I, Mars: Classic Book Guide and Free Edition
I, Mars: author and translator credits, catalogue synopsis, subjects and links to the Gutenberg reading formats.
I, Mars is catalogued by Project Gutenberg with author credits for Bradbury, Ray (1920–2012).
Catalogue synopsis
Project Gutenberg supplies this automated synopsis of the opening text:
I, Mars by Ray Bradbury is a science fiction short story written in the mid-20th century. The story centers on isolation and self-inflicted psychological torment as a stranded colonist on Mars confronts his own voice preserved in machines. Emil Barton, left alone on Mars after an atomic war recalls Earth’s colonists, survives by wiring the planet with telephones and tapes of his younger self to simulate companionship. Decades later, now old and frail, those recordings begin to taunt him, reminding him of youth and hope while exposing his present despair. He once tried to animate empty towns with sounds, scents, and even robots—only to drown the robots when the delusion became unbearable. Lured by a fake call from a “rocket captain,” he drives across Mars hoping for rescue, finds only empty tarmacs and more machines, and in a final rage smashes phones until his heart fails. The last voices left are two youthful Bartons, mechanically linked, cheerfully talking and laughing, oblivious to the real man’s death.
Book and edition facts
- Title: I, Mars
- Author credits: Bradbury, Ray (1920–2012)
- Catalogue language: English
Catalogue subjects
- Loneliness -- Fiction
- Mars (Planet) -- Fiction
- Psychological fiction
- Science fiction
- Short stories
- Telephone -- Fiction
Gutenberg collections
- Category: American Literature
- Category: Science-Fiction & Fantasy
- Category: Short Stories
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View the complete Gutenberg catalogue record. Project Gutenberg identifies this edition as public domain in the United States; that designation does not establish its copyright status in every country.
Source notes
Catalogue metadata is public domain and is supplied through Gutendex, which imports Gutenberg's machine-readable catalogue. The automated synopsis is source-supplied, not an independently verified review. Author dates above describe the credited people; no ebook release date is presented as the book's original publication date.
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