This novel constitutes the first part of Robert Darvel’s adventures on the planet Mars, the rest of which was published the following year under the title The Vampire Wars. Engineer Robert Darvel joins forces with Brahmin Ardavena to build a machine capable of reaching the planet Mars. Thus, thanks to the psychic energy released by several thousand fakirs, Darvel becomes the first man to set foot on Martian soil and meets the different peoples who make up the planet… In this novel, [the author] describes three races populating the planet Mars: the men of the lagoons, close to terrestrial humanity; the Roomboos, animals whose description of Le Rouge brings them closer to insects, reptiles and moles; and finally, the Erloors, a type of large bat which drink the blood of other species.
First Appearance Le prisonnier de la planète Mars (1908) by Gustave Le Rouge
First Publisher Albert Méricant
Appearance List Le prisonnier de la planète Mars (1908) by Gustave Le Rouge — First book edition, Paris: Albert Méricant (illustrated by Henri Thiriet); La Guerre des vampires (The Vampire Wars, 1909) by Gustave Le Rouge — Direct sequel (second part of the Robert Darvel Mars narrative); Le prisonnier de la planète Mars (1912, reissue under new title: Le Naufragé de l’espace, Albert Méricant); “Le Naufragé de l’espace” newspaper serialization / reprint in Le Quotidien (25 Sept – 24 Dec 1925); Le Naufragé de l’espace (1927, Paris: Larousse); Le Prisonnier de la planète Mars / La Guerre des vampires (1966) — Collected edition, Paris: Jérôme Martineau (illustrations by Henri Thiriet); Le Prisonnier de la planète Mars (1976) — Paperback reprint.
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Description This novel constitutes the first part of Robert Darvel’s adventures on the planet Mars, the rest of which was published the following year under the title The Vampire Wars. Engineer Robert Darvel joins forces with Brahmin Ardavena to build a machine capable of reaching the planet Mars. Thus, thanks to the psychic energy released by several thousand fakirs, Darvel becomes the first man to set foot on Martian soil and meets the different peoples who make up the planet… In this novel, [the author] describes three races populating the planet Mars: the men of the lagoons, close to terrestrial humanity; the Roomboos, animals whose description of Le Rouge brings them closer to insects, reptiles and moles; and finally, the Erloors, a type of large bat which drink the blood of other species.
