Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Gods of Mars Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Gods of Mars is a science fiction novel that follows the adventures of John Carter as he returns to Mars after a ten-year hiatus in hopes of reuniting with his wife, son, and the red Martian people. First published as a five-part series in a pulp magazine during 1913, the novel was later published as a whole in 1918. A tale of audacity, honor, optimism and perseverance, Burroughs successfully builds on the earlier book allowing a broader view of the Red Planet.

The novel begins when John Carter returns to Barsoom after his involuntary ten-year absence and finds himself in the Valley Dor, the Barsoomian afterlife from which no one can leave. However, Valley Dor is anything but a spiritual refuge and instead Carter discovers that it is a ruse, forged by the Therns, a race of self-proclaimed gods. For eons they have fooled the Barsoomians into believing that the pilgrimage to the Dor Valley is a journey to heaven, even though in reality most visitors are killed or enslaved by the Therns. Accompanied by their friend Tars Tarkas, the two try to escape from the place and are helped by the confusion caused by an attack by the Black Pirates of Barsoom on the Therns. Taking advantage of the current chaos, Carter and his accomplices are able to hijack a black pirate aviator, killing most of the pirates in the process and rescuing a prisoner of Thern. Carter discovers that the Black Pirates or "Firstborn" also see themselves as gods, thus clearing up their hatred for the Therns. The Red Planet finds itself in a moment of crisis, immersed in religious and schismatic conflicts, and it is up to Carter not only to participate, but also to maneuver a revolution on a planetary scale.

Burroughs continues his rapidly evolving storyline full of action and twists, as the charming hero must overcome many obstacles and bring order to the inhabitants, while ultimately reuniting with his family. The Gods of Mars is an exciting installment in the Barsoom series that continues to pave the way for science fiction as its protagonist faces its greatest challenges and deadliest dangers to date.