Mr. Wells & the Martians

by Kevin J. Anderson

What if the Martian invasion was not entirely the product of H.G. Wells's vivid imagination? What if Wells witnessed something that spurred him to write The War of the Worlds as a warning?

From drafty London flats to the hot Sahara, to the surface of the moon and beyond, Mr. Wells & the Martians takes the reader on an exhilarating journey with H.G. Wells and his companions.

Genres: Science Fiction

301 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 6, 2020

About the author

Yes, I have a lot of books, and if this is your first visit to my amazon author page, it can be a little overwhelming. If you are new to my work, let me recommend a few titles as good places to start. I love my Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. series, humorous horror/mysteries, which begin with DEATH WARMED OVER. My steampunk fantasy adventures, CLOCKWORK ANGELS and CLOCKWORK LIVES, written with Neil Peart, legendary drummer from Rush, are two of my very favorite novels ever. And my magnum opus, the science fiction epic The Saga of Seven Suns, begins with HIDDEN EMPIRE. After you've tried those, I hope you'll check out some of my other series.

I have written spin-off novels for Star Wars, StarCraft, Titan A.E., and The X-Files, and I'm the co-author of the Dune prequels. My original works include the Saga of Seven Suns series and the Nebula Award-nominated Assemblers of Infinity. I have also written several comic books including the Dark Horse Star Wars collection Tales of the Jedi written in collaboration with Tom Veitch, Predator titles (also for Dark Horse), and X-Files titles for Topps.

I serve as a judge in the Writers of the Future contest.

My wife is author Rebecca Moesta. We currently reside near Monument, Colorado.

Reviews

[Justin Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

H.G. Wells is a writer that needs no introduction. Works such as The Time Machine, War of the Worlds, The Island of Dr. Moreau just a small sample of his impressive oeuvre; his works covering a wide range of issues such as social strife and the existential anguish of science on humans. But what if these stories were inspired by an actual event in Wells's life? What if there really was a war of the worlds? And the only line of defense protecting humanity from the Martians was Wells, his wife Jane, and his mentor and former teacher Professor Huxley? So is the premise of Mr. Wells and The Martians, a novel by Kevin J. Anderson. One part pulpy science fiction novel and one part alternate history, it takes place in a pre-World War I Great Britain preparing for a war with Germany, funding research into advanced weapons technology so that they can have an edge. But when a secret symposium is interrupted by a disgraced scientist, a series of events is set into motion that leads to Wells, Huxley, and Well’s wife Jane going to Mars to stop the Martian threat. This book is something of a mixed bag. While an enjoyable read, there are missed opportunities. Some of the characters serve not as side characters, but as plot devices designed to carry the story along. The tone and diction of the story lose its consistency over time. And the story itself never reaches the social reflective depths of the author Anderson tries to imitate. Yet if one will permit these flaws, they will have a fun time in reading this story.

[Frasier Armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a huge fan of HG Wells, so I was eager to see if this book could live up to the imagination and legacy of the man who pioneered science fiction. And I’m so happy to say that it didn’t disappoint.

The book honours the achievements of HG Wells by its many references to his life and works without feeling derivative. At times, it reads like a greatest hits album, with the tracks arranged in a way that feels fresh and exciting. I was impressed at how the author had sewn together so many aspects of Wells’ pantheon of books into the plot.

As for the story itself, it’s a throwback to the golden age of science fiction, where ideas were limitless. The events unfold nicely, and the chapters are packed with so much intrigue, you’ll want to keep turning the page. The style it’s written in has enough flavour of Wells to feel authentic, while still being modern enough to remain accessible. And the characters are vivid. They harmonise well with the way that Wells conceived them.

This is a love letter to the master of sci-fi, and the golden age of a genre. It’s not a relic of a former time, it’s the ultimate origin story; the origin of science fiction. If you’ve run out of HG Wells books to read, then pick up this one. You won’t regret it.

[Thomas Finicle, · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent idea and authentic

finicle5@gmail.com

Excellent story. I was not sure where it was going to start with, but everything came together. The writing style was very much like HG Wells, but modern enough to not slow me down.

A great read for anyone, especially those who have enjoyed reading Wells.

[Charl · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting alternate history pastiche of several of Wells' and Verne's best-known stories. Written is a style very similar to theirs, which I did't care for myself, but the story was interesting enough to carry me through.

[Ray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book, steam punk history alien romance