martian Andy Weir 2011 5,003 1,244 Survival alone on Mars
The Sands of Mars Arthur C. Clark 1951 170,740 656,072 Mars Colony
Mars Ben Bova 1992 74,194 Exploring Mars
White Mars Brian Aldiss and Roger Penrose 2000 5,317,726 Can Mars Colony Survive with no Earth support
The Forge of Mars Bruce Balfour 2002 2,043,498 5,334,725 Alien ruins found on Mars
Shambleau C. L. Moore 1953 1,395,739 Newest human colony on Mars
The Mars Run Chris Gerrib 2018 1,074,048 10,224,278 Book 1 of Pirates Trilogy
A Princess of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1912 7,364 Vol. 1 of John Carter on Mars Series
The Gods of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1913 4,806 2145107 Vol. 2 of John Carter on Mars Series
The Warlord of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1913 6,565 Vol. 3 of John Carter on Mars Series
Thuvia, Maid of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1916 10,611 Vol. 4 of John Carter on Mars Series
The Chessmen of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1922 10,690 Vol. 5 of John Carter on Mars Series
The Master Mind of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1927 226,764 272,383 Vol. 6 of John Carter on Mars Series
A Fighting Man of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1930 228,366 4,714,220 Vol. 7 of John Carter on Mars Series
Swords of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1934 362,413 Vol. 8 of John Carter on Mars Series
Synthetic Men of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs 1938 401,015 1,649,664 Vol. 9 of John Carter on Mars Series
Llana of Gathol Edgar Rice Burroughs 1941 154,891 252,411 Vol. 10 of John Carter on Mars Series
Warriors of Mars Edward P. Bradbury 1965 3,185,731 Vol. 1 of Michael Kane Series
Blades of Mars Edward P. Bradbury 1965 3,185,731 Vol. 2 of Michael Kane Series
Barbarians of Mars Edward P. Bradbury 1966 3,185,731 Vol. 3 of Michael Kane Series
The Road to Mars Eric Idle 2001 238,265 892,641 Robot vaudville circuit "The Road to Mars"
Man Plus Frederik Pohl 1976 355,737 1,457,769 A cybernetic android for Mars
Mars Plus Frederik Pohl and Thomas T. Thomas 1994 3,512,086 3,284,813 Humans and cyborgs on Mars
Edison's Conquest of Mars Garrett Puttman Serviss 1898 1,588,605 1,342,718 Edison, Kelvin, and Roentgen led attack on Mars
Moving Mars Greg Bear 1993 147,800 1,657,319 Mars politics
The Martian Race Gregory Benford 1999 124,507 20,093,648 The race to land on Mars
War of the Worlds H. G. Wells 1898 66,007 70,016 Martians attack Earth. Microbes win.
Welcome to Mars James Blish 1983 2,618,089 Teenager travels to Mars and is stranded
The Greening of Mars James Lovelock and Michael Allaby 1984 2,574,750 History of the terraforming of Mars
Red Lightning Jon Varley 2006 329,925 1,045,791 Vol. 2 Thunder & Lightning Series
Rolling Thunder Jon Varley 2008 276,155 1,031,742 Vol. 3 Thunder & Lightning Series
Dark Lightning Jon Varley 2014 578,904 1,377,944 Vol. 4 Thunder & Lightning Series
Red Thunder Jon Varley 2004 190,889 631,405 Vol. 1 Thunder & Lightning Series
The Stone Canal Ken Macleod 1997 276,271 3,113,133 A clone comes to Mars
Red Mars Kim Stanley Robinson 1993 17,204 545,723 Vol. 1 of Mars Triology
Green Mars Kim Stanley Robinson 1994 53,903 131,276 Vol. 2 of Mars Triology
Blue Mars Kim Stanley Robinson 1996 60,289 769,763 Vol. 3 of Mars Triology
The Martians Kim Stanley Robinson 2003 151,750 916,598 Crew training to settle Mars
Rainbow Mars Larry Niven 1999 554,168 6,816,111 The origin of the Martian canals
The Sword of Rhiannon Leigh Brackett 2009 2,356,366 A Burroughs-like fantasy of a wet Mars
Red Dust Paul J. McAuley 1995 1,287,310 4,393,454 Chinese terraforming of Mars is failing
Martian Time-Slip Philip K. Dick 1964 158,240 Real estate deals on Mars
We Can Remember It For You Wholesale Phillip K. Dick 1966 679,295 Plot of the movies "Total Recall"
The Martian Chronicles Ray Bradbury 1950 34,131 114,279 Chronological stories linked to ancient Martians
No Man Friday Rex Gordon 1997 7,475,987 A Robinson Crusoe story set on Mars
Podkayne of Mars Robert Heinlein 1963 75,640 737,974 Interplanetary adventures of a Mars woman
Red Planet Robert Heinlein 1949 78,069 523,829 A boarding school on Mars
Stranger in a Strange Land Robert Heinlein 1991 14,481 18,434 Martian culture brought to Earth
Red Planet Blues Robert J. Sawyer 2013 634,633 1,453,201 A story noir about a private eye on Mars
Rose for Ecclesiastes Roger Zelazny 1969 2,991,783 Linguists learns the high language of Mars
Mars Run Stanley Salmons 2018 2,533,670 6,274,522 Test pilot and a orbiting mystery around Mars