A teenage boy on a Mars colony and his round, talkative Martian pet uncover a plan that threatens every family on the planet
A boy, a Martian and a warning
Jim Marlowe lives in a human colony on Mars, and his closest companion is Willis, a small round Martian creature who can repeat anything he hears. When Jim goes off to boarding school in a distant city, the strict new headmaster confiscates Willis. While trying to rescue his friend, Jim overhears a plan by the company that runs the colony, one that would put the colonists in grave danger during the brutal Martian winter.
Who will enjoy it
Young readers new to classic science fiction, Heinlein fans exploring his juveniles, and anyone who likes adventure stories set on Mars.
What you will get
A classic science fiction adventure on a colonised Mars, where a teenager, his extraordinary Martian companion and a friend race across the planet to warn their families.
Red Planet Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Science Fiction · Mars colony · Alien friend · Classic juvenile
Length
196 pages · ≈ 6 h
More about this book
Heinlein's Mars is not the real planet, but it is a richly imagined world: canals that freeze into skating lanes, strange native creatures, and colonists who must migrate with the seasons. Jim and his friend Frank's escape from school and journey across the frozen landscape is the heart of the book, full of practical problem-solving and real danger.
Willis is a wonderful creation, part pet and part mystery, and his ability to replay overheard conversations drives the plot in clever ways. As the story develops, it becomes clear that the Martians are far more than they seem, and the final chapters open up into big questions about who really owns a planet.
The story turns towards conflict between the colonists and the company in the later chapters, with some fighting described, though not graphically. The adults, especially the outspoken Doctor MacRae, deliver lengthy speeches, and some attitudes are of their time. It remains an inventive, energetic adventure with a lot of heart. Willis alone makes it worth reading, and it is hard not to grow genuinely fond of the little Martian by the final page, however strange he first seems. About 196 pages in the Del Rey paperback; earlier printings run 189.
Have Space Suit—Will Travel
Tunnel in the Sky
Citizen of the Galaxy
Farmer in the Sky
Space Cadet
The Martian
Between Planets
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress
Starship Troopers
Stranger in a Strange Land
The Host
Double Star