I used to love to read Ray Bradbury sci-fi, especially about Mars. A couple of years ago, I read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Mars series. Quite impossible, of course, but very entertaining.
The ERB stories were the story. Could have been set on Barsoom or anywhere else and it would have made no difference.
I loved Martian Chronicles, R is for Rocket, Dandelion Wine, etc. Elton John’s Rocket Man was based on a Ray Bradbury short story.