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“Uh? Luke said. Another one what? He gripped the edge of the counter so hard that his fingers ached. Another damned Martian, replied the bartender. Don’t you see it? Luke took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled. Does that mean there are others? The bartender stared at Luke, astonished. Look, where were you last night? In the desert, alone, without radio or TV? Jesus, there’s a million of them.”
Despite the basic structure being founded on one of the most exploited themes in science fiction, that of the invasion of the Little Green Man, Brown finds a way to unleash his satirical potential, creating a work unique in its genre. It is not just a classic humorous novel, but also self-parody, a reprisal, a jest of fiction on daily reality and the earnest world of mainstream literature. An adventure filled with original ideas and paradoxical situations. A mockery that could be described as anarchic.
Nothing and no one is left out: psychoanalysis, cinema, the military, politics, sex, the vices of alcohol, and gambling.
The protagonist is the science fiction writer Luke Devereaux, in a creative crisis and devoted to alcohol.
“But I know I'm not drunk. Before I saw you, I had only two watered-down drinks, and I didn't even feel them. «Then why did you drink them?» That doesn't matter to our discussion. So, there are only two possibilities left... either you are really here, or I'm crazy. The Martian snorted. «And what makes you think these possibilities are mutually exclusive? I’m here for sure. But I don't know if you're crazy or not, and I don't care.»”.
The writing is casual, does not aspire to grand stylistic ambitions or the search for unusual terms, and for this, it results in being witty, especially for the majority of readers.
The edition contains an effective introduction to the novel “Fredric Brown, or Imagination to Power”, with in-depth and biographical connections concerning the author. There is also a detailed and brilliant appendix by P. Nicholls on the combination of science fiction and humor. The charming illustrations in the story were executed by K. Freas.
“It's not teleportation, said the Martian. It’s kwimm. For teleportation, you need a machine. Kwimm is mental. You can't do it because you're not intelligent enough. Luke took another sip. Did you come from Mars this way? Sure. A second before knocking on your door.”.
Memorable is the author's postscript (Tucson, Arizona, 1955).
The publishers urged Fredric to clarify, to them and the readers, the origin of the Martians, as it would have been unfair not to reveal it. The writer was prescient, writing that many things are unjust and the truth can be frightening. He added that Luke’s imagination led him to make it all up, including the Martians, but the protagonist was devised by him.
Finally, addressing the readers, he wrote: “And how do you all find yourselves?”.
F©
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