The Last Martian

"The Last Martian" by Ray Van Houten is a science fiction tale, probably from the 1940s, that unfolds on the desolate landscape of Mars, where the key ideas are about clinging to life and finding friendship when everything seems lost. The story centers on the lone survivor of an ancient race and a space traveler from Earth, the book shows how different species may experience the same life struggles, with both the quest to find necessary materials, and the struggle against the harshness of their dying world. Facing a future as the last of his kind, Peetn, an aging Martian, is surprised when a human astronaut named Harrison Clark crash-lands nearby. Their initial suspicion turns into an alliance when Clark's advanced knowledge meets Peetn's intimate knowledge of the Martian environment. Together, they start a desperate mission to restore the vital machinery responsible for harvesting water, breathing life back into the withered fields of Mars. The book shows how unexpected partnerships can sprout in the most barren expanses.