Status
Available
Call number
Series
Publication
Buenos Aires : Intersea, 1976.
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. Science Fiction. HTML: A Princess of Mars is the first in Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series. This science fiction planetary romance, packed full of dangerous feats and swordplay, is set on a dying Mars. It went on to inspire some of the great imaginations, among them Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury and Carl Sagan. Civil War veteran John Carter is unexpectedly transported to Barsoom, the planet we call Mars, and finds with the weaker gravity that he has super-human strength. In combat he finds respect and belonging with the Tharks, an aggressive race of green four-armed nomads. But when the Tharks capture the human-like Dejah Thoris, Carter feels the need to help this beautiful princess of Mars..
User reviews
LibraryThing member theokester
I've honestly been meaning to pick up Burrough's Barsoom Series ever since I first read Tarzan of the Apes a few years ago and was told that he'd written this sci-fi adventure series set on Mars. While I don't read a ton of contemporary science fiction novels, I find myself drawn to early sci-fi
I was surprised to learn that A Princess of Mars is the first book in an ELEVEN book series. I admit that it was written in the time when the public seemed to just eat up adventure novels like this, but I was still intrigued by the longevity of the series.
The writing definitely has that early 20th century feel to it. The language is elegant and thoughtful as opposed to just being thrown on the page to feel a pop-culture need for yet another blast 'em up space adventure. The main part of the story begins in the Arizona desert and involves John Carter doing a little prospecting with a friend and then being chased by warlike Indians. The plot and adventure felt very reminiscent of other adventure novels I'd read from the late-19th and early-20th century. The narration style, the descriptions, etc. All very familiarly well crafted and vibrant.
After a bit of excitement on Earth we are taken, almost literally, in the blink of an eye to Mars. Burroughs doesn't get into the science of how John Carter is transported to the planet nor does he initially say anything about how he's able to breathe and survive in the differing atmosphere.
Rather than focusing on the hard science, we are taken into an exploration of the softer science. John Carter discovers an incubator…his first glimpse into the Martian culture. He then meets and interacts with a variety of alien races. There is definitely some focus on the science of John's physiological differences (and the way gravity works differently on his body on Mars than on Earth) but the core exploration seems to be one of cultures, of relationships, of 'humanity.'
There are most definitely adventure scenes in this novel and they are quite fun. Some of the action and adventure comes from misunderstandings and the warlike nature of some of the Martian races, but a large part of the motivation is based on the romantic affectations of John Carter towards the Princess of Mars, a "red Martian" named Dejah Thoris.
For John, it was love at first sight with Dejah, but I loved the way he had to work hard to understand her and get her to reciprocate his feelings. I loved the way Burroughs focused on the difficulties of the "courtship" not only because John and Dejah were of different races…but also just because of the nature of interactions and misunderstandings between men and women generally. While certainly not an in-depth psychological reading, it was fun to see the male and female psyches come into play.
I found myself really engaged in the story. The book jumped very rapidly from one action sequence to another and from one part of Mars to another. Over the course of a very few pages we are bounced over the expanse of Mars and get to know two major "human-like" races along with the various tribes and sub-groups of each of these. We are given a glimpse into a very imaginative and fun new culture with strange new creatures and technologies. With the fast paced nature of the narrative, I sometimes wished for a little more character/plot development but by the same token, I felt like the fast pace actually helped develop some of these elements in a way far more effective and interesting.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to checking out others in the Barsoom series. I haven't yet seen the movie though I have seen it getting fairly unfavorable reviews. I still want to see the film to see if perhaps a knowledge of the book will make it a better experience than the reviews suggest. Regardless of the quality of the movie, I can definitely recommend this book to most readers.
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(though I still haven't read a ton of the pioneering novels like this one). Once I heard the movie was coming out, I decided it was high time to jump into these books. I was surprised to learn that A Princess of Mars is the first book in an ELEVEN book series. I admit that it was written in the time when the public seemed to just eat up adventure novels like this, but I was still intrigued by the longevity of the series.
The writing definitely has that early 20th century feel to it. The language is elegant and thoughtful as opposed to just being thrown on the page to feel a pop-culture need for yet another blast 'em up space adventure. The main part of the story begins in the Arizona desert and involves John Carter doing a little prospecting with a friend and then being chased by warlike Indians. The plot and adventure felt very reminiscent of other adventure novels I'd read from the late-19th and early-20th century. The narration style, the descriptions, etc. All very familiarly well crafted and vibrant.
After a bit of excitement on Earth we are taken, almost literally, in the blink of an eye to Mars. Burroughs doesn't get into the science of how John Carter is transported to the planet nor does he initially say anything about how he's able to breathe and survive in the differing atmosphere.
Rather than focusing on the hard science, we are taken into an exploration of the softer science. John Carter discovers an incubator…his first glimpse into the Martian culture. He then meets and interacts with a variety of alien races. There is definitely some focus on the science of John's physiological differences (and the way gravity works differently on his body on Mars than on Earth) but the core exploration seems to be one of cultures, of relationships, of 'humanity.'
There are most definitely adventure scenes in this novel and they are quite fun. Some of the action and adventure comes from misunderstandings and the warlike nature of some of the Martian races, but a large part of the motivation is based on the romantic affectations of John Carter towards the Princess of Mars, a "red Martian" named Dejah Thoris.
For John, it was love at first sight with Dejah, but I loved the way he had to work hard to understand her and get her to reciprocate his feelings. I loved the way Burroughs focused on the difficulties of the "courtship" not only because John and Dejah were of different races…but also just because of the nature of interactions and misunderstandings between men and women generally. While certainly not an in-depth psychological reading, it was fun to see the male and female psyches come into play.
I found myself really engaged in the story. The book jumped very rapidly from one action sequence to another and from one part of Mars to another. Over the course of a very few pages we are bounced over the expanse of Mars and get to know two major "human-like" races along with the various tribes and sub-groups of each of these. We are given a glimpse into a very imaginative and fun new culture with strange new creatures and technologies. With the fast paced nature of the narrative, I sometimes wished for a little more character/plot development but by the same token, I felt like the fast pace actually helped develop some of these elements in a way far more effective and interesting.
I really enjoyed this book and look forward to checking out others in the Barsoom series. I haven't yet seen the movie though I have seen it getting fairly unfavorable reviews. I still want to see the film to see if perhaps a knowledge of the book will make it a better experience than the reviews suggest. Regardless of the quality of the movie, I can definitely recommend this book to most readers.
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LibraryThing member yesssman
There are reasons why the story of John Carter, gentleman of Virginia and his high adventure on a strange world, has served as either a major influence of, or had its premise more or less rehashed, in countless forms and in several entertainment genres (novels, comics, movies, etc.)
It is fun! It is
John Carter's transportation to Mars, and the great power this event bestows upon him, echoes our yearnings to have the power to change our own situations in life. Some so called "sophisticated" readers may call this story overly reader-gratifying in its (I'll admit sometimes ridiculous) confluence of propitious events, which propel John Carter to the highest honors and happiness to which any man of two worlds could aspire. I think readers should not get wrapped up in this attribute (which really was necessary given the time and nature of the work's publication), but rather appreciate the feelings and hopes that these events and Carter's values, powerfully, bring out in us.
Besides the fantastic adventure and gripping plot line, I also particularly enjoy the amoral standpoint that Burroughs takes. Many events (**spoiler alert**), such as the destruction of Zodanga, are quite morally ambiguous, especially given John Carter's strict honor code. Yet Burroughs doesn't let his story be hampered or slowed by a more textbook plot element. This accelerates the action satisfyingly and at the same time highlights the stark contrast of morality on a dying world from that of Earth.
This book is a combination of pure fun and some great literary elements, I highly recommend it!
It is fun! It is
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strange! It shouts to the restless spirit in us all! Best of all, it is a timeless sci-fi story which resonates with us without feeling dated at all (as some later generations of the genre quickly become).John Carter's transportation to Mars, and the great power this event bestows upon him, echoes our yearnings to have the power to change our own situations in life. Some so called "sophisticated" readers may call this story overly reader-gratifying in its (I'll admit sometimes ridiculous) confluence of propitious events, which propel John Carter to the highest honors and happiness to which any man of two worlds could aspire. I think readers should not get wrapped up in this attribute (which really was necessary given the time and nature of the work's publication), but rather appreciate the feelings and hopes that these events and Carter's values, powerfully, bring out in us.
Besides the fantastic adventure and gripping plot line, I also particularly enjoy the amoral standpoint that Burroughs takes. Many events (**spoiler alert**), such as the destruction of Zodanga, are quite morally ambiguous, especially given John Carter's strict honor code. Yet Burroughs doesn't let his story be hampered or slowed by a more textbook plot element. This accelerates the action satisfyingly and at the same time highlights the stark contrast of morality on a dying world from that of Earth.
This book is a combination of pure fun and some great literary elements, I highly recommend it!
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LibraryThing member bibliojim
I read this book at the age of eleven, and couldn't stop reading until I had read all eleven books of the series. Aged fifty-four now, I still remember my fascination. This book launched a lifetime of reading sci fi and fantasy. At a young age I would have given the book six stars. Now, it has too
The paperbacks I read had no illustrations. This edition illustrated by David Burton is really wonderful.
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little complexity and meaning to warrant five, though it is still a great adventure story. But were I at that young age again, I am certain I would again give it the maximum score, and on that basis, and with a fond memory, I rate the book five stars.The paperbacks I read had no illustrations. This edition illustrated by David Burton is really wonderful.
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LibraryThing member EmScape
A Princess of Mars is a Science Fiction classic for good reason. The exploration of new worlds and alien cultures, fierce battles in which our hero thrives, a lovely and courageous heroine, and wonderfully expressive writing combine to make this one of the best. That it is the first in a long
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series is even more amazing! I was late in coming to this author, but the timelessness of his tales make it a fantastic discovery. Looking forward to more! Show Less
LibraryThing member sbloom42
It reads like every 1950's Martian movie, but that's only because it set the standard for Martian stories. It is the original story of a man going to Mars and interacting with the alien civilizations he finds there. At times the hero is a bit too dashing, but that adds to the campy aspect of the
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read. It's enjoyable pulp, with a twist ending that's a bit like "what happens after the fairy tale is over?" The racial aspects of the story, red men and green men as savage warring civilizations, was laid on a bit too thick at times. Burroughs is writing from the perspective of early 20th Century America, where the Western frontier was quickly closing as white America was bringing an end to their destruction of the "red man", and at times it felt like he let his prejudices slip into the story. Overall, though, a very fun read. Show Less
LibraryThing member wildbill
2012 is the centennial year for this book, the first volume in the Barsoom series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. John Carter, the hero of this book, appears in six of the eleven books in the series. Library of America published this edition to celebrate the centenary. The art work on the cover is very
The book begins with the hero in Arizona being chased by Apache warriors. He finds safety in a cave. He is found by the Apaches who turn and run from whatever is making a deep rumbling noise in the back of the cave. Carter becomes paralyzed by a vapor in the cave and then leaves his body and escapes from the cave. He looks up into the night sky and sees the red planet. In a gesture of longing he raises his arms and is transported to Mars.
His time on Mars is a terrific fast paced adventure story. The low gravity of Mars turns Carter into a warrior with incredible skills. He needs those skills as he battles with different species of creatures out to kill him. Burroughs does a great job of peopling Mars with various types peoples and animals. The different types of Martians are patterned on homo sapiens and are very aggressive.
Carter's romance with the Princess of Mars is the innocent romance of our young adult years. This is a young adult book but the action and the Martian background which Burroughs created made for an entertaining read.
I liked the book more than I thought I would. I was pulled in by the characters and the action/adventure kept me reading to the end. I will probably try another in the series just for kicks.
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good and there are also several full page drawings in the book which add to the story.The book begins with the hero in Arizona being chased by Apache warriors. He finds safety in a cave. He is found by the Apaches who turn and run from whatever is making a deep rumbling noise in the back of the cave. Carter becomes paralyzed by a vapor in the cave and then leaves his body and escapes from the cave. He looks up into the night sky and sees the red planet. In a gesture of longing he raises his arms and is transported to Mars.
His time on Mars is a terrific fast paced adventure story. The low gravity of Mars turns Carter into a warrior with incredible skills. He needs those skills as he battles with different species of creatures out to kill him. Burroughs does a great job of peopling Mars with various types peoples and animals. The different types of Martians are patterned on homo sapiens and are very aggressive.
Carter's romance with the Princess of Mars is the innocent romance of our young adult years. This is a young adult book but the action and the Martian background which Burroughs created made for an entertaining read.
I liked the book more than I thought I would. I was pulled in by the characters and the action/adventure kept me reading to the end. I will probably try another in the series just for kicks.
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LibraryThing member usnmm2
Have read all of this series ( 11 books ) several times. Pure no brainers and a pleasure to read. Good guy versus bad guys and the good guy always wins, gets the girl and sometimes the bad guys are converted.
LibraryThing member Belana
It was one of the first librivox recordings I listened to, and I was hooked. Yes, it is cliched and everything, but I still enjoyed it and its sequels very much. I then went on and listened to more audio books from libri vox, and I never looked back. I'm only sorry I didn't discover it a lot
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earlier. Show Less
LibraryThing member Michael.Kibler
Recently, I have been reading the book, A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, it s a very interesting book including a lot more detail than other books written in our time. A Princess of Mars is one of the best books I have read because of the attention to detail during every move that the
John Carter, is more for peace and love. If what he wants, involves killing or harming other people or things he does what he needs to do to get his way. Such as when he first got to Mars and met up with the Tharks he had a big six legged animal following him for protection. John wanted to adventure around and explore his surroundings. When that happened, the animal following him was hissing and growling because of the boundaries he was passing, soon after the great white, four armed, apes of Mars rushed him and harmed the animal that had sworn to protect him. He later killed the apes and the animal was harmed in the wrong doing of his adventure. The Chieftan, Tonka Jan, wanted to put down the animal because of the culture he had came from, but John spared the animals life because that isn't how humans react to those kind of things. John ended up killing Tonka Jan because of the dispute.
I think, that the Author didn't mean to write so highly about John Carter at first because later on he put more thought into developing his back ground information. Such as in the beginning of the book he was so happy to be with the Tharks because they accepted him for being an excellent warrior but showed no love towards him. He later craved that love that he missed for the ten years when he was with the Tharks and ran away to find the better civilization and take his true love, lovely princess of helium Dejah Thoris, back to her home in the town of helium where the it was a custom to show love and affection for one another. The Customs of the Tharks were very different, where every male was a warrior no matter what and couldn't show affection to anyone of any kind.
The most of all I think that this book was very good because of the detail that he puts into each and every paragraph. Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Author, talks to highly of the landscape like it s the great Alaskan wilderness and John carter has to conquer it. On a scale of one to ten; I give this book a ten because of the amount of thought put into developing the story. If you were to guess what the story was about before reading the book you would be shocked how it actually ends. The Princess of Mars, was by far one of the greatest books I have ever read.
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main character, John Carter, happens to make. It starts off with John in Montana based back in the civil war era when the nation is slowly being ripped apart by the north, south war going on. When John Carter makes it to Mars, he soon becomes acquainted with the Tharks. Tharks are a very intelligent but harsh clan that does not like to intervene with other clans that live upon Mars. They later capture a prisoner that turns out to be a princess that John Carter saves and falls in love with but rather than running away with her he has to fight for her love against other Martians. I would have thought that the author would take a different approach that all of the clans would group together and make a civilization to better the community since Mars is a very dry place, but he split them up to form rivalries between different clans and later create more action between them. John Carter, is more for peace and love. If what he wants, involves killing or harming other people or things he does what he needs to do to get his way. Such as when he first got to Mars and met up with the Tharks he had a big six legged animal following him for protection. John wanted to adventure around and explore his surroundings. When that happened, the animal following him was hissing and growling because of the boundaries he was passing, soon after the great white, four armed, apes of Mars rushed him and harmed the animal that had sworn to protect him. He later killed the apes and the animal was harmed in the wrong doing of his adventure. The Chieftan, Tonka Jan, wanted to put down the animal because of the culture he had came from, but John spared the animals life because that isn't how humans react to those kind of things. John ended up killing Tonka Jan because of the dispute.
I think, that the Author didn't mean to write so highly about John Carter at first because later on he put more thought into developing his back ground information. Such as in the beginning of the book he was so happy to be with the Tharks because they accepted him for being an excellent warrior but showed no love towards him. He later craved that love that he missed for the ten years when he was with the Tharks and ran away to find the better civilization and take his true love, lovely princess of helium Dejah Thoris, back to her home in the town of helium where the it was a custom to show love and affection for one another. The Customs of the Tharks were very different, where every male was a warrior no matter what and couldn't show affection to anyone of any kind.
The most of all I think that this book was very good because of the detail that he puts into each and every paragraph. Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Author, talks to highly of the landscape like it s the great Alaskan wilderness and John carter has to conquer it. On a scale of one to ten; I give this book a ten because of the amount of thought put into developing the story. If you were to guess what the story was about before reading the book you would be shocked how it actually ends. The Princess of Mars, was by far one of the greatest books I have ever read.
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LibraryThing member isabelx
I opened my eyes upon a strange and weird landscape. I knew that I was on Mars; not once did I question either my sanity or my wakefulness. I was not asleep, no need for pinching here; my inner consciousness told me as plainly that I was upon Mars as your conscious mind tells you that your are upon
There is a mystery about John Carter that is almost forgotten in the excitement of his adventures on Mars. He claims to be immortal and that he has been known as Uncle Jack to generations of his family but has appeared to be abut 30 years old (if indeed they are his relations, since he can't remember his childhood). I wonder whether this is explained in one of the later books, or whether his origins will remain forever mysterious.
I noticed that in a couple of places John Carter uses the word shambles in its old sense, of a place where animals are slaughtered and butchered. When he describes the aftermath of a battle as a 'bloody shambles' he is not swearing, and means that it is literally covered in gore and body parts, and not that it is a disorganised mess. I wonder if that meaning was still in general use in Virginia at the time of the American Civil War, or whether his use of obsolete terms is pointing to his immortality?
I liked Sola's story and how it showed that the green martians' cold and loveless society is a cultural artefact rather than determined by evolution and genetics I liked John Carter a lot too; he says that he isn't a hero because taking the easy way out never even occurs to him until afterwards, he sees the green martians as men and women rather than alien monsters, and he is very fond of animals and uses kindness to turn the 'guard-dog' into a loyal and friendly pet, and the unpredictable throats into reliable mounts who won't throw their rider at the worst possible moment and try to gore him.
There is one one thing about this book that I definitely don't like - Edgar Rice Burroughs is just rubbish at thinking up character names! The women's names aren't so bad, but John Carter is a boring name for the protagonist, and the martian men's names such as Kantos Kan and Tars Tarkas.just seem ridiculously clunky.
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I nominated this book for the Motley Fool on-line book club, because the recent film based on it, "John Carter", was so badly received that I thought it would be interesting to see what the original story was like, and it won the vote for a book available as a free download.
Now that I have finished, I would quite like to see the recent film to see how they made such a mess of it. I would have thought that "A Princess of Mars" would made a good film, as it has an exotic alien setting, a likeable hero and heroine, romantic misunderstandings, character development (Tars Tarkas and the green martians), monstrous beasts (the white apes), cuddly beasts (the loveable Woola), and plenty of excitement in the form of daring escapes, airship chases, sword-fights and battles on land and in the air.
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Earth. You do not question the fact; neither did I.There is a mystery about John Carter that is almost forgotten in the excitement of his adventures on Mars. He claims to be immortal and that he has been known as Uncle Jack to generations of his family but has appeared to be abut 30 years old (if indeed they are his relations, since he can't remember his childhood). I wonder whether this is explained in one of the later books, or whether his origins will remain forever mysterious.
I noticed that in a couple of places John Carter uses the word shambles in its old sense, of a place where animals are slaughtered and butchered. When he describes the aftermath of a battle as a 'bloody shambles' he is not swearing, and means that it is literally covered in gore and body parts, and not that it is a disorganised mess. I wonder if that meaning was still in general use in Virginia at the time of the American Civil War, or whether his use of obsolete terms is pointing to his immortality?
I liked Sola's story and how it showed that the green martians' cold and loveless society is a cultural artefact rather than determined by evolution and genetics I liked John Carter a lot too; he says that he isn't a hero because taking the easy way out never even occurs to him until afterwards, he sees the green martians as men and women rather than alien monsters, and he is very fond of animals and uses kindness to turn the 'guard-dog' into a loyal and friendly pet, and the unpredictable throats into reliable mounts who won't throw their rider at the worst possible moment and try to gore him.
There is one one thing about this book that I definitely don't like - Edgar Rice Burroughs is just rubbish at thinking up character names! The women's names aren't so bad, but John Carter is a boring name for the protagonist, and the martian men's names such as Kantos Kan and Tars Tarkas.just seem ridiculously clunky.
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I nominated this book for the Motley Fool on-line book club, because the recent film based on it, "John Carter", was so badly received that I thought it would be interesting to see what the original story was like, and it won the vote for a book available as a free download.
Now that I have finished, I would quite like to see the recent film to see how they made such a mess of it. I would have thought that "A Princess of Mars" would made a good film, as it has an exotic alien setting, a likeable hero and heroine, romantic misunderstandings, character development (Tars Tarkas and the green martians), monstrous beasts (the white apes), cuddly beasts (the loveable Woola), and plenty of excitement in the form of daring escapes, airship chases, sword-fights and battles on land and in the air.
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LibraryThing member dknippling
I wasn't expecting to like this as much as I did. Fantastic; I read it through in a sitting and enjoyed it from one end to the other. It was like he had some brilliant insight into how to push my happy buttons. Not something I'd read to increase my enlightenment or insight into life, but a good
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"lay down your troubles and be refreshed" kind of book. Show Less
LibraryThing member GTTexas
It's a real pleasure to revisit the "Barsoom" series after nearly 50 years. They're even better than I remember!
LibraryThing member Matke
The first in the John Carter series, this book is a very quick, entertaining read.
Mr. Carter seems to be about thirty, but his true age is unknown. When he hides from his pursuers in the back of a dark cave, he’s suddenly and unexpectedly transported to Mars. This book covers his initial
Author Burroughs never pretended to be anything but a writer of pulp action stories. Thank goodness he excelled at his chosen field. The John Carter books have had an enormous influence on sci-fi thrillers over the years, and reading them is both entertaining and informative about how the genre started.
Not every book has to be deep, meaningful, and important. Sometimes a reader just wants to have fun, and this book provides plenty of that.
Mr. Carter seems to be about thirty, but his true age is unknown. When he hides from his pursuers in the back of a dark cave, he’s suddenly and unexpectedly transported to Mars. This book covers his initial
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encounters with the strange Martian “humans” and his romance with his true love, the inimitable Dajah Thoris, the princess of the title.Author Burroughs never pretended to be anything but a writer of pulp action stories. Thank goodness he excelled at his chosen field. The John Carter books have had an enormous influence on sci-fi thrillers over the years, and reading them is both entertaining and informative about how the genre started.
Not every book has to be deep, meaningful, and important. Sometimes a reader just wants to have fun, and this book provides plenty of that.
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LibraryThing member vonze
For years I intended to read this novel. I heard over and over again how it's classic scifi, influencer of many books, movies, tv shows we love today. Published in 1917, it's the great-granddaddy of them all.
Then Disney happened. 'John Carter of Mars' is Disney's film version of 'A Princess of
Curious how bad the movie could be, the husband and I watched it. It's NOT that bad. I've endured much worse blockbusters. The pacing in the beginning is slow, but ultimately the film improves later on. Dunno if the pacing/bad editing in the beginning turned people away, or if they didn't like the mix of scifi and fantasy. In today's world, scifi can be very scientific. If the theories in the story aren't kinda maybe possible, people will pick them apart (Scientists on NPR covering Jurassic World for example). We want our scifi to be almost real.
John Carter is a Civil War veteran who finds a cave that takes him to Mars. It's not extremely scientific, it's more magical. He suddenly finds that he also has super human powers on Mars. He befriends a local tribe of green people, gets caught up in politics (that are about as interesting as the Star Wars prequels), and falls in love with a captive humanoid princess. Like any super hero, he saves the day and gets the girl. The book ends on a sad note, but sets the story up for its many sequels.
The story is told by John Carter and really shows its age. Indians are out to get you old-West-style. John Carter is a Confederate gentleman who never forgets his genteel manners no matter what's happening to him. Everyone is either super good or bad. The princess is objectified and needs saving. John Carter suddenly notices that she's humanoid and is instantly in love with her. He turns kinda "Me Tarzan, You Jane" on her. So, it doesn't stand the test of time. When reading (or watching the movie) you've really got to consider the time frame it was published. It's very imaginative for its time. The book rightly belongs on the shelf with other old timers like Tarzan (also by Burroughs) and The Prisoner of Zenda, Still not a bad read if you're a scifi nerd, into classics, or both.
Then Disney happened. 'John Carter of Mars' is Disney's film version of 'A Princess of
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Mars'. Dunno why they didn't call the movie by the book's title, unless it goes along with the company trying to get away from anything 'Princess' (thus titles like 'Tangled,' 'Brave,' and 'Frozen'). At first, I was happy a movie was being made of the book. I thought, maybe, it'd give me a taste of the novel, so I'd know what to expect. But then, I'll be honest, I didn't go see the movie because the reviews were so bad. Everyone seemed to be so mad at Disney for created something so stupid. I kept wondering if Disney didn't do the book justice or the reviewers hated the book, too. No one ever said. No one mentioned that it was classic scifi novel in the public domain...and although Disney lost money, it wasn't like it was an original Disney work they poured their hearts out over.Curious how bad the movie could be, the husband and I watched it. It's NOT that bad. I've endured much worse blockbusters. The pacing in the beginning is slow, but ultimately the film improves later on. Dunno if the pacing/bad editing in the beginning turned people away, or if they didn't like the mix of scifi and fantasy. In today's world, scifi can be very scientific. If the theories in the story aren't kinda maybe possible, people will pick them apart (Scientists on NPR covering Jurassic World for example). We want our scifi to be almost real.
John Carter is a Civil War veteran who finds a cave that takes him to Mars. It's not extremely scientific, it's more magical. He suddenly finds that he also has super human powers on Mars. He befriends a local tribe of green people, gets caught up in politics (that are about as interesting as the Star Wars prequels), and falls in love with a captive humanoid princess. Like any super hero, he saves the day and gets the girl. The book ends on a sad note, but sets the story up for its many sequels.
The story is told by John Carter and really shows its age. Indians are out to get you old-West-style. John Carter is a Confederate gentleman who never forgets his genteel manners no matter what's happening to him. Everyone is either super good or bad. The princess is objectified and needs saving. John Carter suddenly notices that she's humanoid and is instantly in love with her. He turns kinda "Me Tarzan, You Jane" on her. So, it doesn't stand the test of time. When reading (or watching the movie) you've really got to consider the time frame it was published. It's very imaginative for its time. The book rightly belongs on the shelf with other old timers like Tarzan (also by Burroughs) and The Prisoner of Zenda, Still not a bad read if you're a scifi nerd, into classics, or both.
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LibraryThing member DaveWilde
Edgar Rice Burroughs' 1912 novel "A Princess of Mars" is a brilliant, wonderful piece of literature. That it is still just as good one hundred years after it was written is testament to just how good a writer Burroughs was. What would it be like to be transported to another planet without a
At root, if you put aside the alien planet, it is a story of a mighty swordsman and a beautiful princess and the swordsman, blundering though he may be in the ways of women, has sworn to save this damsel in distress though a million swords be arrayed against him. It is a story of a gallant Virginia gentleman and his love story to rescue over and over again his princess, Dejah Thoris. It is at times chivalry like the knights of the round table or the three musketeers.
Burroughs, back in 1912, gave his swordfighting warriors of Mars a few technological details, such as fliers that hovered above the seabeds and ray guns, but they preferred to fight with swords and fists and wear little but harnesses to hold their weapons. The people of Burroughs' Mars had an atmospheric plant that kept the thin atmosphere breathable and navigation systems on their fliers, but they were, even the red martians, in numerous little city-states forever at war with each other.
Burroughs wrote this story of chivalry and derring-do for a readership that craved adventure, but he gave them far more than just adventure. He created mighty kingdoms and history and a whole culture that is just stupendous. No one before or since has created a sword and planet story quite as good as Burroughs did and this the first of the eleven Martian books was the best of all.
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spaceship, guns, or even clothes? What would it be like to be plopped all alone in an alien culture with nothing to rely on but one's wits, strength, agility, courage, and ethics? What would that world be like if it was dried up planet with mere canals to provide water and its mighty seas were dried up? What if that planet had an ancient culture that had vanished with the drying up of the seas and all that remained were dead seas and hordes of savages roaming the dead sea bottoms? What if these savages did not even give birth as we do but laid eggs and placed them in incubators for five long years? These are the questions Burrough must have asked before writing this terrific novel that spawned generation after generation of science fiction novels.At root, if you put aside the alien planet, it is a story of a mighty swordsman and a beautiful princess and the swordsman, blundering though he may be in the ways of women, has sworn to save this damsel in distress though a million swords be arrayed against him. It is a story of a gallant Virginia gentleman and his love story to rescue over and over again his princess, Dejah Thoris. It is at times chivalry like the knights of the round table or the three musketeers.
Burroughs, back in 1912, gave his swordfighting warriors of Mars a few technological details, such as fliers that hovered above the seabeds and ray guns, but they preferred to fight with swords and fists and wear little but harnesses to hold their weapons. The people of Burroughs' Mars had an atmospheric plant that kept the thin atmosphere breathable and navigation systems on their fliers, but they were, even the red martians, in numerous little city-states forever at war with each other.
Burroughs wrote this story of chivalry and derring-do for a readership that craved adventure, but he gave them far more than just adventure. He created mighty kingdoms and history and a whole culture that is just stupendous. No one before or since has created a sword and planet story quite as good as Burroughs did and this the first of the eleven Martian books was the best of all.
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LibraryThing member vis02124
Some books from childhood stand the test of time when you visit them again as an adult, and others do not. Happily for me, A Princess Of Mars is all I remember it to be when I first found it in my local library as a boy of 12 determined to read every single book in the building.
I think Burroughs
I think Burroughs
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lost his cache as Tolkien wrested the minds of my generation. It's a pity, because he was a great storyteller, building stories slowly, chapter by chapter, until you were ready to believe the entire improbable framework. The very best thing I can say about this story is that can't wait to read the next one, and remember, over the chasm of the years, what happens next. Show Less
LibraryThing member veracite
How awesome are the green women of Mars? Engineers, trauma surgeons, armorers, blacksmiths, teachers and more. What are the green men of Mars? Naked dudes with weapons.
How does John Carter win the people's ovation and fame forever on Barsoom? Cuddles, people. He wins it with cuddles and kindness.
Mars needs cuddles, my friends. Mars needs cuddles.
I love this book. It is vibrant and silly and earnest and purportedly about manly business but every page is about the awesomeness of the ladies. Ok, sure, Dejah Thoris could do a bit more rescuing of herself and a bit less swanning about being sternly princessly and stiff upper lipped. She does save the day once, I suppose. I'd like to see more of her being awesome in subsequent books.
My major complaint is being robbed of the reunion of Sola and Tars Tarkas. Books and books about Sola would be very fine indeed.
In an epic display of juvenile behaviour, I found myself giggling every time I remembered that all the characters were naked but for jewellery and weapons. I find it hilarious that all the cover illustrations are over-dressing!
How does John Carter win the people's ovation and fame forever on Barsoom? Cuddles, people. He wins it with cuddles and kindness.
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Were he just a guy from a planet with higher gravity, he would still win the fights he fought and won, but he would not have won the affection and loyalty of Woola, his faithful toothy hound, and the thoats, and he would not have Sola and Dejah Thoris as his allies, all key at various points to his survival on Mars.Mars needs cuddles, my friends. Mars needs cuddles.
I love this book. It is vibrant and silly and earnest and purportedly about manly business but every page is about the awesomeness of the ladies. Ok, sure, Dejah Thoris could do a bit more rescuing of herself and a bit less swanning about being sternly princessly and stiff upper lipped. She does save the day once, I suppose. I'd like to see more of her being awesome in subsequent books.
My major complaint is being robbed of the reunion of Sola and Tars Tarkas. Books and books about Sola would be very fine indeed.
In an epic display of juvenile behaviour, I found myself giggling every time I remembered that all the characters were naked but for jewellery and weapons. I find it hilarious that all the cover illustrations are over-dressing!
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LibraryThing member xicanti
An American man is mystically transported to Mars; there, he falls in love with a beautiful princess and must fight to win her.
First published in 1912 as a six-part serial adventure, this book holds up very well. Burroughs writes simply and elegantly; the book is fun, exciting, and very readable.
It's important to remember that this book comes from a time when science fiction was about romance and adventure rather than technology and ideas; it's quite a bit lighter than modern fare, and this might put some readers off. However, those who enjoy quick, purely entertaining reads should get a big kick out of it. I know I did.
First published in 1912 as a six-part serial adventure, this book holds up very well. Burroughs writes simply and elegantly; the book is fun, exciting, and very readable.
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It often enters the realm of melodrama, and the world is not, perhaps, as well-developed as modern readers have come to expect, but it's a rewarding read nonetheless. There's always something interesting going on, and the ending is just the sort of romantic cliffhanger that Burroughs excels at. When I first read this, I was more than eager to get my hands on the next volume so I could make sure everything turned out all right.It's important to remember that this book comes from a time when science fiction was about romance and adventure rather than technology and ideas; it's quite a bit lighter than modern fare, and this might put some readers off. However, those who enjoy quick, purely entertaining reads should get a big kick out of it. I know I did.
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LibraryThing member TheDivineOomba
Hmmm. Such a hard book to review - on one, a classic science fiction story from 1912- on the other hand, a story that isn't all that well written. I do think people interested in Science Fiction should read it - but there is so much better science fiction out, that you should skip this if you are
John Carter is man of Chivalry and Honour - Which is to say, he is willing to kill without regard to life if its a lower being (Which is almost everybody in this book). He has all sorts of super powers and able to pick things up quickly. John can do no wrong. Add to it that he can turn around an entire culture in the space of a book (using good old American Morality). And Generally, becomes almost Godlike by the end.
I do like that the author used current (for the age) science to explain his points, such as the gravity of Mars and implementing the newly discovered element of Helium into the story line (the princess is often referred to as "The Princess of Helium" by John Carter in the book.
So- take it for what it is, an early example of science fiction that is written without much regard to literary values.
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looking for a good story.John Carter is man of Chivalry and Honour - Which is to say, he is willing to kill without regard to life if its a lower being (Which is almost everybody in this book). He has all sorts of super powers and able to pick things up quickly. John can do no wrong. Add to it that he can turn around an entire culture in the space of a book (using good old American Morality). And Generally, becomes almost Godlike by the end.
I do like that the author used current (for the age) science to explain his points, such as the gravity of Mars and implementing the newly discovered element of Helium into the story line (the princess is often referred to as "The Princess of Helium" by John Carter in the book.
So- take it for what it is, an early example of science fiction that is written without much regard to literary values.
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LibraryThing member Karlstar
Not much you can say about the Mars series of books that hasn't been said before. Burroughs was the first and best of the 'barbarian planet' writers, and his stories are great entertainment. The earthman, John Carter, gets transported astrally to Mars, where he is a fantastic fighter. He meets and
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falls in love with a princess there, and has to save her from all sorts of dangers. There's a rumor that there's a movie based on these books coming out, and I can't wait! Show Less
LibraryThing member DWWilkin
John Carter!
The Warlord of Mars!
Dejah Thoris, the most beautiful woman ever!
Action! Excitement!
It was all that in my youth. But somehow now, as an adult, things have changed.
The writing is muddied, and the perspective not near as good as I remembered from those past times.
For a young person, A
Now though I see that there are points in the writing and development of the story that do not work as well for me as an adult that did when I was a child. Enjoyable yes. But not the great adventure story that it had been. And then suspend my disbelief as Burroughs tried to build his world. That has some problems that just don't seem to connect and I can't gloss over as I could when I was younger.
Not only that, but the action just does not seem as well choreographed as it used to seem, and from the fire to the frying pan is just one looping occurrence. John Carter never seems to have a moment to take a breath which a penny-dreadful type tale might require. A well developed novel feels like it should allow for more.
At this stage, having read the series when a child, I might finish the entire reread, but I think watching Disney's interpretation even with actors who are not as heroic, or as beautiful, as Burroughs portrayed them will serve.
The Warlord of Mars!
Dejah Thoris, the most beautiful woman ever!
Action! Excitement!
It was all that in my youth. But somehow now, as an adult, things have changed.
The writing is muddied, and the perspective not near as good as I remembered from those past times.
For a young person, A
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Princess of Mars is a classic. The times that Burroughs wrote, this first person narrative style was probably all the rage. I remember that I felt a compulsion to read the stories when in my teens.Now though I see that there are points in the writing and development of the story that do not work as well for me as an adult that did when I was a child. Enjoyable yes. But not the great adventure story that it had been. And then suspend my disbelief as Burroughs tried to build his world. That has some problems that just don't seem to connect and I can't gloss over as I could when I was younger.
Not only that, but the action just does not seem as well choreographed as it used to seem, and from the fire to the frying pan is just one looping occurrence. John Carter never seems to have a moment to take a breath which a penny-dreadful type tale might require. A well developed novel feels like it should allow for more.
At this stage, having read the series when a child, I might finish the entire reread, but I think watching Disney's interpretation even with actors who are not as heroic, or as beautiful, as Burroughs portrayed them will serve.
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LibraryThing member bryanspellman
Written in 1912 this classic still carries much weight today. I am on a "classic" kick right now. Wells, Doyle, Howard and this was just what the doctor ordered. Classic stuff from this classic writter
LibraryThing member imota
Written in 1911, "A Princess of Mars" becomes Burrough's first novel in the Martian series.
It is a fast-paced SF/adventure novel which features Captain John Carter of the U.S. Confederate Army who is mysteriously transferred to Mars from a Nevada cave after being chased by wild Indians. Having
The Martian society is divided into several feuding parties (the most important - Green Martians and Red Martians). It is an equivalent of ancient Sparta or war stricken Iraq of today where military skills, discipline, brutality and heroism permeate all pores of society.
Since the Green Martians don't know what friendship or mercy mean, they are often troubled by John Carter's display of similar traits. Further, they don't know what the real family is. Their babies were hatched from eggs and then taken care by the community.
John Carter's encounter with Dejah Thoris, a beautiful Princess of Red Martians (now captured by the Green Martians and sentenced to death) is a turning point for John. Now, he must decide whether to switch his alliance from the Green Martians to the Red ones.
Not only does the Princess Dejah Thoris look as a woman from the Planet Earth, she also harbors the same emotions as John - empathy, love, friendship, mercy...It's not surprising then that John (now stricken by love for beautiful Princess) decides to free her from her captors. This was eventually done after so many misfortunes, bloody fights and surprising twists in the story.
In conclusion, this book is neither a masterpiece nor a trashy novel of pulp fiction. The author truly captured my imagination by his crafty story-telling which convincingly defines what a true adventure/SF novel is supposed to be.
It is a fast-paced SF/adventure novel which features Captain John Carter of the U.S. Confederate Army who is mysteriously transferred to Mars from a Nevada cave after being chased by wild Indians. Having
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superior fighting skills and agility than his Martian warriors, John Carter soon becomes one of the key commanders in the Green Martian army. The Martian society is divided into several feuding parties (the most important - Green Martians and Red Martians). It is an equivalent of ancient Sparta or war stricken Iraq of today where military skills, discipline, brutality and heroism permeate all pores of society.
Since the Green Martians don't know what friendship or mercy mean, they are often troubled by John Carter's display of similar traits. Further, they don't know what the real family is. Their babies were hatched from eggs and then taken care by the community.
John Carter's encounter with Dejah Thoris, a beautiful Princess of Red Martians (now captured by the Green Martians and sentenced to death) is a turning point for John. Now, he must decide whether to switch his alliance from the Green Martians to the Red ones.
Not only does the Princess Dejah Thoris look as a woman from the Planet Earth, she also harbors the same emotions as John - empathy, love, friendship, mercy...It's not surprising then that John (now stricken by love for beautiful Princess) decides to free her from her captors. This was eventually done after so many misfortunes, bloody fights and surprising twists in the story.
In conclusion, this book is neither a masterpiece nor a trashy novel of pulp fiction. The author truly captured my imagination by his crafty story-telling which convincingly defines what a true adventure/SF novel is supposed to be.
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LibraryThing member minimarg
A Princess of Mars follows the adventures of John Carter, Gentleman of VIrginia, when he finds himself on the surface of Mars. He is held prisioner by green martians, but falls in love with another prisoner, an red woman named Dejah Thoris. He saves her many times, and his love for her grows. They
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are seperated later, and John worries he will never see her again, or worse, that she is dead. Show Less
LibraryThing member sf_addict
Though seemingly far fetched from today's viewpoint it is an excellent adventure story.
Subjects
Awards
Language
Original publication date
1912 (serialization)
1917 (novel)