Something happened to the first humans who landed on Mars. All contact with them had been lost. The book therefore begins with the arrival of a rescue mission to Mars, which discovers the protagonist, Valentine Michael Smith, who has been born and raised on Mars, by native Martians. He possesses extraordinary abilities due to this unique upbringing. Smith is brought to Earth by the mission and becomes a subject of intense interest and scrutiny, especially by the media and religious groups.
As Smith learns about human culture and customs, he becomes disillusioned with the selfishness and materialism of society. He starts to question traditional morality and social norms, including monogamy and organized religion.
