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When John Carter is mysteriously transported to Mars, he obtains powers that allow him to rise in the Martian ranks, and save a princess, Dejah, from captivity. A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a work of science fantasy. As the first of Burroughs’s Barsoom series, A Princess of Mars follows the adventures of a man stranded on Mars.
About the author
Edgar Rice Burroughs (September 1, 1875 - March 19, 1950) was an American writer best known for his creations of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.
Aiming his work at the pulps, Burroughs had his first story, Under the Moons of Mars, serialized in The All-Story in 1912 - under the name "Norman Bean" to protect his reputation. Under the Moons of Mars inaugurated the Barsoom series and earned Burroughs $400. It was first published as a book in 1917, entitled A Princess of Mars, after three Barsoom sequels had appeared as serials and McClurg had published the first four serial Tarzan novels as books.
Burroughs soon took up writing full-time, and by the time the run of Under the Moons of Mars had finished he had completed two novels, including Tarzan of the Apes. Burroughs also wrote popular science fiction and fantasy stories involving adventurers from Earth transported to various planets (notably Barsoom, Burroughs's fictional name for Mars), lost islands, and into the interior of the hollow earth in his Pellucidar stories. He also wrote westerns and historical romances.
Tarzan was a cultural sensation when introduced. Burroughs was determined to capitalize on Tarzan's popularity in every way possible. He planned to exploit Tarzan through several different media including a syndicated Tarzan comic strip, movies and merchandise. Experts in the field advised against this course of action, stating that the different media would just end up competing against each other. Burroughs went ahead, however, and proved the experts wrong - the public wanted Tarzan in whatever fashion he was offered.
Summary
When John Carter discovers that his beloved wife, Dejah, has been imprisoned in the Temple of the Sun, he is desperate to rescue her. However, the prison, which slowly rotates, is only opened once a Barsoomian year. As Dejah’s prison sentence drags on for over a hundred days, the window of opportunity is narrowing for Carter to save her. Amid social and political unrest from the last war, the Thern had appointed a new leader, but many still believed in their ideologies. When Carter discovers that the new Thern leader, Matai Shang, and another new leader, Thurid, know the secret of the Temple of the Sun and intend to plan a prison break, he follows them, in hopes he could benefit from their plan. After Thurid and Matai Shang break out the prisoners that they planned to rescue: Phaidor, the daughter of the Holy Thern, and Thuvia, a Barsoomian princess, the two decide to take Dejah as well, not to save her but out of spite and contempt for Carter. As Carter chases after them in hopes of freeing his wife, he risks it all to save her and restore peace, encountering ambushes, new discoveries, and dramatic trials.
The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs is a nail-biting adventure that continues the narrative of its predecessor, The Gods of Mars. First published in 1914, Burroughs’ imaginative work is a perfect example of 20th century pulp fiction. Descriptive prose and an exciting plot are paired with thought-provoking themes of race and religion, allowing The Warlord of Mars to remain adventurous, fun, and reflective to modern readers.
This edition of The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs features a new, eye-catching cover design and is printed in an easy-to-read font. With these accommodations, The Warlord of Mars caters to a modern audience while preserving the original wonder and adventure of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ work.
