“The Massacre of Mankind” by Stephen Baxter

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Rating: 4/5 Stars

An interesting ‘sequel’ to the classic H.G. Wells book. Keeping to what is known at the time about the solar system and the information about the Martian invasion from the book, Baxter weaves a fascinating tale about the next Martian invasion and how it affects mankind. However, the book feels overlong: the resolution to the Martian invasion feels forced (bacteria plays a small role here) and the ending hints at future problems in store for mankind.

Written after the end of the second invasion (so you know mankind survives), the story splits the tale into the viewpoints of people who are related (directly or otherwise) to the original Narrator of the Wells’ tale, with the main viewpoint being a woman journalist who is in the thick of the invasion. The second Martian invasion is anticipated by the world and the British are prepared for it; or so they think.

As usual, the Martians are one step ahead and the next invasion starts with a devastating blow to the prepared defenders, followed by a swift attack that rapidly overwhelms the defences. Retreating, England is left to the Martians. The journalist, at the urging of the Narrator, returns to England to try to establish communications with the Martians. This is quickly subverted by a plan to hit them at their presumed weak spot at the heart of their compound.

This plan gets abandoned as the journalist realizes there is only one force that can stop the Martian invasion, but it has to be done fast: for the next wave of Martians now hits the rest of the Earth. In the end, the invasion is stopped. But now Earth must come to an accommodation with the Martians, and who knows what will be in store for the future.

The book does a pretty good job of extrapolating what happens to geopolitics and technology after the end of the first Martian invasion. Britain becomes militarized and co-operates with Germany, producing weapons based on the tools and materials the Martians leave behind while America remains isolated from the rest of the world. The Martians’ devastating heat ray is used to good effect and the view of England under the heel of the Martians is grim, yet plausible knowing what we know about Martian biology and how they would treat mankind.

All that grimness is probably what pulls this book down. Despite valiant attempts by British, European and American forces, there is not really much hope of defeating the Martians, apart from disabling a few war machines. That probably what makes the way the journalist uses to end the war somewhat ‘hand wavy’ and depend upon unsaid assumptions. And as the world picks up the pieces, the issue with the Martians is not over; for they are still around and may have other plans.

Still, an interesting book that is probably worthy to be called a sequel to Wells’ book.

Book read from 2017/10/01 to 2017/10/17