The Martian Chronicles is a science fiction novel that tells the story of Earth's exploration and colonization of Mars. In 1999, Earth sends its first manned probe to Mars, but tragedy strikes when a jealous Martian murders the two astronauts after his wife has erotic dreams about them.
On a subsequent expedition, members are hypnotized into believing they have landed in the childhood community of their leader and are reunited with deceased family and friends, only to be poisoned by the Martians. Col. John Wilder leads a third expedition and discovers that a chicken pox virus brought by previous expeditions has decimated the Martian population.
As colonists arrive on Mars to settle, conflicts arise between Earthmen and Martians. A member of Wilder's team becomes obsessed with protecting Mars and murders some of his companions before being killed by Wilder. Global war on Earth leaves the planet uninhabitable, prompting most settlers to return before the holocaust.
Wilder struggles to unite the remaining humans on Mars, who each cope with loneliness in their own way. Eventually, Wilder meets a Martian who reveals the secret of simple Martian life and convinces him to abandon the Earth lifestyle.