The scars of the Martian invasion could still be seen in almost every direction I looked.
The Day of the Martians by H.E. Wilburson was such a fun little return to one of science fiction’s most iconic worlds. Picking up after H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, it explores the OG story’s survivors’ worst nightmare… The martians are coming back. And this time, they’ve learned from their mistakes. Armed with a weapon capable of wiping out Earth’s bacteria (which, you might recall from the original tale, is the very thing that defeated them the first time around), humanity has to figure out how to survive a second invasion. I especially loved seeing familiar figures from the original story, from the Curate and Ogilvy to the Artilleryman (now “the Major”!) and even the narrator’s wife, Laura. One of my favorite things about revisiting classic stories via modern sequels is seeing how modern authors interpret characters that feel like old friends, and Wilburson didn’t disappoint, staying faithful to the source material.
I’ll also add that despite the faithfulness, Wilburson isn’t trying to mimic Wells’ famously rich Victorian prose, and I actually think that’s the right call. The writing is much leaner and more straightforward, which lets the novella keep a brisk pace across its twenty short chapters. Plus, it feels very “modern sci-fi,” which makes it greatly accessible for today’s readers. There’s always another reason to keep turning the page. What kept me flipping, though, were the little moments of atmosphere sprinkled throughout the story. The descriptions of steam engines, brass bands, and coal smoke made turn-of-the-century England feel wonderfully alive before the dread of the impending invasion really set in.
Vol. 1 of The Martian Diaries is a quick read with a clever premise, plenty of momentum, and enough callbacks to classic Wells fans without feeling like it’s constantly winking at the audience. If you’re familiar with The War of the Worlds even in passing and enjoy classic science fiction, this novella is an easy rec. It’s kinda a love letter to classic sci-fi, and I think anyone who’s ever wished they could experience Wells’ world for the first time again will have a great time reading it.