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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
Ugh. This was just awful. Even at just 160 pages, it was a slog to get through. I've read science fiction from this period (and older) before, so I understand the writing style is different. Even so, this just seemed badly written. The sentences were clunky, the narrative was haphazard, basically bad in every way.
I was hoping for an exciting sci fi adventure, along the lines of [a:Robert E. Howard|1002|Sophocles|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1195014481p2/1002.jpg]'s Conan adventures, but in space. This may have had aspirations to that, but it wasn't nearly as involving or entertaining. I haven't read any of Burrough's Tarzan stories, but I can only hope they are better than this.
My interest in this book came from the movie adaptation that is currently in production. I think the movie could still be good despite the book, as long as they just pluck key ideas and then write their own screenplay. Maybe.
I was hoping for an exciting sci fi adventure, along the lines of [a:Robert E. Howard|1002|Sophocles|http://photo.goodreads.com/authors/1195014481p2/1002.jpg]'s Conan adventures, but in space. This may have had aspirations to that, but it wasn't nearly as involving or entertaining. I haven't read any of Burrough's Tarzan stories, but I can only hope they are better than this.
My interest in this book came from the movie adaptation that is currently in production. I think the movie could still be good despite the book, as long as they just pluck key ideas and then write their own screenplay. Maybe.
I actually hadn't read this until now, and I enjoyed it. I knew of the series, but never read the books. I thought the "John Carter" movie was well done, so I decided it was time to read the books. I preferred the movie (which will outrage some) but the book isn't "serious" SF either.
Oh man. Good old Burroughs. I think the only real problem I had was keeping Burroughs's version of Mars in my mind. I find it much easier to picture in the modern form we know of (the red dust, the hard black rock underneath) than in his version of the yellow moss, but that is far from his fault.
A Princess of Mars is a fun book full of ridiculous characters and Burroughs's brand of pulp sci-fi. It's pretty solid fun, so you can't go wrong with it.
A Princess of Mars is a fun book full of ridiculous characters and Burroughs's brand of pulp sci-fi. It's pretty solid fun, so you can't go wrong with it.
I liked the novel overall, though it felt kind of dated at times. There were some boring chapters, especially near the ending, but it was an enjoyable read in general.
Written 95 years ago, it was Burrough’s first novel. I’d first come across the Barsoom saga in the library while I was still in grammar school. The first novel I found was The Chessmen of Mars, having just learned how to play chess, I was interested in anything to do with the game. Soon after reading the book I discovered the rest of the series and read them all numerous times. It’s been years since I picked up one of his books so I wanted to give this a reread. It didn’t disappoint, the action and fast plot and the travelogue of Mars were as interesting as ever.
Dejah Thoris (the princess)
“She was as destitute of clothes as the green Martians who accompanied her; indeed, save for her highly wrought ornaments she was entirely naked, nor could any apparel have enhanced the beauty of her perfect and symmetrical figure.”
Bet this won’t be in the Disney adaption.
“In one respect at least the Martians are a happy people; they have no lawyers.”
Burrough wasn’t noted for humor but a lawyer joke is always welcome.
The Hero
“There was one slight, desperate chance, and that I decided I must take--it was for Dejah Thoris, and no man has lived who would not risk a thousand deaths for such as she.”
This just about sums up the book heroic fantasy at it’s most heroic.
Dejah Thoris (the princess)
“She was as destitute of clothes as the green Martians who accompanied her; indeed, save for her highly wrought ornaments she was entirely naked, nor could any apparel have enhanced the beauty of her perfect and symmetrical figure.”
Bet this won’t be in the Disney adaption.
“In one respect at least the Martians are a happy people; they have no lawyers.”
Burrough wasn’t noted for humor but a lawyer joke is always welcome.
The Hero
“There was one slight, desperate chance, and that I decided I must take--it was for Dejah Thoris, and no man has lived who would not risk a thousand deaths for such as she.”
This just about sums up the book heroic fantasy at it’s most heroic.
For whatever reasons this book fell flat for me. Maybe it's the older writing style, maybe it's because I love the movie so much, but it took everything in me to finish the book to the end.
A very interesting read - this book is supposedly the ancestor of the bulk of the science fiction and adventure novels that came after its time. It's worth reading on that merit. And an intergalactic Civil War soldier? Fascinating.
I can definitely see how this book influenced so many other in its writing style and many of the plot points in the book. It was an interesting concept for a novel, and interesting to read; however, I have to admit I think the "John Carter" movie took the meat of this book and improved it quite a bit. Written in 1912, you can tell that it was because of the heavy foreshadowing and density of the writing. It was fun to read something that was a piece of history, though!
I can definitely see how this book influenced so many other in its writing style and many of the plot points in the book. It was an interesting concept for a novel, and interesting to read; however, I have to admit I think the "John Carter" movie took the meat of this book and improved it quite a bit. Written in 1912, you can tell that it was because of the heavy foreshadowing and density of the writing. It was fun to read something that was a piece of history, though!
adventurous
fast-paced
This could’ve been more racist considering it was from 1910, but it was still more racist than I’d like.
John Carter talks like he’s trying to one-up kids in a game of pretend— “well, actually, I learned the language in two days AND I can read minds now”— but at least he’s funny. His crack about lawyers actually made me laugh out loud.
Overall, the real issue is that learning the gritty details of Martian culture and economy in info dumps is really boring. But I can still see why it’s a pulp classic!! There’s imagination and adventure in this short novel.
John Carter talks like he’s trying to one-up kids in a game of pretend— “well, actually, I learned the language in two days AND I can read minds now”— but at least he’s funny. His crack about lawyers actually made me laugh out loud.
Overall, the real issue is that learning the gritty details of Martian culture and economy in info dumps is really boring. But I can still see why it’s a pulp classic!! There’s imagination and adventure in this short novel.
Content Warnings
Racism against native Americans; mention of slavery