Project Gutenberg
2020-12-09
Public domain in the USA.
126
Walton, Bryce
1918
1988
O'Hara, Kenneth
Vestal, Herman B.
1916
2007
Vestal, H. B. (Herman B.)
Vestal, Herman Beeson
Beeson
Martian Nightmare
Produced from Planet Stories January 1951
Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
"Martian Nightmare" by Bryce Walton is a science fiction novelet written in the early 1950s. The narrative follows three soldiers from Earth—Danton, Keith, and Van Ness—who awaken from a state of forgetfulness on Mars, finding themselves entangled in the struggle against the immortal Oligarchs. This work explores themes of identity, memory, and the cyclical nature of violence in a post-war society that has embraced psychological reconditioning as a means of establishing peace. The story begins with the return of these men to a war-torn Mars, which raises questions about their past identities as warriors in a former conflict against the Oligarchs. Throughout their journey, they grapple with existential concerns, the meaning of true heroism, and the discomfort of realizing what they have become after a century of enforced tranquility. Upon their arrival, they discover that the Oligarchs, who have resurfaced with ominous plans for Earth, are more of a threat than previously understood. As the soldiers’ mission unfolds, they find themselves in a battle that is far more personal and visceral than any they had experienced before on Earth, forcing them to confront their nature as humans amidst the mechanics of war and oppression. Ultimately, Danton’s harrowing experiences lead him to fuse his identity with that of an Oligarch, revealing the dark consequences of living without a genuine sense of self or the painful reality of the past. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Reading ease score: 86.4 (6th grade). Easy to read.
en
Science fiction
War stories
Psychological fiction
Mars (Planet) -- Fiction
PS
Text
Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
Category: Novels
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