Another "ID This SF Story" thread - with Skolopenders

Cafe Society
1

I’ve been trying to think of an SF novella, probably from the early '60s. Any help would be most appreciated:

The story takes place on Mars, where the hero, an American, is drafted by the Russian government to wage war on a species of large Martian centipedes – “skolopenders” – which impede the settlement of Mars. There is no suggestion that the skolopenders are sentient, they are just dangerous and in the way, and the plan is to wipe them out.

As the war winds down to a successful conclusion, Cold War politics raises its ugly head, and Dan (I think), his girlfriend, and her father have to steal a ship and head back to Earth. The girlfriend loves Beethoven’s *Appassionata, *and this figures into the story as a repeated motif.

The latter part of the story deals with the orbital mechanics of getting them back to Earth in one piece, which requires that they transit very close to the sun. The close approach to the sun is tortuous, and they survive by using a Russian drug to knock themselves out during the worst of it.

I was thinking this was “A Martian Odyssey”, but that is definitely not it. I seem to recall that the title is of the form “A Martian Blank”, but I cannot remember what fits in the blank - and I could be completely wrong at that.

So, seeing as my (fairly prodigious) memory has failed me, I appeal to the crowd? Anyone?

(I’m counting on you, CalMeacham!)

2

Earth, the Marauder by Arthur J. Burks?

The only thing not in German that came up on my search.

3

Nope, can’t be it. No Ruskies

4

I’m pretty sure the OP is asking for A Martian Adventure by Willy Ley. It’s from 1937 but was reprinted by Groff Conklin in 1962 for his anthology Great Science Fiction by Scientists. I know I have a copy of this book, but I can’t find it to re-read the story and see if my memory is correct, nor can I find a copy of the story online.

5

I suspect this is the correct story. We had a copy of that anthology when I was a kid, and it sounds right. Thanks!

6

I just checked the table of contents for the Conklin anthology. There were some good stories in that collection! Just a few:

The Ultimate Catalyst (Eric Temple Bell - Brilliantly gruesome!)
The Gostak and the Doshes (Miles Brewer - I’ve quoted this story in a number of posts on this board)
Last Year’s Grave Undug (Chan Davis - Good post-apocalyptic yarn)
The Tissue-Culture King (Julian Huxley - Yeah, racist as all hell, but a good read, nonetheless)
The Brain (Norbert Wiener - Another creepy one)

7

And I just received my copy of the Conklin anthology from Amazon (.11 + 3.99 shipping - not bad!)

Re-reading the story now, very enjoyable. Thanks!