ABOUT THE NOVEL A PRINCESS OF MARS by Edgar Rice Burroughs
A Princess of Mars Summary
Originally published as "Under the Moons of Mars" under the pseudonym "Norman Bean", this was Edgar Rice Burroughs first novel. It was published in 1912 in a pulp magazine called "The All-Story Magazine" before science fiction was called by that name. It's a romantic adventure set of the planet Mars.
Virginian Civil war era fighter Captain Jack Carter; An expert horse rider, skilled fighter, swordsman and rifle man is transported to Mars from Earth via transcendental teleportation caused by a strange gas eminating from the back of a cave. On Mars, Carter has superhuman strength and finds he can leap huge distances. He is soon captured by the Green Men of Mars (called Barsoom by the natives). He escapes, only to encounter Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, who is in desperate need of a savior in her fight against the green men of Mars.
The green martians are 15' tall, four armed, and have tusks growing out of their faces. The red Martians are more human-like but with red skin. John Carter falls in love with one of them, Dejah Thoris, his Princess of Mars.
Burroughs is considered one of sci-fi's original founders. Earlier sci-fi novels had been published by authors such as Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, but most didn't write adventures set on other planets.
A Princess of Mars is a bit of a cliffhanger, so you have to read the next two novels of a trilogy to have the whole experience. These novels are called, "The Gods of Mars" and the "Warlord of Mars."
The History of The Barsoom Saga
When most men were settled successfully in their jobs in their mid-thirties, Edgar Rice Burroughs was escaping his frustration and lack of employment and turned into his own mind - conceiving incredible places populated with incredible creatures. Reading the many pulp magazines of the day he became convinced that he could write stories just as good or better.
His first story-dream was written down, entitled Under The Moons of Mars and submitted to All Story Magazine written under the pseudonym "Normal Bean"--to disguise the "madman" who wrote it. It was run in a six part serial from February-July 1912, with the author of the piece being renamed inadvertently by the editor to "Norman Bean." So began the career of Edgar Rice Burroughs. The world had a classic work of science fiction that has influenced all schools of science fiction writing and film making in the genre. The classic workÊ still endures to this day--under its book title A Princess of Mars.
Who is John Carter of Mars?
The following excerpt is based on information from the first edition of A Princess of Mars
Captain John Carter is the chief hero of the Mars books of Edgar Rice Burroughs. In the first book "The Princess of Mars," Edgar Rice Burroughs states that he personally knew him as "Uncle Jack" and that he frequently visited his father's home in Virginia, just prior to the beginning of the American Civil War. He seemed to have a good sense of humor and was always laughing, and engaged in sports with young and old with the same enthusiasm. He also was a world traveler and liked to tell stories of his adventures. He was well loved, even by the slaves in Edgar Rice Burroughs' father's fictional home in Virginia.
John Carter was athletic, tall, dark and smooth-faced.He was a fine example of manhood and stood six feet two inches tall, and had the carriage of trained fighting man. He had broad shoulders and narrow hips. He had an interesting face with regular and clear cut features and closely cropped black hair. His eyes were steel gray and showed a strong and loyal character with fire and resolve. John Carter had perfect manners and the courtliness of a southern gentleman highly refined. He was also an excellent horseman and was a "reckless" master of the equine.
John Carter apparently never aged and appeared suddenly to Edgar Rice Burroughs 16 years later, with a somewhat preoccupied vision of life. When the Civil War broke out he disappeared and went to Arizona to prospect and was very successful and eventually lived in New York. Captain Carter left his entire estate and writings (of his strange life) to Edgar Rice Burroughs. He was often seen standing in the moonlight with his arms outstretched to the heavens in some kind of "appeal."
On the morning of March 4, 1886, Captain Carter was found dead by the local watchman and the police chief and several other locals assembled in his study. The body was found, still warm, with his armsÊ outstretched in the snow at full length, and the location was the one that John Carter was seen previously with his outstretched arms in supplication to the heavens. The cause of death was determined to be heart failure, according to the coroner.
According to the instructions left to Edgar Rice Burroughs by Captain Carter, his body was to be removed to Virginia without embalming, and was to be laid in an open coffin within a tomb which was previously constructed by John Carter. Further instructions were that Mr. Burroughs was to receive the entire income from his property for 25 years. Additional instructions were that the manuscript (of "The Princess of Mars") was to remain sealed and unread for 11 years, and that the contents were not to be divulged until 21 years after his death. The body laid in the tomb for many years, but its massive door was equipped with a single, huge gold-plated spring lock which could only be opened from the inside...
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