The Martian Trilogy: A Review

The Martian Trilogy Cover. Art by John Jennings

As I was researching for my first African based sword and sorcery novel, one thought kept coming to me; someone had to have done this before. Although the research I’d done for such a book revealed nothing, the references I discovered screamed otherwise. This information wasn’t hidden, and I felt anyone who had found what I had would be inspired to write about it or something based on it. It was in 2005 as I was preparing to release my novel when I discovered Charles Saunders’ work. I wasn’t surprised; I felt vindicated.

Reading The Martian Trilogy gave me a similar feeling. Almost one hundred years ago, Black author John P. Moore imagined a world where successful Black people not only travel to Mars but discover Black advanced civilizations inhabiting the red planet. These cultures are aware of Earth and vie for control of their planet. One of the most interesting aspects of this story is that Moore doesn’t weaken it by including blatant criticisms of the world of his time; he tells a Black story with Black characters having amazing adventures. It’s a perspective that many Black authors still fail to do, partly because of the same forces that plague Black creativity today.

The Martian Trilogy is not just about Moore’s story. Dr. Lisa Yaszek, Steve Davidson, and other researchers add context to the story by sharing details of world in which this story was written. They share details, as much as possible, of the other players involved, such as the literary parameters set by editor George S. Shcuyler, a person who’s own writing displayed the exact opposite of the restrictions he set for the IFS. The Martian Trilogy also includes perspectives from of today’s best and brightest of Black Fantastic fiction; their varied insights make this book even more interesting. The books end with two appendices: an African American Political History Timeline and an African American Art and Culture Timeline. Both chronicles significant changes in both areas spanning the period from 1895 to 1941, painting a more detailed image of the times.

I found The Martian Trilogy an interesting and engaging read. I’m always happy when I find books that fill the knowledge gaps when it comes to Afrofuturism and the Black Fantastic, although I must admit it makes me a little sad that I didn’t know about these books and sources before I began my creative journey. Though the story shows its age as a reflection of its times, it’s a perfect example of how we as Black people have always been present, whether seen or unseen. The addition of the story behind the story and reflections from contemporary authors makes The Martian Trilogy a must have for any serious Afrofuturism book collection.

You can purchase The Martian Trilogy from Amazon and anywhere books are sold.

The Martian Trilogy

ISBN No.: 979-8232121785