The Martian Child : A Novel about a Single Father Adopting a Son

David Gerrold

Scott Brick (Narrator)

01-01-06

4hrs 52min

Abridgement

Unabridged

Genre

Fiction/Literary

As low as $0.00
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01-01-06

4hrs 52min

Abridgement

Unabridged

Genre

Fiction/Literary

Description

“[Gerrold] relates a personal story with poetic license, humor, imagination, and love. Experienced reader Brick does a wonderful job portraying the author who finds himself as he finds his son.” Kliatt

Winner of the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Novelette
Winner of the 1995 Nebula Award for Best Novelette

Gerrold, a science fiction writer from California, adopts a son who has been classified as "unadoptable" due to his violent emotional outbursts resulting from abuse. Another side-effect of his turbulent early years is that he believes himself to be a Martian. Gerrold begins the long, involving work of trying to earn the acceptance of Dennis, a hyperactive eight-year-old who desperately wants a father's love, but is so insecure he feels he must be an alien. Gerrold's recounting of the first two years with Dennis ends with the climax of Dennis running away and waiting in a city park at night for the flying saucers to come and reclaim him. Funny, endearing, and at times, heartbreaking, this is a beautifully written testament to fatherhood.

This book is semiautobiographical. Gerrold did adopt a son, but he heard about a boy who thought he was a Martian from another adoptive father.

Praise

“[Gerrold] relates a personal story with poetic license, humor, imagination, and love. Experienced reader Brick does a wonderful job portraying the author who finds himself as he finds his son.” Kliatt

“Neurotically charming and funny.” Kirkus Reviews

“Brick is surprisingly effective as Dennis, the young boy, speaking with a convincing nonchalance that gives way to rage. Brick brings listeners along even as Gerrold begins to believe his son actually could be an alien.” AudioFile

“The heart-searing moments are many but never overwritten, thanks to Gerrold’s bright, efficient exposition.” Booklist

Details
More Information
Language English
Release Day Dec 31, 2005
Release Date January 1, 2006
Release Date Machine 1136073600
Imprint Blackstone Publishing
Provider Blackstone Publishing
Categories Literature & Fiction, Genre Fiction, LGBTQ+, Literary Fiction, Fiction - All, Fiction - Adult, Movie Tie-ins, Movie Tie-ins
Author Bio
David Gerrold

David Gerrold is the author of the Hugo and Nebula Award-nominated The Man Who Folded Himself, When Harlie Was One, and the Chtorr, Dingillian, and Star Wolf series. He also wrote “The Trouble with Tribbles” episode of Star Trek, which was voted the most popular Star Trek episode of all time. He lives in Northridge, California.

Narrator Bio
Scott Brick

Scott Brick, an acclaimed voice artist, screenwriter, and actor, has performed on film, television, and radio. He attended UCLA and spent ten years in a traveling Shakespeare company. Passionate about the spoken word, he has narrated a wide variety of audiobooks. winning won more than fifty AudioFile Earphones Awards and several of the prestigious Audie Awards. He was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine and the Voice of Choice for 2016 by Booklist magazine.

Overview

Winner of the 1995 Hugo Award for Best Novelette
Winner of the 1995 Nebula Award for Best Novelette

Gerrold, a science fiction writer from California, adopts a son who has been classified as "unadoptable" due to his violent emotional outbursts resulting from abuse. Another side-effect of his turbulent early years is that he believes himself to be a Martian. Gerrold begins the long, involving work of trying to earn the acceptance of Dennis, a hyperactive eight-year-old who desperately wants a father's love, but is so insecure he feels he must be an alien. Gerrold's recounting of the first two years with Dennis ends with the climax of Dennis running away and waiting in a city park at night for the flying saucers to come and reclaim him. Funny, endearing, and at times, heartbreaking, this is a beautifully written testament to fatherhood.

This book is semiautobiographical. Gerrold did adopt a son, but he heard about a boy who thought he was a Martian from another adoptive father.

Reviews

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