The Martian War by Gabriel Mesta (Kevin J. Anderson)My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What if the Martian invasion was not entirely the product of H.G. Wells's vivid imagination? What if Wells witnessed something that spurred him to write The War of the Worlds as a warning?
From drafty London flats to the steamy Sahara, to the surface of the moon and beyond, The Martian War takes the reader on an exhilarating journey with Wells and his companions.
One word will sum up this book: FUN! I started reading it not really convinced that I'd finish it, but I was quickly absorbed into the story, which is an alternative account of the impending Martian invasion as depicted in H G Wells' famous work. We have a third-person account of Wells' own adventure and discovery of the Martians and what they are planning for Earth, an experience which ultimately leads him to write The War Of The Worlds as a warning to mankind. We're also treated to a first-person version of events from the journal of the infamous Dr. Moreau who has teamed up with astronomer and Mars enthusiast Percival Lowell in a quest to learn as much as they can from a lone Martian crash survivor. There are also appearances by familiar characters from some of Wells' other stories, all wrapped in a wonderful steampunk style with lots of technology and action. I particularly liked the insights that we get into the mind of Dr. Moreau through his journal entries, and also the way that the author blends actual historical people and places into the story. To end up giving this five stars I surprise myself, but it really is an enjoyable book. It's well written (as you'd expect from Kevin J Anderson) and the language used is fantastic, very well suited to the Victorian era in which the story is set. Another of those pleasant surprises that come along every now and then.
View all my reviews
No comments:
Post a Comment