H.E. WILBURSON and
The Martian Diaries
H.E Wilburson is an award-winning British author and composer who has had a fascination with The War Of The Worlds since the 1970s, when he first watched the George Pal 1953 film version of the book.
He was surprised to learn that the classic alien invasion novel by H.G. Wells was originally published as a magazine serialisation before it was first published as a complete book in 1898.
It always seemed to Wilburson that H.G. Wells had left questions unanswered in the book, and in 2015 he began to imagine how the story could be continued. He wanted to find a way to use the original characters to suggest reasons why the Martians invaded our planet in The War Of The Worlds.
Having always enjoyed Jeff Wayne's musical version of the book, Wilburson wondered if it was possible to create something new, using his own bespoke music and sound effects. He's always appreciated how the Jeff Wayne version uses minimal narrative very effectively. Being primarily a composer, rather than a natural writer, Wilburson thought the concept might work to his strengths.
With the first volume of his continuation he wrote the chapters in visual ‘scenes’ some of which are quite short. He deliberately kept descriptive passages to a minimum as the music was designed to create setting and atmosphere. For this reason book one, The Day Of The Martians
is a quick listen or read, of around two hours.
After publishing that first audio it became apparent there was a demand for text versions, so in the subsequent books Wilburson gave more focus to the written word, and they are each more than double the length of volume one.
The first volume of The Martian Diaries
series opens in 1913, some years after the first alien invasion of
The War Of The Worlds. Wilburson has continued to use H.G. Wells' unnamed writer as his narrator and although Wells didn't name the wife, Wilburson has called her Laura, a popular name of the time.
In the second volume, Lake On The Moon, H.G. Wells' astronomer Ogilvy becomes the central character and we learn about his unique involvement with the Martians, and how his own story is linked to the original alien invasion.
The third volume in the series, Gateway To Mars
features a direct descendant of one of Wells' original characters who is on a mission to find a solution to Marseria, the insidious Martian plague threatening to extinguish all life on our planet.
For Wilburson, there is something timeless about The War of The Worlds, and in the many tribulations of the characters he believes we find the essence of survival and hope.
He says: "! can only trust that The
Martian Diaries
series delivers the unexpected, and I have fulfilled my wish to entertain listeners and fans of
The War Of The Worlds
alike. There have been many unlikely yet timely elements to the creation of this project, which came together at just the right moment, and I'm so glad I can share with you
The Martian Diaries - a faithful continuation of
The War Of The Worlds."
THE MUSIC
Some people have asked: “Which came first in the storytelling – the text or the music?
Wilburson says, "In most cases it was the text, but I believe the interplay between the script and music helped the project's cohesion, since both came from the same mind."
Electric guitars and synthesizers are very much a part of Wilburson's sound palette. but he also enjoys using a cathedral organ together with a vintage harp for example, which gives a broader
spectrum of distinct mood and colour. Where appropriate, he also like to experiment with a mix of traditional and electrified instruments.
Whilst creating his continuation of The War Of The Worlds, the most important thing to Wilburson was for the audience to care about and believe in the characters as much as he does. Whether they read the text or listen to the audio versions, he hopes they appreciate and enjoy the stories in The Martian Diaries
series.
THE NARRATION
An audiobook would not be complete without sympathetic narration, and Harry Preston's involvement in The Martian Diaries
came about purely by chance, after Wilburson had an unexpected
encounter with a fan of The War Of The Worlds
who suggested that Harry would be excellent for the project. We can only ponder how The Martian Diaries
would have sounded without this wonderful storyteller's voice and characterisation in the first two volumes.
Terry Thompson's assured narration of the Prologue and Epilogue in the first two volumes provides a contrast, and complements Harry's vocal skills with richness and authority.
Paul Morris provides the narration for volume three, Gateway To Mars, and his experience in acting and audiobook narration is evident in his wide range of voices and engaging characterisations.
Wilburson says, "I am grateful to all three narrators for their dedication and unique contributions to The Martian Diaries."
HARRY PRESTON
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TERRY THOMPSON
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PALPAUL MORRIS
Photo: Tenterden Steam Railway. Kent
This scene is from the early chapters of volume one The Day Of The Martians, when the writer and his wife Laura travel to London from their home in Woking, to visit Ogilvy's Exhibition of Martian Artefacts.
Terry Thompson, voice actor for The Martian Diaries, and Cheryl Mumford, also an actor, are pictured here with the permission of Tenderden Steam Railway in Kent. The costumes sourced by Ms Mumford capture the mood and era.
