The Man the Martians Made
by Frank Belknap Long (1903–1994)
- Free to read
- 30 min read
- 4 chapters
- Reading level: 6th grade
"The Man the Martians Made" by Frank Belknap Long is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The book explores the harsh realities and psychological challenges faced by humans living in a Martian construction camp, where survival is fraught with danger and the haunting presence of an elusive Martian race looms. The narrative delves into themes of human nature, existential dread, and the brutal struggles against both the environment and each other. The story revolves around the lives of a group of human settlers on Mars, particularly focusing on Tom and his companions as they navigate the turmoil within their camp after the gruesome murder of a harmless man named Ned. Amidst the tension, the machinations of a man named Larsen provoke chaos, revealing the darker sides of human nature. As suspicions arise, and justice becomes a dangerous game, the settlers are confronted not only by their violent impulses but also by the unsettling whispers of the Martians, suggesting a lurking malevolence. The novel culminates in a visceral showdown that unveils the complex interplay of fear, jealousy, and primal instincts while leaving readers with lingering questions about the human psyche and the influence of the Martians.
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Mars (Planet)
Read the opening
Chapter II
The man on the sand had no top to his head. His skull had been crushed and flattened so hideously that he seemed like a wooden figure resting there—an anatomical dummy with its skull-case lifted off.
We looked around for the skull-case, hoping we'd find it, hoping we'd made a mistake and stumbled by accident into an open-air dissecting laboratory and were looking at ghastly props made of plastic and glittering metal instead of bone and muscle and flesh.
But the man on the sand had a name. We'd known him for weeks and talked to him. He wasn't a medical dummy, but a corpse. His limbs were hideously convulsed, his eyes wide and staring. The sand beneath his head was clotted with dried blood. We looked for the weapon which had crushed his skull but couldn't find it.
We looked for the weapon before we saw the footprints in the sand. Big they were—incredibly large and massive. A man with a size-twelve shoe might have left such prints if the leather had become a little soggy and spread out around the soles.
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About this edition
This free edition of The Man the Martians Made by Frank Belknap Long comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #29432, released 2009-07-17. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Science-Fiction & Fantasy, Novels.
Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).
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