A review by elvenbookworm
Thuvia, Maid of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

2.0

Highly formulaic. I begin to see a pattern in these books. Carter's (or now his son, Carthoris) loved one is kidnapped by some cruel person. He pursues, despite being outgunned, outnumbered, and hopelessly behind. Via a series of improbable coincidences, our hero catches up, faces certain death as he dukes it out with the bad guy's army, and survives just to find that the villain has slipped away with his prize. Repeat ad nauseum. Sorry, Mario, Princess Peach is not in this castle. Our hero discovers yet another new race (a seemingly inexhaustible resource on Barsoom), and by luck manages to join up with the sole malcontent of the entire race. Said malcontent pledges life and limb to help him. More battling ensues; world war is imminent. Hero's heroic acts averts said war. Accolades all round, and the hero gets his girl.

They're all the same, so far, but I'm quite determined to keep reading the series until I reach the end, in hopes Burroughs will change it up a bit. But if we discover one more race- perhaps this one a bold purple or blue, just for variety- I think I'll throw in the towel. How on earth could Barsoom be so completely unexplored by its own inhabitants that Carter and Carthoris can't hardly go for a stroll without discovering entire lost civilizations? Wait, don't tell me- plot contrivances. :P