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In late 2015, British author H.E. Wilburson (or H.E. as he likes to be called) was surprised to find himself writing a sequel to The War Of The Worlds, as his first love is actually composing and painting pictures with music. Inspired by the many adaptations of the novel over the years, H.E imagined the onward lives of the original characters and what might happen if the Martians returned to Earth wanting revenge for their first, failed invasion. With over 800 musical compositions filed away over the years, he decided to showcase some of them in his story, to add atmosphere and mood, and The Martian Diaries series began to take shape.
Seeing a demand for text versions H.E gave more emphasis to the written word in volumes two and three, which are much longer, but he always had audiobooks in mind. (Titles now available as ebooks and print books,) The Martian Diaries has been recognised by several accolades, including five awards in the 2020 Los Angeles Science Fiction Film Festival (Audio Drama category). You can learn more here https://www.martiandiaries.com
Apart from The Martian Diaries, H.E has adapted The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan, his first project combining text with music, which may be released in the future. He enjoys history, advances in science and listening to great music and story-telling. When not writing or composing music, his favourite hobbies include gardening, hiking, (especially in mountains) and creating new storylines for The Martian Diaries.
Reviewed by Olga Markova for Readers' Favorite
Gateway to Mars: Vol.3 of the Martian Diaries continuing The War of the Worlds by H.E. Wilburson is a riveting sequel to H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds. The story initially transports us to 1945. We meet Jack Stent and other astronauts on their mission to the Moon searching for the cure for Marseria, a lethal disease plaguing the Earth. Switching to the 22nd century, We meet Alan, an astronaut working on a scientific Mars expedition. Unexpectedly, Alan is accused of breaching the conservation protocols at the pivotal New Africa site. Alan denies the compelling evidence of his DNA found on the site and insists that he acted properly and in good faith. But he is yet to know what shocking discoveries lie ahead.
Pun intended, I loved H.E. Wilburson’s Gateway to Mars to the Moon and back. What a huge treat for me, a fan of sci-fi and H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds! Shadowing Alan on his extraterrestrial adventures, I often wondered how I would have reacted to the threat of a Martian invasion. The suspenseful, fast-moving story and the vast, complex landscape of perils Alan had to navigate entertained and engaged me. I marveled at the sci-fi terrain that spanned centuries, encompassing reincarnations, asteroid attacks, AI robots, and realistic, highly intelligent Martians. The characters made me feel for and against them as if they were real people – quite as Alan instantly won my heart, I thoroughly hated Simon at the beginning, but I liked how Simon’s character evolved for the better as the story unfolded.
I cannot think of a better voice actor for this audiobook than Paul Morris who narrated it. Paul’s classic English accent was a treat for my ears, and I loved how Paul brought to life the motley crew of characters with various pitches, voices, and accents. The soundtrack composed by H.E. Wilburson deserves special praise, as it created an atmospheric background that fed my imagination alongside Paul's awesome narration. I highly recommend this flawless production to sci-fi, action-thriller, time travel, and adventure fans.
