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The Visitor
Exiles on Mars face a barren future until Leonard Mark brings a glimpse of freedom.
Saul Williams awoke to the still morning. He looked wearily out of his tent and thought about how far away Earth was. Millions of miles, he thought. It was very bad. But then what could you do about it? Your lungs were full of the “blood-rust.” You coughed all the time.
Saul arose this particular morning at seven o’clock. He was a tall man, lean, thinned by his illness. It was a quiet morning on Mars, with the dead sea bottom flat and silent, no wind on it. The sun was clear and cool in the empty sky. He washed his face and ate breakfast.
After that, he wanted very much to be back on Earth. During the day he tried every way that it was possible to be in New York City. Sometimes, if he sat right and held his hands a certain way, he did it. He could almost smell New York. Most of the time, though, it was impossible.
Later in the morning, Saul tried to die.
He lay on the sand and told his heart to stop. It continued beating. He imagined himself leaping from a cliff or cutting his wrists, but laughed to himself—for he knew he lacked the nerve for either act.
Saul Williams awoke to the still morning. He looked wearily out of his tent and thought about how far away Earth was. Millions of miles, he thought. It was very bad. But then what could you do about it? Your lungs were full of the “blood-rust.” You coughed all the time.
Saul arose this particular morning at seven o’clock. He was a tall man, lean, thinned by his illness. It was a quiet morning on Mars, with the dead sea bottom flat and silent, no wind on it. The sun was clear and cool in the empty sky. He washed his face and ate breakfast.
After that, he wanted very much to be back on Earth. During the day he tried every way that it was possible to be in New York City. Sometimes, if he sat right and held his hands a certain way, he did it. He could almost smell New York. Most of the time, though, it was impossible.
Later in the morning, Saul tried to die.
He lay on the sand and told his heart to stop. It continued beating. He imagined himself leaping from a cliff or cutting his wrists, but laughed to himself—for he knew he lacked the nerve for either act.
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About the author
Ray Bradbury
1,366 books25.4k followersRay Douglas Bradbury was an American author and screenwriter. One of the most celebrated 20th-century American writers, he worked in a variety of genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, mystery, and realistic fiction.
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
Bradbury is best known for his novel Fahrenheit 451 (1953) and his short-story collections The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), and The October Country (1955). Other notable works include the coming of age novel Dandelion Wine (1957), the dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes (1962) and the fictionalized memoir Green Shadows, White Whale (1992). He also wrote and consulted on screenplays and television scripts, including Moby Dick and It Came from Outer Space. Many of his works were adapted into television and film productions as well as comic books. Bradbury also wrote poetry which has been published in several collections, such as They Have Not Seen the Stars (2001).
The New York Times called Bradbury "An author whose fanciful imagination, poetic prose, and mature understanding of human character have won him an international reputation" and "the writer most responsible for bringing modern science fiction into the literary mainstream".
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
December 21, 2018
Agh. This premise sounds super interesting. I just wish I could know more about the man with the ability.
September 7, 2018
"Mars is used as isolation for people with deadly illnesses. One day, the planet is visited by a young man of 18 who has the ability to perform telepathy. The exiles on the planet are thrilled with his ability and a violent fight breaks out over who will get to spend the most time with their visitor and enjoy the illusionary paradises he can transmit. In the struggle, the young man is killed and the escape he provided is lost forever." (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ill...)
Read as part of 'The Illustrated Man'. I thought that the concept was fantastic, I however felt that the character with the ability was disappointingly unimaginative and a little dim. I kept wondering why he couldn't trick or outwit his attackers. I felt let down by this one.
Read as part of 'The Illustrated Man'. I thought that the concept was fantastic, I however felt that the character with the ability was disappointingly unimaginative and a little dim. I kept wondering why he couldn't trick or outwit his attackers. I felt let down by this one.
March 10, 2024
What a terrible story which could have happened in circumstance. But why would Mark reveal his (super?)power to Soul? Why would the others there be so starved of their own imaginations that they need to feast on Mark's power like vampires? How did the story evolve So Quickly... I can see addiction occur quickly but it evolving into homicidal greed and anger... does that happen? Scary story!
March 6, 2025
This is a great story about people who have a disease called blood rust who are forced to live on Mars for recuperation. A new person arrives with an amazing ability to cause others to see impossible visions. Suddenly, the presence of the new patient becomes a commodity worth waring over.
May 8, 2024
I don’t think many got the joke, they did conjure up New York after all. A city Ray Bradbury detested.
June 16, 2025
I luuuuuuuuuv U Mark!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews