The Man Who Loved Mars

Rating:
Summary: Return to a Mars that never was
Review: Lin Carter is best known for his editorial work in the field of fantasy, particularly in the creation of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series. His own work, alas, all too often emphasized his weaknesses at the expense of some very real strengths. But occasionally those strengths had their chance to shine, as in this solid novel.

While Leigh Brackett may have provided the basic model of his Mars, Lin Carter did something exciting & moving with it. Combining the wish-fulfilling adventure of the best of the pulps, a streak of elegaic poetry, and a clear, direct depiction of a dying culture struggling to resist the rapacious colonialism of a greedy Earth, he created a fine story that lingers after the last page. And while the science has been superseded by real-life discoveries, that hardly matters; the color & haunting, dreamlike longing for something precious but fading is what counts. A worthy addition to the small shelf of autumnal Martian fiction!

Rating:
Summary: Excellent sci-fi/fanstasy book about Mars
Review: Strange and unusual concepts about Mars and it's relationship to Earth, a quest for redemption, and a budding romance all make up this classic by Lin Carter. It is a book that, while short on scientific fact as we know it now (thus resulting in the 4 rather than 5 star rating), is not short on imagination and pure fun!

It is a fast read and not designed to delve too deeply into the background and motivation of the characters other than the main one, but that suits this book as it is not intended to be a character driven story: more a plot driven story with much emphasis on the main character.

An ancient civilization on Mars conflicts with the civilization of Earth and a man tries to regain his own identity amidst the struggle. I do not want to spoil it too much for you, but if you have read and enjoyed the "Martian Chronicles" or any other Martian book regarding ancient civilizations on the Red Planet, this book will also fit your fancy. Get it, you will be happy.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent sci-fi/fanstasy book about Mars
Review: Strange and unusual concepts about Mars and it's relationship to Earth, a quest for redemption, and a budding romance all make up this classic by Lin Carter. It is a book that, while short on scientific fact as we know it now (thus resulting in the 4 rather than 5 star rating), is not short on imagination and pure fun!

It is a fast read and not designed to delve too deeply into the background and motivation of the characters other than the main one, but that suits this book as it is not intended to be a character driven story: more a plot driven story with much emphasis on the main character.

An ancient civilization on Mars conflicts with the civilization of Earth and a man tries to regain his own identity amidst the struggle. I do not want to spoil it too much for you, but if you have read and enjoyed the "Martian Chronicles" or any other Martian book regarding ancient civilizations on the Red Planet, this book will also fit your fancy. Get it, you will be happy.