The First Cylinder

"No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own . . . " And so H. G. Wells opened his thrilling The War of the Worlds in 1897. Since then millions of readers have shivered and shrieked at his depiction of a Martian invasion of Earth. The tale has become part of our cultural memory, but Wells didn't tell the whole story. He never gave us the Martian side of the conflict. Now, Joseph Dougherty, the Emmy-winning writer, reports on the invasion of Earth from an up-close-and-personal Martian point of view. Dougherty views Wells's epic battles from an all new, painfully modern perspective. Our narrator is Vvv, a reluctant conscript on board The First Cylinder to reach Earth in the invasion. Vvv is the Martian incarnation of all reluctant warriors, from Yossarian in Catch-22 to Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five. War is hell . . . for aliens and humans alike. Sardonic and heartrending, tragic and comic, The First Cylinder is a breakout science fiction novel in the tradition of Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury.

Author: Joseph Dougherty
Publisher: Fayetteville Mafia Press
Published: 06/06/2023
Pages: 215
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.41lbs
Size: 6.72h x 5.67w x 0.41d
ISBN13: 9781949024548
ISBN10: 1949024547
BISAC Categories:
- Fiction | Science Fiction | Alien Contact
- Fiction | Action & Adventure

About the Author
Joseph Dougherty is an Emmy winner for his writing on the series thirtysomething. His movies include the occult-noir mashup Cast a Deadly Spell and the remake of Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman. He has contributed to several television series, including Pretty Little Liars, Judging Amy, and Once and Again. Dougherty earned Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations for his play Digby, and wrote the libretto for the Tony-winning musical version of My Favorite Year. His book A Screenwriter's Companion: Instruction, Opinion, Encouragement is available from Fayetteville Mafia Press.