Mars is a small world with a big reputation. This mysterious planet with volcanoes that dwarf Mount Everest, a canyon system that would stretch fully across the USA and curious landscapes that may support life has fascinated us for centuries.

In the most up-to-date account available of the elusive Red Planet, Stephen James O Meara follows our longstanding love affair with this bewildering world, from the musings of humanitys first stargazers, to the imaginings of science-fiction writers and film-makers, to the latest images and discoveries from orbiting spacecraft and robotic rovers. The book also reviews plans for piloted missions to Mars, and what it will take for those missions to succeed.