The Massacre of Mankind
March 16, 2017 7:30 PM Subscribe
The pioneering 1898 novel The War of the Worlds has inspired many tributes. There was the infamous 1938 radio play by Orson Welles. The rocket scientist Robert Goddard was inspired by it's concepts of space travel. Many films have been made, from the Sputnik era classic to the Tom Cruise era film in which Dakota Fanning screams. In 1978 it was set to music in the best-selling Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. And now you can read the official sequel. Authorized by the HG Wells Estate, The Massacre of Mankind is by Stephen Baxter.
The official sequel, eh? Surely fans haven't been waiting for this, for over a century. In fact, there was an unauthorized sequel, right away -- Edison's Conquest of Mars! from 1898, where the Wizard of Menlo Park reverse-engineers Martian technology. You can find it on Project Gutenberg.
previously
posted by Rash at 8:47 PM on March 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
previously
posted by Rash at 8:47 PM on March 16, 2017 [8 favorites]
[Stephen Baxter's website] Web design and graphics copyright © 2007
And how!
I'll be snapping this up. I love me some Martians in all of their incarnations, including chasing Tom Cruise and on the tabletop. Tripods and triffids were the nightmare fuel of my youth. Ulla!
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:31 PM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
And how!
I'll be snapping this up. I love me some Martians in all of their incarnations, including chasing Tom Cruise and on the tabletop. Tripods and triffids were the nightmare fuel of my youth. Ulla!
posted by obiwanwasabi at 9:31 PM on March 16, 2017 [1 favorite]
I made the mistake of watching the Tom Cruise remake in the theaters. I remember I was barely a third of the way into the movie and I started feeling like I had been on a really extreme roller coaster for too long and I wanted to get off. Halfway through I was starting to just feel fatigued and kind of traumatized.
The pace of the movie is nearly relentless once the Martians start vaporizing things.
On viewing a few seconds of the clip of Dakota Fanning screaming, I think that that might have had a lot to do with it, as did the fact I was in one of those corporate chain theaters with a massive THX system cranked up to 11.
Which some would argue that the movie is doing its job, but it... it misses the mark and doesn't really feel like the book, missing a lot of the subtly and nuance in favor of non-stop screaming and scrambling, running terror.
It's just really unpleasant as a movie-watching experience in a way a movie like Alien or Aliens isn't despite the fact they're more terrifying.
posted by loquacious at 9:39 PM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
The pace of the movie is nearly relentless once the Martians start vaporizing things.
On viewing a few seconds of the clip of Dakota Fanning screaming, I think that that might have had a lot to do with it, as did the fact I was in one of those corporate chain theaters with a massive THX system cranked up to 11.
Which some would argue that the movie is doing its job, but it... it misses the mark and doesn't really feel like the book, missing a lot of the subtly and nuance in favor of non-stop screaming and scrambling, running terror.
It's just really unpleasant as a movie-watching experience in a way a movie like Alien or Aliens isn't despite the fact they're more terrifying.
posted by loquacious at 9:39 PM on March 16, 2017 [2 favorites]
Of course the best tribute is The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, in which the Red Lectroids came to earth as reported by Orson Welles and later explained away as a "radio play" instead of a news report.
posted by chavenet at 11:29 PM on March 16, 2017 [14 favorites]
posted by chavenet at 11:29 PM on March 16, 2017 [14 favorites]
I went over the reactions from several scientists / inventors of the day to the Mars hysteria, including a fictional piece called To Mars With Tesla, in my blog.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:26 AM on March 17, 2017
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 12:26 AM on March 17, 2017
Given that Stephen Baxter is the author who managed to make a collaboration with Terry Pratchett incredibly dry and boring, I think I'll pass.
posted by darksasami at 12:45 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by darksasami at 12:45 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
The Tripods have been copied in other works, yes? I seem to remember a set of YA British novels about them. For whatever reason, Tripods are creepy as hell. Perhaps because they shouldn't be able to walk, which the reviewer points out.
posted by Beholder at 12:45 AM on March 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by Beholder at 12:45 AM on March 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
If it wasn't 8am here I'd be cranking up the stereo.
No one would have believed, in the last years of Disco, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds
of space...
posted by mushhushshu at 1:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
No one would have believed, in the last years of Disco, that human affairs were being watched from the timeless worlds
of space...
posted by mushhushshu at 1:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
darksasami: "Given that Stephen Baxter is the author who managed to make a collaboration with Terry Pratchett incredibly dry and boring, I think I'll pass."
I find his first books in a series to be interestingly readable & engaging, although by the time I get to the end of the book the cracks are definitely starting to appear. There's always still enough potential there, though, for me to think "yeah, I'll read another one of those".
But, almost without fail*, about half-way through the second book is where it all falls apart - the potential has dried up, and the story has become just boring. That's about where the Long Earth books go downhill too, although you'd have to admit that Sir Terry was definitely not at his best then either…
(* The exceptions to this are his duologies. The potential seems to disappear between the first and second books of each - so, no matter how interesting or engaging you find the first book, give the second a big miss…)
posted by Pinback at 1:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
I find his first books in a series to be interestingly readable & engaging, although by the time I get to the end of the book the cracks are definitely starting to appear. There's always still enough potential there, though, for me to think "yeah, I'll read another one of those".
But, almost without fail*, about half-way through the second book is where it all falls apart - the potential has dried up, and the story has become just boring. That's about where the Long Earth books go downhill too, although you'd have to admit that Sir Terry was definitely not at his best then either…
(* The exceptions to this are his duologies. The potential seems to disappear between the first and second books of each - so, no matter how interesting or engaging you find the first book, give the second a big miss…)
posted by Pinback at 1:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Tripods have been copied in other works, yes?
Triffids are three-legged. Their walking style in Wyndham's book is described much like a man walking on crutches.
posted by hippybear at 2:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Triffids are three-legged. Their walking style in Wyndham's book is described much like a man walking on crutches.
posted by hippybear at 2:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
The Tripods have been copied in other works, yes? I seem to remember a set of YA British novels about them.
The John Christopher book series, called The Tripods. Which was also a mid 80s TV series.
posted by plep at 2:39 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
The John Christopher book series, called The Tripods. Which was also a mid 80s TV series.
posted by plep at 2:39 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
I will note that the John Christopher story has pretty much nothing in common with WoTH except for alien invaders who use tripodal armoured vehicles to get around. Going from 40-year-old memories it's 1960s British YA lit about kids growing up in a post-alien-invasion society where, on hitting age [adulthood] everyone is "capped" with a metal meshwork skull cap that has mind control powers and effectively enslaves them to the aliens. Creepy as hell.
On the subject in hand, Baxter has form for authorised Wellsianism: his "The Time Ships" was a much earlier authorised sequel to "The Time Machine".
posted by cstross at 4:14 AM on March 17, 2017 [6 favorites]
On the subject in hand, Baxter has form for authorised Wellsianism: his "The Time Ships" was a much earlier authorised sequel to "The Time Machine".
posted by cstross at 4:14 AM on March 17, 2017 [6 favorites]
The "Sputnik-era" film by George Pal came out 4 years before the satellite was launched, so I don't think that era includes the film.
The WOTW TV series was the worst treatment I have seen. (I haven't seen the musical, and won't.) The TV series includes a lot of crap like this scene: A Martian is attacking a human in a school. The human is on the floor, and when the Martian seizes one of his arms, he uses the other hand to grab the leg of a desk. A standard, not-bolted-to-the-floor student desk. The martian then pulls on the seized arm until it rips off. The desk moves not at all. A remarkably flimsy human.
I didn't like the Cruise vehicle. The Pal film remains my favorite, maybe because seeing it at a drive-in is one of my earliest memories.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:29 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
The WOTW TV series was the worst treatment I have seen. (I haven't seen the musical, and won't.) The TV series includes a lot of crap like this scene: A Martian is attacking a human in a school. The human is on the floor, and when the Martian seizes one of his arms, he uses the other hand to grab the leg of a desk. A standard, not-bolted-to-the-floor student desk. The martian then pulls on the seized arm until it rips off. The desk moves not at all. A remarkably flimsy human.
I didn't like the Cruise vehicle. The Pal film remains my favorite, maybe because seeing it at a drive-in is one of my earliest memories.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:29 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Authorized by the HG Wells Estate
I think the estate of William Shakespeare is really missing out on marketing opportunities.
Has any book "authorized" by an estate even come close to the originals? Christie, Fleming, Tolkien... it's basically just random fan fiction from an established writer. Just because an estate commissions a professional writer doesn't mean the result will be any good. I'd rather see an estate go through the already-written pieces of fan fiction and select the best to be officially named the authorized sequel.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 4:37 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
I think the estate of William Shakespeare is really missing out on marketing opportunities.
Has any book "authorized" by an estate even come close to the originals? Christie, Fleming, Tolkien... it's basically just random fan fiction from an established writer. Just because an estate commissions a professional writer doesn't mean the result will be any good. I'd rather see an estate go through the already-written pieces of fan fiction and select the best to be officially named the authorized sequel.
posted by GhostintheMachine at 4:37 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
If you think tripods would lose their balance as soon as they lifted a leg, try to imagine a biped gait. Impossible!
posted by drdanger at 6:02 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
posted by drdanger at 6:02 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
Has any book "authorized" by an estate even come close to the originals?
Fuzzy Nation by Mefi's own John Scalzi was pretty well received. That's the closest I can think of.
That said, I'd prefer more unauthorized sequels to/reboots of the classics. John Gardner's Grendel, Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea, or Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead come to mind as examples of authors making something truly new out of our common culture. Estate-authorized sequels instead tend to rank just below posthumous completions of authors' unfinished works. It's a shame that the continual extension of copyright duration will lead to more of the latter and less of the former.
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
Fuzzy Nation by Mefi's own John Scalzi was pretty well received. That's the closest I can think of.
That said, I'd prefer more unauthorized sequels to/reboots of the classics. John Gardner's Grendel, Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea, or Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead come to mind as examples of authors making something truly new out of our common culture. Estate-authorized sequels instead tend to rank just below posthumous completions of authors' unfinished works. It's a shame that the continual extension of copyright duration will lead to more of the latter and less of the former.
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:31 AM on March 17, 2017 [5 favorites]
Has any book "authorized" by an estate even come close to the originals? Christie, Fleming, Tolkien... it's basically just random fan fiction from an established writer.
It's been a while since I read it, but if memory serves me correctly, then the estate of Raymond Chandler hired Robert B. Parker to finish Poodle Springs, it turned out fairly well. It doesn't hurt that the Parker's Spenser novels are widely seen as heavily influenced by, and a tribute to, Chandler.
posted by Gelatin at 7:49 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
It's been a while since I read it, but if memory serves me correctly, then the estate of Raymond Chandler hired Robert B. Parker to finish Poodle Springs, it turned out fairly well. It doesn't hurt that the Parker's Spenser novels are widely seen as heavily influenced by, and a tribute to, Chandler.
posted by Gelatin at 7:49 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Oddly, Baxter's sequel came out just after Wells entered the public domain (he died in 1946) - I assume this was to simplify the rights issue even though it has the marketing cachet of being 'authorised'.
(Disclaimer / declaration of interest: I co-authored a couple of short stories with Stephen Baxter in the 1990s and know him well enough that he came to my wedding a couple of years ago.)
posted by Major Clanger at 7:54 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
(Disclaimer / declaration of interest: I co-authored a couple of short stories with Stephen Baxter in the 1990s and know him well enough that he came to my wedding a couple of years ago.)
posted by Major Clanger at 7:54 AM on March 17, 2017 [4 favorites]
As a kid I had The Second War of the Worlds by George H. Smith and read it a bunch of times. I'm not sure how good it was in retrospect, but it had the Martians attacking a parallel earth (Annwn) after failing on Earth. Oh and Holmes and Watson come through a portal from Earth to help. I freaking LOVED that book at age 11 or so (it's from 1976).
Anyone else remember that?
posted by freecellwizard at 9:55 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Anyone else remember that?
posted by freecellwizard at 9:55 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
Speaking of Parker and authorized sequels, the Ace Atkins Spenser novels are fairly credible. They're not the early books, by any stretch, but as latter-day Spenser Novel Product goes, they could be a lot worse.
posted by brennen at 10:02 AM on March 17, 2017
posted by brennen at 10:02 AM on March 17, 2017
I remember enjoying Morlock Night a while back. Not as much as "Night of the Cooters".
posted by doctornemo at 10:20 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by doctornemo at 10:20 AM on March 17, 2017 [1 favorite]
f you think tripods would lose their balance as soon as they lifted a leg, try to imagine a biped gait. Impossible!
They just slip on their three-legged jeans.
posted by lagomorphius at 11:41 AM on March 17, 2017
They just slip on their three-legged jeans.
posted by lagomorphius at 11:41 AM on March 17, 2017
Let us not forget Sherlock Holmes's War of the Worlds by Manly Wade Wellman.
posted by Splunge at 12:00 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by Splunge at 12:00 PM on March 17, 2017 [2 favorites]
Three legs good — dog, cat, elephant, fish, robot, and human (vs. WOTW 2005).
posted by cenoxo at 12:51 AM on March 18, 2017
posted by cenoxo at 12:51 AM on March 18, 2017
Speaking of Parker and authorized sequels, the Ace Atkins Spenser novels are fairly credible.
OTOH, the Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch novel I read, written by Robert Knott, left me unsatisfied.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:43 AM on March 18, 2017
OTOH, the Virgil Cole & Everett Hitch novel I read, written by Robert Knott, left me unsatisfied.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:43 AM on March 18, 2017
« Older “If it’s not properly poured it’s not presented to... | Aux urnes, Citoyens Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:42 PM on March 16, 2017 [10 favorites]