Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

The Warlord of Mars (Barsoom #3)

by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Bolen (Narrated by)

3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 · rating details · 4,998 ratings · 266 reviews

John Carter risks everything to rescue his wife, Princess Dejah Thoris, from the clutches of his evil adversaries, but he is always just one step behind! His battles cover the face of the red planet, as his quest carries him ultimately to the mysterious northern pole. Will this civilization, submerged in ice, prove fatal to our hero? This is the third of eleven in the popu...more

Audio CD, 0 pages

Published February 1st 2001 by Tantor Media (first published 1914)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The Best of H.P. Lovecraft by H.P. Lovecraft

Best of the Pulp Magazine Authors and Literature

26th out of 290 books — 113 voters

100 Science Fiction and Fantasy Books set on or about Mars

13th out of 96 books — 110 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 24, 2011 Sandy rated it 3 of 5 stars

"The Warlord of Mars" (1914) is the 3rd of ll John Carter novels from the pen of Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is a direct continuation of the first two in the series--"A Princess of Mars" and "The Gods of Mars"--and a reading of those earlier titles is absolutely essential before going into this one. Here, Carter tries to rescue his princess, Dejah Thoris, from the clutches of some particularly nasty villains. In his relentless pursuit, one that makes Indiana Jones look like a slacker, Carter travel...more "The Warlord of Mars" (1914) is the 3rd of ll John Carter novels from the pen of Edgar Rice Burroughs. It is a direct continuation of the first two in the series--"A Princess of Mars" and "The Gods of Mars"--and a reading of those earlier titles is absolutely essential before going into this one. Here, Carter tries to rescue his princess, Dejah Thoris, from the clutches of some particularly nasty villains. In his relentless pursuit, one that makes Indiana Jones look like a slacker, Carter travels from the south pole of Mars to the forbidden lands of the north. He encounters many varieties of monster, such as the apt and the sith, and gets into more fights and cliffhanging situations than a reader would believe could be packed into a mere 160 pages. The pace of the book is furious, never pausing for breath, and the final battle in the north polar city of Kadabra, in which the combined armies of Barsoomian green, red and black men attack the yellow tribes of the north, is thrilling in the extreme. What amazing films these first three John Carter novels would make, if done faithfully and with the requisite $200+ million thrown into each one!

So why the 3-star rating? Well, there are numerous problems with the book that prevent me from giving it top grades, despite the fun I had reading it. For one, there are countless inconsistencies and implausibilities. For example, it is difficult for the reader to accept that Carter's enemies cannot recognize him, just because he has smeared some red tint over his skin. Difficult to believe that Carter is able to scale the side of a tower in the pitch black of night. Difficult to believe that Carter (or any man) could live in a pit for nine days without food and especially water. Verrry hard to believe that Thurid, Carter's archenemy, could carry the struggling captive princess over a foot-wide ledge without toppling into the abyss beneath. Impossible to believe that Dejah Thoris couldn't recognize Carter by his voice alone, despite his yellow-man disguise. All these are hard to swallow in the extreme. As for the inconsistencies: It is stated that Carter saved Thuvia from the Warhoons in book 2, when in actuality it was Carthoris, Carter's son. The city of Kaol is said to be rendered invisible by the forest that surrounds and tops it, but later it is stated that this forest is cut back from the city. Huh? Worst of all is the aforementioned tower-scaling scene, in which dusk becomes early afternoon in a matter of minutes. Here's something that Ed Wood would have appreciated! This day/night confusion is straight out of "Plan 9," but for me is the hallmark of incredibly sloppy writing and even poorer copyediting. Further, Burroughs' descriptions of the Valley of the Therns, and its geographic proximity to the land of the First Born, are simply impossible to visualize. Throw in a bunch of misplaced modifiers and some awkward turns of phrase and you've got a real mess of a manuscript. So why did I have a tear in my eye by the book's end, when Carter gets his rewards and the entire city of Helium turns out to greet him? I guess that the power of storytelling can outweigh petty matters of consistency and grammar. And Burroughs WAS a great teller of tales, and this book IS as thrilling as they come.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 wally rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: burroughs-edgar-rice

i just now finished barsoom, #2...and that is a cliff-hanger...or a dungeon-spinner...or something...ole john carter is thwarted at every turn in that one...in his quest to be reunited with his princess of mars...dejah...

burroughs...this will be the...16th or so e.r.b. tale for me...

begins:
on the river iss
in the shadows of the forest that flanks the crimson plain by the side of the lost sea of korus in the valley dor, beneath the hurtling moons of mars, speeding their meteoric way close above th...more

1 like · like · see review

Jan 21, 2013 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: i-own-a-copy, science-fiction, barsoom, ebook, freebie, read-in-2013, read-in-teenties, 3-stars, reviewed

Continuing the series with the third of Burroughs's pulp-science-fiction 'romance' novels, Warlord of Mars follows on immediately from The Gods of Mars. Having torn down the Martian's false religion, and rescuing several damsels in distress, he is rewarded by one of them dragging his beloved Dejah Thoris into a revolving dungeon (that not only happens to be open at just that time, but also doesn't open again for a whole Martian year) all because he wouldn't return her affections. Talk about bein...more

2 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2013 Vicki rated it 4 of 5 stars

These adventure books are just plain fun to read! Edgar Rice Burroughs is all about action and adventure, whether the setting is the jungles of Africa or the planet Mars.

In The Warlord of Mars, John Carter picks up the action where The Gods of Mars leaves off. He is on a quest to rescue his Martian wife,

mother of his son and beloved Princess of the Land of Helium. She has been trapped in an intricately designed revolving prison cell with two other women. Once the inner door opening has revolve...more

like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Mike Jensen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In some ways, this book is the mirror image of the previous book in the series, THE GODS OF MARS. That had the repetitious plot of John Carter being chased by malevolent forces chapter after chapter. While there were occasional rests between scenes of him fleeing, it became tedious. This finally stopped well into the book when Carter came to a palace and there was intrigue. This book is structured with John Carter chasing malevolent forces chapter after chapter. While there are occasional rests...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 08, 2012 Gabriel C. rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: scifi, 2012

So i guess in some sense it's a relief that bad as these books are, they aren't *frustrating* the way all that Heinlein and Zelazny were. They're somehow unpretentious. Those two thought that they were artistes, crafting on the edges of the possible in this exciting and untapped medium. They think they're Henry Miller. Burroughs is the real Miller, working for his paycheck and just doing his thing.

But that doesn't excuse these books. They're godawful. All three so far have centered on imperial w...more

like · see review

Feb 18, 2011 Anthony rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sf-fantasy, sword-and-planet

The third book, thankfully, picks up just a few months later. John Carter's enemies from "Gods" are seemingly defeated, but a few manage to put aside their own differences to work against him and to keep him from rescuing Dejah Thoris and Thuvia. This time, the chase really is across the planet, from one civilization hidden in the southern polar ice-cap to another hidden in the northern polar ice-cap. We're introduced to the last remaining humanoid race on the planet, the Yellow Martians. There...more

like · see review

Jun 20, 2010 Erik Graff rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Barsoom fans

Recommended to Erik by: no one

Shelves: sf

Just before turning eight, I got a little brother, Fin, the only sibling I grew up with. Mom and Dad were lucky because I was generally bored and, so, actually wanted to spend time with him when he got old enough to toddle about and talk. I read to him, but mostly I told him stories, crazy stories featuring lots of naughty things that little kids delight in like poop and farting and talking animals.

Since I was into the John Carter books by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the whole Mars/Barsoom thing, sill...more

3 likes · like · see review

Mar 21, 2013 Eero rated it 3 of 5 stars

This was less interesting than either of the first two Mars books. Most of the time is spent in Indiana Jones -like action sequences where John Carter and his faithful calot Woola must negotiate an endless series of traps and puzzles to catch Dejah Thoris and her cartoonishly evil captors, only to arrive a moment too late at each juncture. Carter flies from the south pole to the north, where there is an extended fight with the yellow Martians of the north pole, and Dejah Thoris is snatched away...more

like · see review

Sep 11, 2011 Richard Guion rated it 3 of 5 stars

A rousing end to the first Martian trilogy featuring John Carter. Burroughs does a good job of opening up new Martian territory with each tale, and this one explores the uncharted North Pole. While I loved the first novel, liked the second one, this third novel is a bit of a problem in certain aspects. One is the fact that Dejah Thoris, John Carter's wife, is primary in the role of the MacGuffin for books 2 & 3. I appreciated her strong headed sensibility in the first novel. I suppose I came...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 27, 2012 Kristine rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Science Fiction fans

Shelves: adventure, aliens, science-fiction, pulp

Edgar Rice Burroughs can weave a tale of excitement for sure but his characters leave much to be desired. After three books, I was hoping for a bit of character development but none was forthcoming. There is also a noticeable plot pattern that the three books share which I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for:

1. The Perpetual Damsels in Distress
Led by the most distress-y damsel of them all, Dejah Thoris. She has honor, pride and plenty of sass but she went from likeable in book one to thoroug...more Edgar Rice Burroughs can weave a tale of excitement for sure but his characters leave much to be desired. After three books, I was hoping for a bit of character development but none was forthcoming. There is also a noticeable plot pattern that the three books share which I wouldn't mind so much if it weren't for:

1. The Perpetual Damsels in Distress
Led by the most distress-y damsel of them all, Dejah Thoris. She has honor, pride and plenty of sass but she went from likeable in book one to thoroughly disappointing in book three. She's the princess of a war-loving nation for petesake! Can't she show more spunk? Instead of waiting for her prince to rescue her every single time, couldn't she devise some way to escape? Or to at least put up a considerable fight against her captors instead of being dragged across one extreme of Mars to the other like a rag doll.

Poorly written and developed as she is, she's little more than plot device and the object of affection/desire/admiration of John Carter and the men of Barsoom. Seriously. She's like Martian man catnip.

2. The Impulsive Warriors
Led by the (sometimes dumb) jock-extraordinaire, John Carter. While there's no doubt to his bravery, honor or fighting prowess, he often displays a lack of foresight and common sense that makes me want to tear my hair out in frustration. Many of his almost-fatal misadventures occurred because he didn't stop to think. His impulsive nature not only puts his life in mortal peril, it also greatly hinders his quest to rescue Dejah Thoris. It’s a good thing he’s so darn lucky, otherwise he’s dead a hundred times over.

3. The Spurned Admirers
If I can’t have you, no one else will!

4. The Idolizing Masses
You’re sooo pretty, Dejah Thoris! You alone are omniscient and all powerful, divine Issus!

5. The (Cannibalistic) Racist Supremacists
My race is better than yours! I’m higher up on the food chain!

In conclusion, I enjoyed book one, liked book two, and found book three serviceable. Maybe sci-fi just isn’t my thing or maybe I just need to read more sci-fi.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 12, 2012 Shelece rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classic, sci-fi

Typically, in a trilogy, I find that I like the last book best of all, but sadly that was not the case here. I very nearly gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, but I loved the ending and so I decided on 4.

(view spoiler)...more Typically, in a trilogy, I find that I like the last book best of all, but sadly that was not the case here. I very nearly gave this book 3 out of 5 stars, but I loved the ending and so I decided on 4.

(view spoiler)[I had hoped (naively, perhaps) for a quick finish to the cliffhanger at the end of the last book. We spent the entire Gods of Mars book waiting for Dejah Thoris and John Carter to be reunited, and it still hadn't happened. Surely that would happen early on, and then Dejah Thoris could accompany John Carter on his next adventure, right? Nope. John Carter spends the entire book trying to save Dejah Thoris. At least in Warlord we get to see some glimpses of Dejah Thoris, but she is a minor character here-she plays Princess Peach to John Carter's Mario, and that's it. After a while I got tired of all the "Sorry, your princess is in another castle!" going on. At least John Carter could have brought his son with him. After missing the first 10 years of Carthoris's life, you'd think he wouldn't want to miss out on any more, but he leaves the boy ruling the kingdom and we barely see him again.

Sometimes John Carter is a bit of an idiot. I suppose that is only fair. Every hero needs a weakness and he is a complete superman when it comes to physical combat. But there were times that I could not believe the depth of his stupidiity. When he and Thuvan Dihn finally find the women they are trying to rescue (John's wife and Thuvan's daughter), both men have disguised themselves as members of another race. Their skin has been painted yellow, they are wearing false beards, and in John Carter's own words, their own wives wouldn't be able to recognize them. But when Dejah Thoris and Thuvia aren't able to recognize them, they can't understand it. Oh, I can understand how they might briefly be so distracted by seeing their long lost women folk that they would forget their disguises. But I really do think they'd figure it out pretty fast. All it would take would be looking at the other person-John Carter could have looked at Thuvan Dihn and realized, "Oh yes, we're disguised right now! Dejah Thoris just doesn't know who I am!" But no. Further, a page or two later when John Carter remembers his disguise... he STILL doesn't make the connection. Right after he remembers who he is pretending to be, he is bewailing the fact that Dejah Thoris blew him off a few minutes before. I found this particularly hard to swallow. Thurid (one of the big bads) has no trouble recognizing John Carter is all of his guises, but Dejah Thoris can't ever see through it-this struck me as a bit odd too, although she wasn't particularly perceptive that way in the first book, either. At one point she didn't recognize John Carter because he'd gotten a hair cut and he was a little bit dirty. (hide spoiler)]

Anyway, (view spoiler)this was still a quick, fun read. ERB shows us yet another unexplored and exciting portion of Martian culture. The ultimate ending of the trilogy is very satisfying.(view spoiler) Mars is an infinitely better place for having John Carter in it, teaching the Martians his earthy ways. (view spoiler). Maybe someday I will pick up more of the books in this series. I've heard that after the original trilogy, the books are written in the third person. That seems kinda weird to me... not sure that I'll be the biggest fan of that. But I guess you never know until you try!
(less)

like · see review

Jan 15, 2009 Dave rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: speculative-fiction, fiction

“The Warlord of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs picks up where “The Gods of Mars” left off. This novel was published from December of 1913 to March of 1914 in “All-Story” as a serial, and then published as a novel in September of 1919. Unlike “A Princess of Mars”, neither “The Gods of Mars” nor “The Warlord of Mars” can easily stand alone. The former volume ends in a cliff-hanger, and this novel relies on the reader knowing what is going on. Also, it is to the benefit of the reader to start with t...more “The Warlord of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs picks up where “The Gods of Mars” left off. This novel was published from December of 1913 to March of 1914 in “All-Story” as a serial, and then published as a novel in September of 1919. Unlike “A Princess of Mars”, neither “The Gods of Mars” nor “The Warlord of Mars” can easily stand alone. The former volume ends in a cliff-hanger, and this novel relies on the reader knowing what is going on. Also, it is to the benefit of the reader to start with the first in the series to have a complete background for the entire story, though one could probably get by without it.

Unlike the first two books of the series, this one does not open with a forward in which the author presents the fantastic tale as true, but that undoubtedly is due to the fact that the story was left with a rather abrupt ending in the previous book. As with the previous installments of the series, there is plenty of action, and more than a few amazing coincidences, where John Carter just happens to be in the right spot at the right time to overhear a key piece of information, but in many ways that is what adds to the fun.

Burroughs continues to take the reader on a trek around the Red Planet. After covering the dead seas and meeting the Red and Green Martians in the first book, and then heading to the south pole in the second book to meet the White and Black Martians, it is not too big of surprise that in this book he heads to the polar north, and there we find yet another race, the Yellow Martians, and along with them a host of new enemies, and some new allies as well. There are also some new monsters to be faced in the north.

The story is basically one big chase seen, starting with John Carter following a Thurid, a black dator. Thurid had sworn fealty to Xodar, but John Carter knew that Thurid had a great deal of hatred for him and so was suspicious. His suspicions, prove to be well founded, as he learns that Thurid is conspiring with Matai Shang, the Father of the Therns, another enemy. From spying on them, he learns that there is a way to rescue his beloved Dejah Thoris who was imprisoned at the end of “The Gods of Mars.” And so it goes, with John Carter always seemingly one step away from recovering his beloved, as he follows them from the south pole, to Kaol, to the frozen north, where the lands of the hidden Yellow Martians lie. It is there, where John Carter finally is able to face his foes, both in personal combat, as well as a battle of armies between his allies and those of his enemies.

As with the previous books in the series, there are times when the reader is far ahead of John Carter as to what is going on, but as with the amazing coincidences it is part of the fun of reading these stories. These books make for great light escapist reading, and are far better at what they do then so much of what has been written by others since. Burroughs simply has a knack for telling an entertaining tale, and it is oh so easy for the reader to simply sit back and enjoy the ride. This installment meets the expectations set in the first two books of the series.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 27, 2012 Ruth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Edgar Rice Burroughs concluded John Carter's first cycle of adventures on Mars -- sometimes referred to as the Martian Trilogy -- with the serialized publication of The Warlord of Mars in 1913-1914. At the conclusion of the previous installment, The Gods of Mars, the future of John Carter's beloved princess Dejah Thoris was in grave doubt. Having proven that the centuries-old Martian worship of Issus was falsehood perpetuated by power-hungry members of the Holy Therns and the First Born races, C...more Edgar Rice Burroughs concluded John Carter's first cycle of adventures on Mars -- sometimes referred to as the Martian Trilogy -- with the serialized publication of The Warlord of Mars in 1913-1914. At the conclusion of the previous installment, The Gods of Mars, the future of John Carter's beloved princess Dejah Thoris was in grave doubt. Having proven that the centuries-old Martian worship of Issus was falsehood perpetuated by power-hungry members of the Holy Therns and the First Born races, Carter set about destroying the religious infrastructure in order to free Barsoom from the false promises of the Issus-worshippers, where devotion is repaid with slavery and violent death. But Carter's quest to spread the truth is not without a price, as in repayment for his actions Carter's enemies lock the one he holds most dear in the vault at the center of the Temple of the Sun -- a room that can only be accessed once per Martian year. Seconds before the door closed, Carter saw Dejah Thoris nearly stabbed by Phaidor, the daughter of the head of the Therns and his avowed enemy since he spurned her romantic overtures. Living with the torment of not knowing whether his beloved wife is alive or dead, Carter has worked furiously to discover a way to free Dejah from her prison -- but his enemies will do anything to get to her first and claim her as their own. Fighting men who have nothing to lose, Carter chases news of Dejah across Barsoom, confronting countless new enemies, challenges, and even climates in his single-minded quest to save his imprisoned wife.

The Warlord of Mars is the slimmest of the first three volumes in Burroughs's John Carter of Mars series, but it is every bit as action-packed as its predecessors. Unlike the first two Carter novels, there is no prologue from Edgar Rice Burroughs, no preface to the following action from Carter to his "nephew" and guardian. The action opens a few months after Carter deposed the fake goddess Issus , with our hero deep in the throes of his search for a way to rescue the imprisoned Dejah and Thuvia, the latter a former Thern slave instrumental in aiding Carter when he returned to Mars in hostile territory at the beginning of the second novel. Whereas the previous novel saw Carter dealing essentially a death blow to the age-old Martian religion, exposing it as a cult, this follow-up adventure is largely concerned with the fall-out of that successful assault and sets up endless possibilities for future battle with the false religion's deposed leaders. Is there ever any question of Carter's ultimate success? No -- but that is part of the fun and magic of these books. Burroughs was a master craftig non-stop action sequences and building tension and suspense in his novels. Just when you think that surely Burroughs's imagination must be tapped out, he introduces new people, places, and customs to challenge Carter's seeming invincibility. Predictable? Sure, such is perhaps the nature of pulp fiction. But in the hands of a master like Burroughs, he proves that the journey is always a worthwhile and entertaining ride.

John Carter's third Martian adventure is just as fast-paced a rollicking adventure ride as its predecessors, and serves as a fitting capstone to the first "trilogy" within the overall series. When he was first introduced in A Princess of Mars, Carter was a man without a country or purpose, forced to make his way in a wholly alien world. In The Gods of Mars, Carter returns to Barsoom after an absence of ten years, and has to fight to reclaim the life he built with Dejah Thoris's people. The Warlord of Mars brings Carter full circle, forcing him to fight for the life he wants on his new home, culminating in a rather touching recognition of Carter's place and the esteem in which he's held by his adopted countrymen and friends. Having never explored pulp fiction of this ilk until recently, I remain thorougly impressed by Burroughs's work and in no little awe of his standing as a trailblazer in the science-fiction world. Barsoom is peopled with colorful peoples of wildly varied cultures, fascinating landscapes, and never-ending posibilities for adventure and death-defying escapades.

These novels are sheer fun from start to finish. I adore John Carter's completely over-the-top, unbelievable invincibility and his old-fashioned heroic charm. I love how much he adores Dejah Thoris -- it could be argued that he's the anti-James Bond, since Carter is just as ridiculously perfect and appealing to women, but he's very much a one-woman man, and his love story appeals to the old-fashioned romantic in me. :) Snappily plotted, well-written, imaginative, and endlessly adventurous, The Warlord of Mars confirms me as an avid John Carter fan, and happily there is no end in sight when it comes to exploring Burroughs's backlist. Barsoom and its people are a world I love getting lost in -- escapist entertainment of the highest order.(less)

like · see review

Oct 27, 2011 John Tanzer rated it 3 of 5 stars

I wrote a sparklingly clever review but then lost it due to a stupid mistake... So here's the short version:

Of the trilogy that is Princess, Gods, and Warlord, this is the least. The plot doesn't add enough new to the formula. The central conflict is silly (a weirdly farcical chase to keep some bad guys from committing marital rape upon Dejah Thoris). The lack of Tars Tarkis is disappointing. The Yellow Men pale as villains compared to the ancient conspiracies of the White and Black men. The ver...more

1 like · like · see review

Mar 16, 2012 Joshua Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: science-fiction, sword-and-planet

The third book in the Barsoom series is another worthy read. It still has quite a few weaknesses, but ERB is definitely improving as a writer with each book. I won’t be reading the next book in the series right away, but plan to pick up at least the next 2 before the year is out.

Pros:
- I really liked the darker tone. Each book has its elements, but I thought that feel was most prominent here.
- Worldbuilding /Description is awesome and still the reason why everyone should at least read the first...more

like · see review

Aug 19, 2012 Tim rated it 2 of 5 stars

The series was already losing its flavor for me in the second book, but I was dragged into reading this third book by the cliffhanger at the end of the last one. Buh.

The first two books were already pretty lowbrow, but Burroughs completely gives up any aspirations to high art with this one. I like melodrama as much as the next guy, but the author thoroughly abuses the gimmicks of the genre. Only Super Mario Bros have seen the bad guys drag away the girl just as she was about to be rescued more...more

like · see review

Jul 25, 2012 D M rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

here is the third installment of the burroughs' barsoom series. this was a direct continuation of 'the gods of mars,' which continued the pace of action, action, action. the book deepened the mythology of barsoom and sent the reader over the full landscape from one pole to the other. it was great adventure with a victorian tongue woven perfectly by one of the original masters with all loose ends tied up nicely. the book even had a lead-in hook for the next book in the series.

my only small, littl...more

like · see review

Sep 30, 2012 Lizzi Jacka rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: scifi, classics

With similar classic elements as the first two books, this was another swashbuckling tale in the life and adventures of John Carter of Mars. I have very much enjoyed reading these books, but it is starting to get a bit formulaic. The damsel is taken and threatened. The hero risks everything to try to free her and is thwarted (just barely) by his enemies at nearly every turn. In the end, there are terrific battles as he overcomes incredible odds all to save the woman he loves. It is definitely en...more

like · see review

Jun 17, 2012 David rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reading-challenge, pulp-fiction, e-book

Entry #3 in Edgar Ruce Burroughs Barsoom series, The Warlord of Mars follows on from the previous entry (The Gods of Mars), with John Carter counting down the days until the release of Dejah Thoris from the prison in which she was trapped at the end of that book. Of course, and quite early in this, she is released and captured by some of Carters enemies from that previous entry, tying the events of this directly into the events of that novel.

Unlike the previous entry (which started on Earth), th...more

like · see review

Jun 18, 2012 Nathan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This one is still enjoyable, but it does drag a little, as nothing substantially new occurs in it. It follows the formula established in the first two books of John Carter again and again falling victim to some nefarious evil-doer (in this case two characters carried over from the last book). Tales of his adventures follow. It's not bad, but if you're not in the mood for more of almost exactly the same, it tends to be a little boring. Also, it's a bit too long to be merely a rehash of the same p...more

like · see review

Apr 06, 2012 Kevin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, science-fiction

I really wanted to give it a three, but in the end it was a truly mediocre work. Its like he put all of his best into the second book and he couldn't ramp it up in the third. He was going for EPIC, but it just comes of as: John Carter finds his way into unknown place, John Carter overhears important info, John Carter get disguise, John Carter is discovered, John Carter kills a shit-ton of villain, alas the princess is in another castle... This happens THREE TIMES. Also, our hero comes off as a r...more

like · see review

Apr 09, 2012 Joe rated it 3 of 5 stars

"The risk was great, but not too great when the fate of a world's most wondrous woman was at stake."

"If there be a fate that is sometimes cruel to me, there surely is a kind and merciful Providence which watches over me."

"If I sometimes seem to take too great pride in my fighting ability, it must be remembered that fighting is my vocation. If your vocation be shoeing horses, or painting pictures, and you can do one or the other better than your fellows, then you are a fool is you are not proud o...more

like · see review

Jul 19, 2012 Kathryn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, adventure, american, fantasy, on-my-nook, space-opera

The Warlord of Mars concludes the trilogy begun with A Princess of Mars. At the end of this trilogy, John Carter has, essentially, conquered the entire planet. He has united the green, red, black, yellow, and white men of Mars under his banner, and they happily name him the Warlord of Barsoom. His title, though, seems to be merely a courtesy title; he doesn't rule (in the sense of governing) even a city, but simply rejoices in wealth and prestige.

Given the time when this book was written, it's s...more

like · see review

Apr 08, 2009 Ken rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of old sci-fi; pulp fiction

as with the previous book in the series (gods of mars) the constant up-and-down, saved-at-the-last-minute-from-the-jaws-of-death device was a bit tedious.

there is huge potential in this series and i look forward to the upcoming film based on this trilogy. i give the trilogy the benefit of the doubt because it was a (weekly?) serial and Burroughs was clearly writing in a stream of conscious manner from episode to episode.

if he were consciously writing a trilogy, he would probably have done a less...more

like · see review

May 31, 2011 Sarah rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: novel, sci-fi, barsoom

I was really disappointed in the third volume of Burroughs' Barsoom series. While the first two books were delightfully campy fun, the third was trite and tedious, even though it tried to tell the same type of story.

In the previous installment, The Gods of Mars, the story left off with our hero's wife being imprisoned with two other women, one of whom was trying to kill her, as John Carter looked on helpless to save them. Instead of an equally engrossing adventure to save them, my husband lost i...more

like · see review

Jun 09, 2012 Jimmy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It was a fitting conclusion to the first Mars trilogy. I ended up enjoying all three more than I thought I would. It is interesting to read something that is about 100 years old but is still relevant today. I really enjoyed the unwavering honor that John lived his life by. He was not a complex character and I found that comforting. I recommend all three books. The books started to get a little repetitive towards the end. Every chapter had John facing insurmountable odds, overcoming them, and th...more

like · see review

Feb 24, 2012 John Schneider rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, fiction, science-fiction

Having now read the first three of Burroughs's John Carter novels, I have a new sense of the word "archetype." Every fan of fantasy and science fiction should read these novels in order to understand better how these two genres have developed by experiencing what they grew from. Although Burroughs's work could be improved in many different ways (more complex characters, more descriptive action, etc.), such criticisms would miss what the novels excel at - wonder and suspense. For when reading the...more

like · see review

Jan 30, 2012 Dan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Much better than #2 and a fine end to the Barsoom Trilogy. A much quicker read than book two. Still didn't capture the magic of the first but I am glad I kept with it and finished. John Carter is his usual swashbuckling invincible self and this time he must rescue his wife from evil kidnappers (the two empires he destroyed in book 2). Nice little travelog as he tracks them across Mars, and it ties up all the loose ends - although maybe a little too neatly as John Carter always seems to find the...more

like · see review

May 27, 2012 Stephen Brooke rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, science-fiction

Concluding the storyline begun in 'The Gods of Mars,' 'Warlord' suffers from some of the same shortcomings, especially the reliance on coincidence. As with its predecessor, it is almost non-stop action -- there is a lot going on in these books and Burroughs pulls it off well. One certainly can't say he lacked inventiveness!

But there is a certain lack in both books, compared to the original 'A Princess of Mars.' In the pursuit of action, the world-building suffers. Oh sure, there are a number of...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Enjoyment	3	34	Jan 01, 2013 07:29pm

combine
Other Editions (106)

More editions...

Genres

Science Fiction

226 users

Fantasy

138 users

Adventure

41 users

Classics

41 users

Pulp

22 users

Science Fiction Fantasy

20 users

Science Fiction > Sword And Planet

12 users

Science Fiction > Planetary Romance

11 users

Novels

9 users

Science Fiction > Aliens

7 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

The Time Traders
by Andre Norton
Almuric
by Robert E. Howard
Space Viking
by H. Beam Piper
Second Stage Lensmen
by E.E. "Doc" Smith
Off On A Comet
by Jules Verne

About Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.

More about Edgar Rice Burroughs...

Books by Edgar Rice Burroughs

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About The Warlord of Mars

3 trivia questions
1 quiz

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from The Warlord of Mars

“Imagine, if you can, a huge grizzly with ten legs armed with mighty talons and an enormous froglike mouth splitting his head from ear to ear, exposing three rows of long, white tusks. Then endow this creature of your imagination with the agility and ferocity of a half-starved Bengal tiger and the strength of a span of bulls, and you will have some faint conception of Woola in action.” — 1 person liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: The Warlord of Mars
avg rating	preview: The Warlord of Mars Goodreads rating: 3.81 (4998 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40379.The_Warlord_of_Mars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328773630l/40379.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40379.The_Warlord_of_Mars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs[/url]

The Warlord of Mars (Barsoom #3)

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website