Edison's Conquest of Mars: The Original 1898 Sequel to H G Wells' War of the Worlds - Softcover

Serviss, Garrett Putnam

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0973820306 ISBN 13: 9780973820300

Publisher: Apogee Books Science Fiction, 2005

Synopsis

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 ofthe theorythat the pyramidswere constructed by extraterrestrials, and the first truly functional spacesuits. Complete and unabridged for the first time everincluding the original illustrationsthis narrative also features an introductory essay by acclaimed author Robert Godwin."

About this title

Review:

"What a treat! Garrett P. Serviss' "Edison's Conquest of Mars" is a wonderful romp that should appeal to fans of Wells, fans of Mars, and fans of fast-paced action-adventure storytelling. Apogee Books has done a great service bringing this forgotten gem back into print let us hope it's only the first of many science fiction rediscoveries to be reissued by the master chroniclers of the space age." Robert J. Sawyer, Hugo Award-winning author, "Hominids""

Synopsis:

In 1897, H G Wells created one of the greatest science fiction masterpieces ever written - "The War Of The Worlds". The story was serialised in newspapers across America and proved to be so popular that the Hearst newspaper group commissioned a sequel, to be written by their own science editor - Garrett Putnam Serviss. This sequel appeared in February of 1898 and quickly entered into the annals of science fiction history. It is one of the rarest and possibly one of the most important stories ever to appear in the genre. Serviss procured the co-operation of the famous inventor Thomas Edison and wove a totally distinct and astonishing tale of humans invading Mars. Whereas Wells had composed a story of human suffering, Serviss invented the space techno-thriller. This book contains the first space battle to ever appear in print. It is the first alien abduction story. It is the birthplace of the hand-held phaser-gun. It has asteroid mining and the first truly functional spacesuits. It is a cornucopia of technical ingenuity. The hero of the story is Edison himself.

This is the first time this story has appeared, complete and unabridged with the original illustrations since the winter of 1898. First appearance ever outside the USA. It comes with a 13-page essay by editor Robert Godwin and original cover art by Tom Miller. It includes first appearances in fiction: science - functional space suits, manned manoeuvring EVA guns, using the moon to train for Mars, using the Martian moons as staging posts, asteroid mining for platinum group metals, exploration and accurate description of an asteroid, accurate description of light and shadow in space, scientist-astronauts, and accurate understanding of the moon's history; folklore - space combat, alien abductions, disintegrator guns, aliens building the pyramids, oxygen pills, and cigar-shaped alien spacecraft.

About this edition

• Publisher: Apogee Books Science Fiction
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0973820306
• ISBN 13: 9780973820300
• Binding: Mass Market Paperback
• Number of pages: 264