The Gods of Mars (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Edgar Rice Burroughs (Author) "AS I STOOD upon the bluff before my cottage on that clear cold night in the early part of March, 1886, the noble Hudson flowing..." (more)
Key Phrases: great banths, lesser therns, earthly muscles, Tars Tarkas, John Carter, Zat Arrras (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

After the long exile on Earth, John Carter finally returned to his beloved Mars. But beautiful Dejah Thoris, the woman he loved, had vanished. Now he was trapped in the legendary Eden of Mars -- an Eden from which none ever escaped alive.

From the Publisher

I began reading this series as part of a college course on science fiction--and was hooked. I was transported--along with John Carter--into an exciting, captivating alien adventure. I liked the way that the spirit of the Old West drives these fast-paced stories, and I was surprised that they were not dated at all.
                                                --Alex Klapwald, Director of Production

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Del Rey (March 12, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0345324390
• ISBN-13: 978-0345324399
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 3.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #243,663 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Martian Tales Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A heck of an adventure, with some satire of mass religions, February 12, 1999

By	Patrick J. Callahan (La Crosse, WI USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I just finished rereading this remarkable adventure story, and must say, some of the capsule summaries above leave a bit to be desired.

Yes, John Carter returns to Mars after 10 years absence, and finds himself in a paradise. But ironically, it's a paradise that soon turns into a kind of violent warring hell. The plant men are only the beginning. The bitterest enemies are a race of almost diabolical priests, the Tharns, who set loose white apes and plant men to slaughter thousands of religious pilgrims. I'm not spoiling the plot at all, since this becomes clear in the first two or three chapters.

Again, there's a deep bond between the hero, John Carter, and a brave and stunning young woman named Thuvia. John Carter, a warlord, is not content to merely escape. He must somehow end this evil empire of hypocritical priests and mass slaughter.

One fine element is the reintroduction of the green warrior chieftan, John's dear friend from the first novel in the series.

There are strains of deeper thought woven throughout. For example, the biting satire against mindless "fanatic" religions.

Heck of a book. Burroughs writes in a style that would seem a bit heavy today. But after a chapter or two, the reader usually can get in the stride. These books read fast-- you can't put them down. The heroines are GORGEOUS-- but the language is "clean" and the books can be recommended for teens. The description-- often in battle scenes-- is up to anything written in adventure science fiction today. This book was written-- amazingly-- in about 1917.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WORTH A SECOND GO!, September 26, 2004

By	D. Blankenship (The Ozarks) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

While digging through my large collection of books, I came across this one, along with the entire John Carter Series. I hate to admit to the fact that I first read these books over 45 years ago. I sat down and read them again. I was as delighted this time as I was when I was fifteen. This is fiction from an era we will not see again. This is the stuff little boys dream of! Read it, savor it and enjoy it! I cannot recommend this one high enough.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hooked me on science fiction for nearly forty years, May 16, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Gods of Mars (Mars Series , No 2) (Audio Cassette)

Having introduced the characters in 'A Princess of Mars,' the author gets down to the action, in this the second Martian adventure of John Carter, with, as I recall, a new opponent, ready to fight, on almost every page.

The author subtly pokes fun at religion, race and our conventions and rituals regarding them, while writing an exciting adventure story that certainly gripped my imagination in the early sixties.

John Carter remains the perfect Virginian gentleman, respecting women, seeking no unfair advantage, while fighting plants, animals and multiple races of Martians. He must struggle to overcome them all, if he is to set free his beloved Dejah Thoris from a nested series of "Heavens within Heavens."

If he wins, will he kill the "Gods of Mars" in the title? What will happen to religion on Mars if he does? If he loses...........

An ideal introduction to science fiction and fantasy for boys reaching puberty. They can sublimate their aggressive tendencies as they imagine themselves opposing plant men, white apes and other foes.