The Martians

This groundbreaking 1922 decopunk novella is the first science fiction authored by a Czech woman. The brilliant Martian inventor Astor constructs an experimental astral-telegraphy device and enters a deep trance to ward off Earth's self-destruction. To Astor's peril, only love can activate the lamp that must revive him. Yet his partner Iva is torn between devotion to Astor and the attentions of his friend Lerk, while the enigmatic magnate Igo Phenom?n demonstrates a chilling power over nature. As their cosmic secrets unfold, The Martians weaves a captivating tale of idealism, betrayal, science, and the supernatural. This visionary work, born from automatic writing, challenges our notions of early 20th-century speculative fiction with its unique blend of romance, mysticism, and technological wonder.

"The Martians is this author's most literary work, briskly written and extraordinarily imaginative."

Ivan Adamovič, Czech SF scholar and editor

"THE MARTIANS is a welcome addition to the growing corpus of SF in translation. Proch?zkov?'s imaginative, early-20th century take on what Martians might be like--from their own perspective--enriches our understanding of the period's own theories about the red planet. In addition, the author's position as the first female Czech science fiction writer offers us a unique window on how feminist and socialist ideas informed the literature of the age. Martian "canals," electromagnetism, telepathy, and vampirism swirl together here in an intriguing mix of early sf and gothic horror."

Rachel S. Cordasco, sfintranslation.com

"Pre-World War II interplanetary story by Czech writer - unique voice from Central Europe worth reading."

Ambassador Jaroslav Olsa, Jr., diplomat and SF editor