One Martian Afternoon by Tom Leahy
QR code
"One Martian Afternoon" by Tom Leahy is a science fiction short story published in the early 1950s. The narrative explores life on Mars through the eyes of a young Earth girl named Marilou, who expresses her frustrations and experiences living in a Martian colony. The work delves into themes of cultural misunderstanding, childhood innocence, and the complexities of life on a different planet. The story opens with Marilou interacting with the environment
and her Martian aunt, Twylee, showcasing a blend of childlike curiosity and the innate prejudices she has absorbed from her father regarding the Martian people. As the pair discuss Marilou's father's views about Martians and their past, the tone shifts to a darker undercurrent of fear and violence—the implication being that those same prejudices may have dire consequences. The tension escalates with the arrival of a storm, culminating in an unexpected and unsettling act, demonstrating how innocence can shatter in the face of harsh realities. The ending leaves readers reflecting on the thin veneer of civilization and the deep-seated fears that can drive individuals to unimaginable actions. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Download for free
For your e-reader or reading app — Kindle, Kobo, Apple Books, Calibre etc.
Kindle → Use Send-to-Kindle
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Upload it on the Amazon site your Kindle is registered with: amazon.com/sendtokindle for the US, amazon.co.uk/sendtokindle for the UK etc.
- It appears on your Kindle and in the Kindle app
Kobo, Nook etc. → Transfer via USB
- Download the EPUB3 file on your computer
- Connect your e-reader by USB and tap "Connect" on its screen
- Drag the file onto the e-reader drive
Phone, Tablet or Computer → Online or Reading App
Easiest: read online in your browser. Nothing to install.
Or use a reading app:
- Find and install one you like, for example Apple Books, ReadEra or Thorium Reader
- Download the EPUB3 file above
- Open it in the app
More help: iPhone / iPad · Android · Computer
Other formats & older devices
There may be more files related to this item.
About this eBook
| Author | Leahy, Tom |
|---|---|
| Title | One Martian Afternoon |
| Series Title | Produced from If Worlds of Science Fiction July 1953. |
| Credits |
Produced by Greg Weeks, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 84.9 (6th grade). Easy to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | PS: Language and Literatures: American and Canadian literature |
| Subject | Science fiction |
| Subject | Short stories |
| Subject | Mars (Planet) -- Fiction |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 29975 |
| ISBN (HTML) | 979-8-238-29975-4 |
| Release Date | Sep 13, 2009 |
| Last Update | Jan 5, 2021 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 126 downloads in the last 30 days. |
Project Gutenberg eBooks are always free!