A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs [PDF]
by InfoBooks
Edgar Rice Burroughs published A Princess of Mars in 1912, first as a serial and then as a novel that never went out of print. It is the book that defined planetary romance as a genre and shaped the way we imagine life on other worlds. Before Flash Gordon, before Buck Rogers, there was John Carter on the red sands of Barsoom.
If you want to experience the story that started it all, you can download A Princess of Mars in PDF format right here. Burroughs wrote with a pace and energy that modern adventure novels still try to match. No slow buildup; you are on Mars within the first few pages.
Whether you love science fiction, classic adventure, or stories about outsiders finding their place in a strange world, this novel delivers. It is short, fast, and surprisingly fun for something over a hundred years old. Give John Carter a chance and see where the genre began.
A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
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Information: A Princess of Mars
- Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Publication Date: 1912
- Main Characters:
- John Carter: A Civil War veteran mysteriously transported to Mars, where his Earth-born physiology grants him extraordinary strength and leaping ability.
- Dejah Thoris: Princess of Helium, a scientist and leader of the red Martian race. She is brave, intelligent, and central to the political conflicts of Barsoom.
- Tars Tarkas: A Thark warrior and jeddak who becomes John Carter's closest ally despite belonging to a race known for its brutality.
- Sola: A compassionate female Thark who defies the cruelty of her people and helps John Carter survive his early days on Mars.
- Sab Than: Prince of Zodanga and antagonist who seeks to force Dejah Thoris into marriage to consolidate power.
- Brief Summary: John Carter, a former Confederate captain, is transported to Mars after a mysterious encounter in an Arizona cave. On Mars, known as Barsoom, the lower gravity gives him superhuman strength and agility. He is captured by the Tharks, a race of green, six-limbed warriors, and rises among them. When he meets Dejah Thoris, princess of the red-skinned Heliumites, he is drawn into a conflict that spans the entire planet.
- Thematic Analysis: The novel explores themes of identity and belonging, as John Carter is literally a man between two worlds trying to find where he fits. It also examines honor and courage across cultures, showing that bravery and loyalty are recognized even among alien civilizations.
- Historical Context: Published as a serial in 1912 under the title "Under the Moons of Mars," the novel arrived during a period of intense public fascination with the planet Mars, fueled by astronomer Percival Lowell's canal theories. Burroughs tapped into that curiosity and built one of the most enduring fictional worlds in popular culture.