Mars is My Destination

"Mars is My Destination" by Frank Belknap Long is a science-fiction adventure written in the early 1960s. The narrative follows Ralph Graham, who is deeply driven by his lifelong dream of reaching Mars, a place fraught with both opportunity and violence. As tensions rise in Earth's spaceports and violent confrontations loom, the story opens with Ralph navigating a chaotic environment that sets the tone for an explosive journey into a world of colonization, danger, and personal conflict. At the start of the novel, Ralph Graham senses impending violence in a spaceport bar filled with patrons anticipating travel to Mars. His instincts prove correct when a confrontation escalates, resulting in a shooting that plunges the bar into chaos. Ralph intervenes and finds himself in deeper trouble as he attracts unwanted attention due to his special Mars clearance, symbolizing his importance in the unfolding events tied to the Martian Colonization Board. Meanwhile, a mysterious blonde woman warns him of the dangers he faces, and the intrigue intensifies as Ralph grapples with his ambitions, relationships, and the volatility surrounding the push for human settlement on Mars. The opening sets the stage for a gripping tale of survival amidst social strife and personal dilemmas.