What if the most pressing question on Mars wasn’t how to breathe or build shelters—but how to play fair? Diary of a Martian by Stephen B. Haunts doesn’t follow the usual arc of space dramas filled with alien threats or cosmic catastrophes. Instead, it settles into something much closer to home: what it feels like to be eleven, awkward, overlooked, and hopeful—in a colony millions of miles away from Earth.
Told through the eyes of Elliot Taylor, a boy growing up in New London on Mars, this novel works not because of its science-fiction setting but because it treats space as a backdrop, not the story. The real narrative is interior: Elliot’s inner thoughts, frustrations, daydreams, and fears as he navigates being a not-so-great football player, a son without a mother, and a student struggling to fit in. His world includes AI assistants embedded in bones, towering glass domes over football stadiums, and cities named after Earth capitals—but his concerns remain human and familiar. How do you impress a girl you just met? What if your best isn’t enough? What do you do when the colony around you suddenly becomes dangerous?
The book leans into emotional realism in a setting of speculative science. The technology feels plausible, but it’s never flashy. A malfunctioning neural chip causes more disruption than any alien invasion. Social tension between Martian colonies mimics real-world anxieties about integration, nationalism, and change—but does so subtly, filtered through the innocent misunderstandings of a preteen boy. Even when a protest erupts or an evacuation becomes necessary, the action is told in terms of who held whose hand, who fell, and how scary it is to be unsure and still move forward anyway.
What makes Diary of a Martian quietly daring is how it lets readers sit with ambiguity. There’s no clear villain; even the bully, Dimitri, isn’t flattened into a stereotype. Adults are flawed but caring. Authority figures make tough calls, and sometimes those calls hurt. These dynamics echo more complex realities that middle-grade readers are just beginning to sense in their own lives.
At its heart, the book is more diary than dystopia. It’s about belonging—to a team, a family, a colony, a planet. There are no big battles, no chosen-one twists, no magic reveals. What there is: thoughtful pacing, a deep respect for kids’ emotional lives, and a kind of truth that doesn’t depend on explosions to be memorable.
Readers looking for a loud, fast ride may find this one quiet. But those who value character-driven fiction, subtle sci-fi, and a narrator who feels as real as the kid next door—just in a space suit—will discover something rare. Not a manual for surviving Mars, but a guide to understanding what really matters when you’re growing up anywhere.
Excellence in Literature Award
The Excellence in Literature Award is a tribute to the timeless power of storytelling. We recognise works that transcend fleeting trends—books that resonate deeply and linger long after the final page. Whether bold and boundary-breaking or quietly powerful, these stories reflect true literary excellence.
This award encompasses a wide literary landscape—from genre fiction to poetic reflections, from contemporary gems to historical epics. At its heart, it celebrates writers who demonstrate mastery, originality, and the ability to connect with readers on a meaningful level.
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