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ravensviewca 's review for:
A Princess of Mars
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Published in 1917, this is early pulp fiction, a swashbuckler written for the masses. It's a typical planetary romance, a genre set on an alien world, with burly heroes, damsels in distress, and a focus more more swords than on spaceships.
John Carter is presented as a believable and typically heroic figure of the times. He's tall, strong, a gold prospector and Indian fighter, impetuous, a veteran of the Civil War, and skilled with rifle and sword. Dejah Thoris is a pulp fiction heroine - small, frail, helpless, and always being saved by Carter. The Martians are portrayed as very similar to the image of the First Nations at the time. They are nomadic, almost naked, ride their mounts bareback without reins, and use rifles and spears. The men are fierce warriors, and the women do all the household chores.
Much of the science was based on things new in 1917, such as radium for bullets, or carborundum for the building blocks of Zodanga. Much was close enough to be believable, such as rifles of an aluminum steel alloy, huge white apes, chariots, and airships firing broadsides like huge sailing ships.
America was also in the midst of WW1 in 1917, so part of the story discusses the futility of races that have warred for each other for ages. With Carter's encouragement, the leaders do talk of peace, but to no avail, as the younger natives want war.
Burroughs does add in some more exotic elements like flying sleds and ninth rays, but it's added to a solid base , all written for the masses.
John Carter is presented as a believable and typically heroic figure of the times. He's tall, strong, a gold prospector and Indian fighter, impetuous, a veteran of the Civil War, and skilled with rifle and sword. Dejah Thoris is a pulp fiction heroine - small, frail, helpless, and always being saved by Carter. The Martians are portrayed as very similar to the image of the First Nations at the time. They are nomadic, almost naked, ride their mounts bareback without reins, and use rifles and spears. The men are fierce warriors, and the women do all the household chores.
Much of the science was based on things new in 1917, such as radium for bullets, or carborundum for the building blocks of Zodanga. Much was close enough to be believable, such as rifles of an aluminum steel alloy, huge white apes, chariots, and airships firing broadsides like huge sailing ships.
America was also in the midst of WW1 in 1917, so part of the story discusses the futility of races that have warred for each other for ages. With Carter's encouragement, the leaders do talk of peace, but to no avail, as the younger natives want war.
Burroughs does add in some more exotic elements like flying sleds and ninth rays, but it's added to a solid base , all written for the masses.