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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
challenging
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ooof. That's a sci-fi classic that hasn't aged well.
adventurous
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
The story itself is fun and interesting but the execution is annoying and lacks any real engagement of the concept. The main character is able to surmount any challenge without any issue. He is openly racist towards the martians who don’t look like him even though they are perfectly respectful of him throughout.
I loved the idea of a man ending up on mars and encountering aliens. It sounds like a great adventure book but it reads like someone’s wish fulfillment journal. I will probably read more because I want to know more about the world but will probably wait a while before I crack another Barsoom book.
I loved the idea of a man ending up on mars and encountering aliens. It sounds like a great adventure book but it reads like someone’s wish fulfillment journal. I will probably read more because I want to know more about the world but will probably wait a while before I crack another Barsoom book.
This is the book that started a life long love of reading for me from about 10yrs old. The movie... 'John Carter', don't go there!!! Almost a novella, so no real commitment in time. Seems silly to say as a grown-up, but I highly recommend it. Do not be dissuaded by the ridiculously sexist cover art, or the nit picky reviews. This book is a success on many levels. When you think of WHEN this was written, it is incredible the breadth of imagination held in Edgar Rice Burrough's head and heart.
Tedious sequences of bloody battles. The main character refers to the Arizona Indians as "savages", and then becomes the most savage occupant on Mars...for a while.
Sexism: clear-cut sex roles.
A nice touch of collaboration in the vast desert of excessive masculine brutality.
Fun seeing what Americans thought of extraterrestrial life around the earth year 1912. Interesting descriptions of Martian cultures.
Sexism: clear-cut sex roles.
A nice touch of collaboration in the vast desert of excessive masculine brutality.
Fun seeing what Americans thought of extraterrestrial life around the earth year 1912. Interesting descriptions of Martian cultures.
adventurous
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Definitely a book of its time, all the myriad -isms attached (many of which made me laugh loudly and roll my eyes a ton), AND I liked it. There's good storytelling here, and it reminds me of a good D&D adventure. Turns out, Burroughs' books did indeed inspire RPGs, so a good D&D nerd friend tells me.
I picked up the first book of the John Carter of Mars series, A Princess of Mars when I discovered I could get the book for free from Project Gutenberg (you can also snag the book from Amazon for your Kindle). I had recently seen the trailers for the upcoming Disney movie and was encouraged in the fact that this book seems to be the single point of original influence for so many of the science fiction novels and movies I have enjoyed.
The book is amazingly bizarre and yet, for some reason, completely engaging. Though it had a strange set up, I still found myself drawn to the enigmatic and amazing character of John Carter.
I do not like to give up plot details too much during my reviews so I will stick mainly to the writing style and if I enjoyed the book.
First and foremost, it must be said. The book is pulp, pure unadulterated pulp yumminess. I have heard other call it planetary romance, science fiction opera, etc...whatever, this is pulp.John Carter pulls off so many amazing feats that there is simply no other explanation besides the book being pulp. Through sheer determination and an abundance of amazing luck Carter is able to pull of some of the most amazing derring-do I have ever read. While this might be a turn off for some readers, or in other books, here if just works.
The book is written as Carter retelling his tale in prose after his death and is an easy and fluid read. I was able to tear through the book in just two days over lunch and in the evening. This approach to the writing is brilliant. As Carter is a newcomer to Mars (or Barsoom as the Martians call their homeworld) and it is through his vision and insights that we learn about the intricacies of this violent world. One thing I particularly enjoyed was how we learned tidbits of the cultures and societies of Barsoom in little sidebar comments made throughout the story. To me, this felt much like I was sitting around a campfire, throwing back a drink, and listening to a teller of tales of adventures long past. Which suits this story perfectly and only adds to the background and depth of the book.
All in all, I would certainly encourage you to pick this up and read the book, especially if you are interested in the upcoming movie.
The book is amazingly bizarre and yet, for some reason, completely engaging. Though it had a strange set up, I still found myself drawn to the enigmatic and amazing character of John Carter.
I do not like to give up plot details too much during my reviews so I will stick mainly to the writing style and if I enjoyed the book.
First and foremost, it must be said. The book is pulp, pure unadulterated pulp yumminess. I have heard other call it planetary romance, science fiction opera, etc...whatever, this is pulp.John Carter pulls off so many amazing feats that there is simply no other explanation besides the book being pulp. Through sheer determination and an abundance of amazing luck Carter is able to pull of some of the most amazing derring-do I have ever read. While this might be a turn off for some readers, or in other books, here if just works.
The book is written as Carter retelling his tale in prose after his death and is an easy and fluid read. I was able to tear through the book in just two days over lunch and in the evening. This approach to the writing is brilliant. As Carter is a newcomer to Mars (or Barsoom as the Martians call their homeworld) and it is through his vision and insights that we learn about the intricacies of this violent world. One thing I particularly enjoyed was how we learned tidbits of the cultures and societies of Barsoom in little sidebar comments made throughout the story. To me, this felt much like I was sitting around a campfire, throwing back a drink, and listening to a teller of tales of adventures long past. Which suits this story perfectly and only adds to the background and depth of the book.
All in all, I would certainly encourage you to pick this up and read the book, especially if you are interested in the upcoming movie.
Written over 100 years ago I found this an incredible Sci-Fi read. I became familiar with the author by his Tarzan series and had never read any of his works before. To my surprise this first in a series of Martian books relating to the adventures of his protagonist, John Carter, was not only well written but extremely imaginative. The author takes us on a narrative of the landscape and people, some reminding me of Star Wars, Star Treck and future exploits in this genre.
So, A Princess of Mars really is all that. I recall reading most of this book while in high school, then stopping for a reason I cannot recall. Having just read it again properly, I can see why A Princess of Mars is considered the grand daddy of all pulp stories.
It rocks.
Burroughs was a pencil sharpener salesman before he got to work on writing this book, his first. It was serialized in pulp magazines in 1912, and collected into a single edition in 1917. He even changed his pen name to 'Normal Bean' because he thought the story would be too 'out there' for most readers, and he wanted to assure them that he was, in fact, just a normal dude.
But normal he certainly wasn't. He was exceptional, and 80 novels later he can be directly attributed with starting a lot of story trends that people take for granted. Visitor from another world gets abnormally strong? It's not Superman, it's John Carter. Hunting for treasure in a lost city? It's not Indiana Jones, it's Tarzan. The list goes on and on.
Getting back to A Princess From Mars, this is a great introduction to pulp stories, as the action and intrigue both flow very smoothly throughout the book, and it makes for a very enjoyable read. Besides John Carter, we meet some famous pulp characters such as Sola and the Green Martians, Dejah Thoris and the Red Martians, and Woola, a sort of alien pit bull companion.
If you want to know where 20th century adventure storytelling started, and essentially where the Hollywood formula began, check out A Princess of Mars. It's finally time for you to visit the red planet.
It rocks.
Burroughs was a pencil sharpener salesman before he got to work on writing this book, his first. It was serialized in pulp magazines in 1912, and collected into a single edition in 1917. He even changed his pen name to 'Normal Bean' because he thought the story would be too 'out there' for most readers, and he wanted to assure them that he was, in fact, just a normal dude.
But normal he certainly wasn't. He was exceptional, and 80 novels later he can be directly attributed with starting a lot of story trends that people take for granted. Visitor from another world gets abnormally strong? It's not Superman, it's John Carter. Hunting for treasure in a lost city? It's not Indiana Jones, it's Tarzan. The list goes on and on.
Getting back to A Princess From Mars, this is a great introduction to pulp stories, as the action and intrigue both flow very smoothly throughout the book, and it makes for a very enjoyable read. Besides John Carter, we meet some famous pulp characters such as Sola and the Green Martians, Dejah Thoris and the Red Martians, and Woola, a sort of alien pit bull companion.
If you want to know where 20th century adventure storytelling started, and essentially where the Hollywood formula began, check out A Princess of Mars. It's finally time for you to visit the red planet.