The Man Who Loved Mars [Paperback]

Lin Carter (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 156 pages
• Publisher: Borgo Press (December 1, 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1587150301
• ISBN-13: 978-1587150302
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,146,029 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent sci-fi/fanstasy book about Mars, April 19, 2001

By 

Eric D. Vasbinder "darkstar-7" (Seattle Area) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Loved Mars (Paperback)

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.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Return to a Mars that never was, August 1, 2002

By 

William Timothy Lukeman - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Man Who Loved Mars (Paperback)

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!