Mr. Stranger's Sealed Packet by Hugh MacCollMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book is a heck of a lot of fun. From spaceship decapitations to yellow mars cake that turns one's skin blue (and is, assuredly, probably, totally not uranium), Mr. Stranger's adventures, both "Marsian" (with an s, how adorable is that?) and earthly are hugely entertaining. There is very little introspection about how a gentleman of England should comport himself on an alien planet, and instead there's a lot of marveling at pterodactyls and then brutally slaying them. (Awesome!) Also, do you want an empty vessel of a wife into which you can pour all of your bullshit ideals about womanhood? Well, then, do I have a blue-skinned beauty for you! It's Overly-Attached-Marsian-Girlfriend! Oh, wait, sorry, "mora fera," or literally "blue face." Yup. It went there.
Basically, at the end of this book, I wanted nothing more than John Carter of Virginia/Earth/Mars/Princess and Mr. Stranger crossover fanfic. If anyone out there is willing to oblige, I have a few specific scenarios in mind:
1) Mr. Stranger and John Carter go to Mars at the same time, but land in different places. Their stories continue apace until they realize that John Carter has fallen in love with a princess of the RED marsians, whereas Mr. Stranger has fallen for a woman from the BLUE marsians. Obviously, this means war.
2) Mr. Stranger and John Carter go to Mars together and never quite get the hang of Marsian gravity. They hop around a lot and everyone laughs and laughs.
3) Stranger/Carter, alone on Mars. Anything can happen, and probably will, if you know what I mean!
4) John Carter is in the giant arena, totally outmatched by the giant Marsian beastie, when who should come to his rescue but Stranger, in his guillotinemobile!! The day is saved/more local fauna are mercilessly slaughtered.
5) John Carter and Tee get into a sharpshooter contest in Mars's first all-planet circus.
6) John Carter and Mr. Stranger form a writing circle where they chronicle their adventures and critique each other's work.
Really, the possibilities are endless. Please post in comments with a link to your completed work. Thanks!
Read it if: You enjoyed John Carter, but you wanted a little more cultural imperialism. If you would like to Save the Sci Fi. ESPECIALLY read it if you are interested in writing me some fanfic.
Lexie's Shelves: read, aliens-from-outer-space, save-the-sci-fi.
The author is: hilariously Victorian.
Things that bugged me:
Overly attached Martian girlfriend.
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