The Planetary Society's website has a helpful
recommended reading list on Mars. Here are some of the books recommended under fiction if you are looking for a good yarn:
- Across the Zodiac (1880)
- Melbourne and Mars: My Mysterious Life on Two Planets (1889)
- Unveiling a Parallel (1893)
- Journey to Mars (1894)
- A Prophetic Romance (1896)
- The War of the Worlds (1898)
- Edison’s Conquest of Mars (1898)
- A Honeymoon in Space (1900)
- Gullivar of Mars (1905)
- Doctor Omega (1906)
- Le prisonnier de la planète Mars [Vampires of Mars] (1908) and its sequel La guerre des vampires [War of the Vampires] (1909)
- Red Star (1908)
For instance, here is how
Edison's Conquest of Mars is described on
Amazon:
Following in the footsteps of one of the greatest science fiction masterpieces ever written, this long-forgotten sequel to The War of the Worlds
boasts Thomas Edison as its hero. Originally published in the late
1800s, this is one of the rarest and most important cornerstones of the
science fiction genre. Turning the original Wells tale on its head, this
novel weaves a distinct and astonishing story of humans invading Mars,
marking the invention of the space techno-thriller. Presenting a
cornucopia of technical ingenuity, this edition marks a variety of
firsts in the genre: the first space battle ever to appear in print, the
original fictional example of alien abduction, the introduction of the
theory that the pyramids were constructed by extraterrestrials, and the
first truly functional spacesuits. Complete and unabridged for the first
time ever—including the original illustrations—this narrative also
features an introductory essay by acclaimed author Robert Godwin.
If you need a break from current events, reading one of these book may be a fun way to spend an evening.
