Edison's Conquest of Mars

Edison's Conquest of Mars is an 1898 science fiction mashup novel by an American astronomer and writer, Garrett P. Serviss. It has a place in the history of science fiction for its early employment of themes and motifs that later became staples of the genre. The book features Thomas Edison as the primary character, though neither Edison nor H. G. Wells was involved in its creation. Set after the devastating Martian attack in the previous story, the novel depicts Edison leading a group of scientists to develop ships and weapons, including a disintegration ray, for the defense of Earth.