Fahrenheit
451 unlike the other two books is a full novel and is one story
with several themes. It's quite though-provoking and even slightly frightening.
In the story, fire fighters now burn books and everyone is involved with and
thus watched by a global network, which has much in common with today's Internet.
Even though it was written long before the advent of the Internet, the story's
themes are just as pertinent today with the Internet steadily supplanting all
other media including print as the main source of information and entertainment.
I can see a future reality that resembles the one in the book, but I hope it
doesn't happen.
The
Martian Chronicles has what I consider the most enjoyable group
of science fiction short stories with the possible exception of Isaac
Asimov'sI,
Robot. What is amazing is that the stories are set on an incarnation
of Mars that has long been scientifically refuted, but they still remain timeless.
The stories, like Asimov's robot stories, aren't really about technology, but
rather humanity and emotion. The stories also read like serials, all loosely
tied stories about the progression of Martian colonziation in a chronological
order. Each builds on the previous story, but really can stand alone. If you
enjoy The Martian Chronicles, then move on to The
Illustrated Man which is another group of entertaining and thought-provoking
short stories loosely strung together well worth reading.
