Martian Inca [Hardcover]

Ian Watson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 1977

The Mars Probe has crashed. A triumph of Soviet technology, the first two-way interplanetary probe performed brilliantly until the final stage of its return. Then something went wrong: rather than following its programmed course to a soft landing in its country of origin, the probe crashed in the Peruvian Andes. Now a weird infection beyond the understanding of medical science has wiped out an entire village - except for one man, who, alone and undiscovered by medics, survives. He has awakened to find himself become his own ancestor, and a god. Suddenly the flames of an Indian revolution are spreading South America; he is the Martian Inca.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Littlehampton Book Services Ltd (February 10, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0575022183
• ISBN-13: 978-0575022188
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,496,864 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Contact with Myth and Alien Life Forms on Mars, February 3, 2011

By 

David Adams (Minnesota) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Martian Inca (Paperback)

The real interest in this novel is the contact with alien life. The novel actually contains two stories -- two examples of contact with alien life from Mars. The one about the Inca could imho have been left out entirely. I think Watson tried to use this part to reinforce the archetypal images, which I feel ultimately drags down the story of the astronauts. However, this is a very ambitious novel that does succeed on a mythic level, and some readers may prefer this story that takes place on Earth. For me, the mystery of Martian life forms takes place in a stronger way with the space story. Could an encounter with an alien life form be of benefit to mankind in both a mental and physical way? This is the question Watson answers at least in a poetic fashion in this classic of science fiction. I had to read the last chapters a number of times to get at least some idea of Watson's conclusions. Even then, the answers do enter the realm of the mystic, which is, I guess, his forte as a writer.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Super Reader, August 31, 2007

By 

Blue Tyson "- Research Finished" (Legion clubhouse) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Martian Inca (Paperback)

Another book concerned with mental states and evolution. A crash landed Mars probe brings back dirt, with a bug. This lands in Bolivia, and the state of its victims is reminscent of Incan mummy leadership rituals, so starts a small revolution.

3 American astronauts are nearing Mars, so have the same issues to face. It appears the infection gives them some sort of strange religious and/or scientific insights.

Generally, becoming diseased and whacky is not good for you, whether a new Incan demigod, or a now Martian biology obsessed astronaut.

A little unsatisfying.

2 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who put the A.I in A.I.? Ian Watson, that's who., June 29, 2001

By 

George Myers (The Bronx, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Martian Inca (Hardcover)

"A.I. Movie Celebration! Congrats Ian Watson! Steven Spielberg's blockbuster movie, A.I. - Artificial Intelligence, was based on a screen story by ...Ian Watson!...If you haven't read Watson's science fiction and horror stories, now is the time to try out the works of this master story teller. From 1990 to 1991, Ian worked full-time with Stanley Kubrick on story development for the A.I. movie. Steven Spielberg then took over production upon Kubrick's death." -From Fictionwise.com

I studied with Peruvianist Edward Putnam Lanning, Ph.D. and Richard Patch, Ph.D. or (was it Hatch) at Stony Brook and at Buffalo universities in New York State. Unfortunately both gentleman are deceased from the rigors of their work there I believe. Joel Grossman, Ph.D. who I worked for was a UNESCO archaeologist in Peru from Berkeley U is not despite "The Shining Path". This book is very good and has a high excitement factor. The annual day of agrarian reform, when the "latifundias" (read "plantations") were broken up in 1969, "The Day of the Condor," was celebrated just a few days ago. Long live the Andean condor and please help support the return of the American condor. This book inspires respect for them and the people of Peru. Free Lori Berenson!