A Princess Of Mars
A Princess Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
I’ve read this book a couple of times now and I can’t help but always enjoy it. It’s like a hundred year old comfort food, and it’s always incredible to me to see where so many sci-fi movies and books got their ideas from. Would we even have the Star Wars Prequels or Dune without Edgar Rice Burroughs Martian Tale?
The story is told by Captain John Carter, a solider in the American Civil War who dies shortly after it ends when he’s attacked by Indians. But, as he dies, his body is somehow transported to Mars, where he then has to do battle with monstrous Green Men and White Apes in order to save a Red Princess (lots of colours on Mars) Luckily for Captain Carter, being human in Mar’s gravity has its advantages.
I love the adventurous nature of the book as John Carter goes from one fight to the next, like everything can be sorted with a good old punch to a Martian face… and he’s not wrong. The book is half him levelling up, and half kicking all kinds of ass as he tries to rescue the princess he’s quickly falling in love with.
The politics of Mars is thorough, and you also get a good insight into its history from when the rivers ran dry, to the clans that battle over what remains now. It’s full of weird and wonderful creatures, some extremely dangerous like the White Apes, and others ugly multiple limbs version of what we have on Earth, like Woola, John’s faithful companion that he can’t quite bring himself to call a dog.
The skies are filled with air ships and the ground with battle horse like creatures. Every new fight John engages in leads to new characters, some who reappear as the story unfolds, and others who are meet with a quick demise. It really is like a sword and sandals adventure, but on Mars, with air ships.
The macho nature of the book, and the fact that it’s somewhere in the region of one hundred and ten years old probably means it’s not for everyone, but I think it’s a fascinating read. Maybe part of my love for the book is nostalgia having read it throughout my life, but also, I think it’s an important book in history. When the movie came out it literally felt bland because we’d seen everything before, as plenty of writers and directors had taken from A Princess of Mars (it also didn’t help that the movie was rubbish, although I might try and give it another watch soon and see if it has improved.)
So, if you like your Mars crammed full of life with vegetation, animals, Civil War veterans, and a bunch of different type of Martians, then this book is a must read. And if that doesn’t sound like the type of thing that will interest you, give it a read anyway, for historical purpose.
