Overview

The history of Mars is drawn not just on its surface, but also down into its broken bedrock and up into its frigid air. Most of all, it stretches back into deep time, where the trackways of the past have been obliterated by later events, and there is no discernible trace of where they started from or how they travelled, only where they ended up. As NASA lays its plans for a return to the moon and, from there, a manned mission to Mars, there has never been a better time to acquaint ourselves with the dramatic history and astonishing present of the red planet. Planetary geologist, geophysicist and acclaimed SF author Dr Simon Morden takes us on a vivid guided tour of Mars. From its formation four and half billion years ago, through an era of cataclysmic meteor strikes and the millions of years during which a vast ocean spanned its entire upper hemisphere, to the long, frozen ages that saw its atmosphere steadily thinning and leaking away into space, Morden presents a tantalising vision of the next planet we will visit. Written with storytelling flair, and piecing together the latest research, data, theories and informed speculation, The Red Planet is as close as we can get to an eye-witness account of this incredible place.  

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9781783965618

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Reviews

‘As befits a work about a planet named after the God of War, this is a book of titanic clashing elements, stupendous impacts, cataclysmic eruptions, devastating forces, planet-wrenching seisms. Real heavy metal. You’ll never look at that red dot in the sky the same way again.’ IAN MCDONALD, AUTHOR OF LUNA: MOON RISING ‘Written with a poet’s flourish, this is your comprehensive guide to humanity’s future home.’ COLIN STUART, AUTHOR OF HOW TO LIVE IN SPACE ‘Vividly describes the current thinking on the natural forces and huge upheavals that shaped the planet over 4.5 billion years... [Morden’s] writings bring the subject to life... an excellent read... Highly recommended to those interested in knowing more about the fascinating natural history of our near-neighbour Mars.’ Popular Astronomy

'As befits a work about a planet named after the God of War, this is a book of titanic clashing elements, stupendous impacts, cataclysmic eruptions, devastating forces, planet-wrenching seisms. Real heavy metal. You'll never look at that red dot in the sky the same way again.' IAN MCDONALD, AUTHOR OF LUNA: MOON RISING 'Written with a poet's flourish, this is your comprehensive guide to humanity's future home.' COLIN STUART, AUTHOR OF HOW TO LIVE IN SPACE

Author Information

Dr Simon Morden trained as a planetary geologist and geophysicist, realised he was never going to get into space, and decided to write about it instead. His award-winning writing career blends narrative science, science fiction, fantasy and horror. He is a past winner of the Philip K. Dick Memorial Award for his Metrozone series of novels set in post-apocalyptic London. He lives in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, with his wife and family.

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