Book Review: “The Martian in the Wood” by Stephen Baxter
(Four Stars)
“Folk tales abound with forests; they are places of ogres and witches and transformations and the slipperiness about time and space.”
What if War of the Worlds was true, and just happened? Baxter expertly weaves a new short story into the tapestry of H. G. Wells‘ classic. Incudes a cameo for Wells.
“Something standing over the Wood. Like a towering skeleton, I thought, all bones and joints. Death, come to Holmburgh.”
While the protagonist is new, the narrator of Well’s story appears as a supporting character.
“I have been described as an ‘unreliable narrator’. Call me an honest one, at least, even if I have had difficulty in digesting my experiences. But in here, you see, I think it’s reality that may be unreliable. Not your memory.”
A fast, pleasant read.
“As is the way with all things Martian, it seems to me, the story was never wrapped up to everybody’s satisfaction. Save, possibly, for the Martian in the Wood itself.”
As a Matter of Fancy 
interesting review. Thanks. Don’t know the writer. The cover is very fine. So many sci-fi/fantasy books have lurid, poorly crafted, covers. They all look like hack jobs.