"The Empress of Mars" is a science fiction

Science fiction

Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...

 novella

Novella

A novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...

 published in 2003 by Kage Baker

Kage Baker

Kage Baker was an American science fiction and fantasy writer.- Biography :Baker was born in Hollywood, California and lived there and in Pismo Beach most of her life. Before becoming a professional writer she spent many years in theater, including teaching Elizabethan English as a second language...

. It won the 2004 Sturgeon Award and was nominated for the 2004 Hugo Award for Best Novella

Hugo Award for Best Novella

The Hugo Awards are given every year by the World Science Fiction Society for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was once officially...

 as well as the 2004 Nebula Award for Best Novella

Nebula Award for Best Novella

Winners of the Nebula Award for Best Novella. The stated year is that of publication; awards are given in the following year.-Winners and other nominees:-External links:**...

. The novella was expanded into a novel published in 2009.

Plot summary

The story follows Mary, a woman who owns the only bar on Mars. After being let go as the xenobotanist for the British Arean Company, she and a few loyal supporters work very hard to create not only a bar, but a business empire that deals in everything from barley to diamonds.

External links

• Text of the novella at the Asimov's website
• The Empress of Mars by Kage Baker at BestScienceFictionStories.com - A review of the novella and resources for finding it.