Brian Aldiss - Finches of Mars

For my grandsons

in the future

Laurence and Thomas

(Thomas who was the first person

to read this discourse)

And to Jason and Max

and Ben and of course

Archie

with my love.

He who can read Sir Charles Lyell’s grand work on the Principles of Geology , which the future historian will recognise as having produced a revolution in natural science, and yet does not admit how vast have been the past periods of time, may at once close this volume.

– Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life

Table of Contents

Title Page BRIAN ALDISS Finches of Mars

Dedication For my grandsons in the future Laurence and Thomas (Thomas who was the first person to read this discourse) And to Jason and Max and Ben and of course Archie with my love.

Epigraph He who can read Sir Charles Lyell’s grand work on the Principles of Geology , which the future historian will recognise as having produced a revolution in natural science, and yet does not admit how vast have been the past periods of time, may at once close this volume. – Charles Darwin, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or, the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life

1. An Oceanless World

2. A Freedom

3. Mangalian’s Remark

4. Final Journey

5. The Shape of the UU

6. Mangalian Among the Ladybirds

7. The Care of a Child

8. The Death of a Hero

9. Life Elsewhere?

10. The Inevitable Happens

11. A Belated Announcement

12. Mulling Over Required

13. Some False Dispositions

14. The Mad Horse & Ooma’s Sad Poem

15. An Hour’s Friendship

16. Shap’s Lecture

17. Interlude: A Farewell To Families

18. Interlude Part II: A Long Journey and A Short Walk

19. The Vexed Question of Umwelts

20. A Troubled Exwo

21. Images of the Past

22. Phipp has Problems to Share

23. The Four Birds

24. Consolations of Knowledge and Sex

25. Meeting an Astronomer

26. Life on Mars! The Capture of Things

27. Hitting the Trail

28. Some Problem for Mangalian

29. Questions of Evolution

30. Precious Discoveries

31. Visitors

32. Descendants from the Present

33. Reception in the China Tower

34. A Great Resource

Footnotes

Appendix

By the same author from The Friday Project

Copyright

About the Publisher

Your idea regarding the effect of gravity on foetal development is absolutely fascinating, and is of much interest to me …

There is a great deal of knowledge in the field of foetal development about the importance of physical distorting forces on inducing foetal growth, making your idea of “lighter gravity” affecting foetal life entirely feasible (and to the best of my knowledge absolutely original to boot). Further, the effect of changes of gravity on heart action and blood flow is also fascinating, especially since the foetus is not as well equipped as is its mother.

So, malformed foetuses being at risk of dying in utero or at birth is a plausible conjecture.

Professor Frank Manning

Division of Maternal Foetal Medicine

New York Medical College

New York

All those who prefer to whatever degree the hypothetical over what is called reality, finding the real so deplorable that they seek out what may never be, will find here elements for enjoyment. Those optimists who grieve over the shortcomings of existence may like to imagine that better prospects will be created in the future, not least amid the airless deserts of Mars depicted here.

The word ‘scenery’ was not in use on Mars. One might talk instead of ‘the prospect’.

The prospect was modestly dramatic. Volcanoes on this section of Tharsis were small and scattered. The settlement site on the Tharsis Shield had been chosen for its underground water supply and its comparative smoothness. A path had been worn leading eastwards a short way. A man and woman were walking side-by-side along the path, treading with the high-kneed gait the lower gravity of Mars encouraged. The pair were thickly dressed and wore face masks, since they were beyond the atmospheric confine of the project settlement.