Martian Invasion: From the Front Lines

Just wanted to add an update on how work is going on War Between Worlds. After a period when it felt like I was fighting for every word, things have started flowing again and it’s a good feeling.

One of the things I am enjoying about this particular story is how open I can be with my references, since they’re all in the public domain. While Wells’ invasion is the best known, and in some ways my primary influence, it isn’t the only one. In fact it’s some of the others that I want to write about today. Specifically planetary romances.

By far the best known of the Martian planetary romances is that of Edgar Rice Burroughs novel A Princess of Mars. First published in 1912, it’s widely seen as the origin of the genre. Naturally, it wasn’t.

While many people will point to Edwin Lester Arnold’s 1905 novel Lieut. Gullivar Jones: His Vacation, as not only a precursor to Burroughs, but also a major influence, I have to wonder. Part of the problem is that while Arnold’s novel does predate Burroughs, it was a relatively unsuccessful novel that was only published in the United Kingdom during Burroughs’ lifetime.

Another book which I think much more likely to have been an influence is A Journey to Mars, by Gustavus W. Pope, first published in 1894. In fact, I can even see an argument that Arnold could have been influenced by Pope. Among other things, not only was Pope’s book published in the United States, but it includes several elements Burroughs would use in his own later writings.

So naturally, I’m drawing inspiration from all three.

Now while Burroughs, Wells, and even Arnold’s influences are going to be quite visible, I have to wonder if anyone will catch my references to Pope…