Ever wondered what a sequel to The Martian Chronicles would be like? I know it's sometimes not wise to mess with a good thing, but I'm curious how Ray Bradbury would add on to his masterpiece novel if he were to continue the story.

How does Colonel Wilder and his family manage on Mars after they set out to live the Martian way of life? Do they ever see Martians and learn to live in harmony?

Any thoughts? ...

- Eric

Now you've got me wondering...since MC is more or less a collection of short stories, did Ray revisit Mars in his short fiction after the publication of MC?

Yes, there are other Martian stories besides those included in the 1950 collection. Some have been added to updated editions, but strange to say there is no one book in which all of the Martian stories appear.

dandelion--You've come up with a great idea for Ray's next book, not that he hasn't got enough ideas of his own! I've read The Martian Chronicles numerous times (I taught it for about five years running) and have also read many "stray" Martian stories in various books over the years. It would be wonderful to have them all together in one book. I'm going to get busy and think up a name for it. Ideas, anyone?

Isn't this site sponsored by HarperCollins?

Dandelion: Do you have a contact there? What if we present the idea to them, let them have a junior editor pull all the stories together and THEN ask Ray to do an introduction or afterward. Ray wouldn't have to do much -- he already wrote them. This is editorial work. Maybe you could even offer to co-edit. If you don't want to, give them my name.

It's a good idea for a book.

By the way, are there enough Venus stories to include them as a separate portion of the book? I don't think there are many, but they are really good stories.



[This message has been edited by Mr. Dark (edited 01-11-2003).]

Off the top of my head, I'm not remembering any Venus stories. What am I forgetting?

As far as Venus I can only think of "All Summer in a Day" and "The Long Rains," but there may well be others. That's a great idea, though, include the Venus stories and call the collection "Either Side of Earth." I do have a contact, but they probably won't be in the office Saturday or Sunday, and as Monday is the 13th contacting them then, or sending an e-mail which would be answered Monday, might jinx the whole thing, so I will probably not write them till Tuesday.

Off the top of my head, those are the only two I can think of, as well, but they are both excellent stories. The title (if you include the Venus stories) is a really good one.

I think if the bulk of the work were done and THEN it was presented to Bradbury, his involvement could be minimal.

Some time ago I started a "Story Classifications" thread to indicate type of story, planning, at some point, to add setting. I've moved it up and can maybe add "Mars MC" for Martian setting, included in "The Martian Chronicles," and "Mars non-MC," for Martian setting, not in "The Martian Chronicles." A few may fall between the cracks as I believe a couple of stories were added in later editions, but that should give a pretty good idea until I get a chance to check a new edition.

I for one would GREATLY appreciate such a list. Thanks dandelion!

Wow, this is a neat idea. I'll look for some of the stories and see what I can come up with. I know one NOT published in the 1950 1st edition but later added to subsequent editions of 'The Martian Chronicles' is "The Wilderness."

-Greg

Here are a few NOT included in 'The Martian Chronicles' that could serve as the foundation for a Martian Collection:

"The One Who Waits" from 'The Machineries of Joy.'
"The Man" from 'The Illustrated Man'
"The Exiles" from 'R is for Rocket'
"Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed" from 'A Medicine for Melancholy'
"Forever and the Earth"
"Icarus Montgolfier Wright" from 'A Medicine for Melancholy' (the destination of Icarus is Mars)
"The Strawberry Window" from 'A Medicine for Melancholy'
"The Blue Bottle"

(And a few stories that, though not about Mars specifically, would fit in with a collection of this type: "The Rocket," "The Gift")

More to come...

Greg

A few more Martian stories:

"The Visitor," from 'The Illustrated Man'
"The Concrete Mixer" from 'The Illustrated Man' (not exactly about Mars, but about Martians invading Earth)
"Mr. Pale" from 'Driving Blind' (Death on his way to Mars)
"The Lost City of Mars"

-Greg

Greg, stories such as "The Man" and "Here There Be Tygers" may have to occupy another category--planet stories set on neither Mars nor Venus--perhaps NMNV for short. I guess stories about Martians on Earth still qualify as chronicles, so they'd count, but that still leaves stories such as "Boys! Raise Giant Mushrooms in Your Cellar!" in a gray area in cases where the invaders' origins remain uncertain.

Dandelion-

Yes, you're right...I forgot that "The Man" didn't take place on Mars, but on a nameless world...Still a great story, though!

I still feel like there are at least a few Martian stories left over that we haven't mentioned yet. Hmmm.

And then there are a few on-again, off-again stories included in some editions of the 'Chronicles' and not in others. "The Wilderness" is basically an official 'Chronicle' now, and has been since 'The Silver Locusts' in 1951 and the 1958 edition of 'The Martian Chronicles.' The other sometimes put in, sometimes left out is "The Fire Balloons."

-Greg