His marbles are intact. The writer who, along with Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke, brought science fiction from the fringes of pulp and turned the form into real literature, does not consider himself a writer of science fiction. I fought with them for years to take the label off. But the science fiction thing has stuck with me all these years. The wisdom of the ancients.
Humans can breathe Martian air.
There is water and advanced civilization on the red planet. The Earthlings kill the Martians with our diseases. One of the most disturbing scenes involves the construction of a hotdog stand atop the Martian ruins. Later, Earth blows up. Unfortunately, it seems most of the message boards are filled with students freaked about having to write an essay about one of Bradbury's books.