The Barsoom Series

"A Princess of Mars" (1912) is a science fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first of his Barsoom series. Full of swordplay and daring feats, the novel is considered a classic example of 20th century pulp fiction. It is also a seminal instance of the planetary romance, a sub-genre of science fantasy that became highly popular in the decades following its publication. Its early chapters also contain elements of the Western. The story is set on Mars, imagined as a dying planet with a harsh desert environment.

While fleeing from a band of Apache warriors, Civil War veteran John Carter hides in a sacred cave, where he is mysteriously transported to Mars. Now endowed with superhuman abilities due to the low Martian gravity, he becomes embroiled in a conflict between the six-limbed Green Martians and humanoid Red Martians and meets the beautiful Dejah Thoris. This is book one of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series.

After a 10-year absence, John Carter returns to Barsoom. He finds himself among the Therns, a white-skinned race of self-proclaimed gods, who have for eons deceived the Barsoomians elsewhere that the pilgrimage to the Valley Dor is a journey to paradise when it is in fact a valley of death. This is book two of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series.

"The Gods of Mars" is the second volume of the famous Barsoom series. It was first published in All Story as a five part serial in the issues for January May 1913. It was later published as a complete novel by A. C. McClurg in September, 1918. At the end of the first book, "A Princess of Mars", John Carter is unwillingly transported back to Earth. "The Gods of Mars" begins with his arrival back on Barsoom (Mars) after a ten year separation from his wife Dejah Thoris, his unborn child, and the Red Martian people.

John Carter must rescue his beloved Dejah Thoris from the revolving prison at the south pole. But events turn against him, and he finds himself battling all the way to the frozen Martian North Pole, where he encounters another legendary race of men, the yellow men of the North.

Mars has become divided by love. Not one, but two princes and a Jeddak are vying for the love of Thuvia of Ptarth. When she is mysteriously kidnapped, treachery threatens to throw Barsoom into bloody war. Now Cathoris must follow in the footsteps of his father, John Carter, and overcome phantom armies, dangerous spies and savage beasts as he attempts to save his true love and reunite Mars.

Impetuous and headstrong, Tara, Princess of Helium and daughter of John Carter, defies the elements by flying into a rare, fierce Martian storm. Hurtled half a planet from her home, she is threatened by grotesque, flesh eating monsters and barbarous warriors. Is the mysterious Panthan warrior friend or foe? As hero battles for maiden in the chess-like games of Jetan, the pieces are fighting men and the stakes are life and death!

World War I infantry captain Ulysses Paxton is transported to Barsoom, where he encounters evil scientist Ras Thavas and his diabolical brain transplant experiments. Paxton falls in love with the beautiful Valla Dia, whose body has been swapped with the cruel Xaxa, Jeddara of Phundahl. Can Paxton save Valla Dia from a hideous fate and win her hand?

Under the double moons of Barsoom, an invisible flier sped to the mysterious city of Jahar where Sanoma Tora, the kidnapped princess of Helium, had been taken. Hadron of Hastor was at the controls, hatching a rescue plan that required unusual daring and great ingenuity. For invisibility alone was not a great enough weapon against "The Death." And should Hadron succeed, what fate would await him at the hands of the madman whose very genius had created the means of that rescue?