John Carter of Mars Series (Barsoom, #1-3)

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John Carter of Mars Series (Barsoom #1-3)

by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Golgotha Press (Created by)

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 771 ratings · 118 reviews

Ambushed in the cold moonlight of an Arizona night, Captain John Carter is inexplicably teleported to Mars, called Barsoom by its inhabitants. Legendary Barsoomwhere hostile tribes of towering green warriors roam an arid landscape of dead cities and feuding city-states; where pilgrimages are made to a river of death that conceals a terrifying secret; where lifespans are me...more

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Published October 18th 2010 by Golgotha Press (first published 1912)

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Jul 22, 2011 Simon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, sf

This edition collects the first three books from the Barsoom series featuring John Carter's adventures on Mars. With an attractive cover, occasional illustrations within and an introduction by James P. Hogan, this is a fine, although somewhat bulky volume. Here follows my thoughts on each of the stories as I read them.

A Princess of Mars

This is an epic, science-fantasy adventure as John Carter is introduced to Mars and the variety of strange creatures and civilizations that inhabit it. For some r...more

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Dec 05, 2010 John rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1fiction, box1

Haven't read these books since - well a long time ago. Still one of the giants of early science fiction.

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Apr 10, 2009 Elijah Kinch Spector rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The First book (read June 4, 2008):

Anyway, A Princess of Mars is essentially "world-building 101" for anyone interested in science fiction and the like. Very little (if anything) had been done along these lines before it, and the picture it paints is really pretty stark, if at times simplistic. Thankfully, it also moves very, fast: by less than 20 pages in, the lead character has already "died" (sort of) twice before the story has even gotten started.

Now, I'm far from the first one to say this,...more The First book (read June 4, 2008):

Anyway, A Princess of Mars is essentially "world-building 101" for anyone interested in science fiction and the like. Very little (if anything) had been done along these lines before it, and the picture it paints is really pretty stark, if at times simplistic. Thankfully, it also moves very, fast: by less than 20 pages in, the lead character has already "died" (sort of) twice before the story has even gotten started.

Now, I'm far from the first one to say this, but the biggest problem with this book is that John Carter himself is really a dick. He's a soldier of fortune, just coming off of fighting for the Confederacy, and when we first meet him on Earth he's busy killing Indians. They're written to be just about as savage as one would expect from a book of this time, but that part's over quickly and we can move on. However, while the racism is mostly gone through the bulk of the story (unless you decide that such-and-such group of Martians represents so-and-so, yadda yadda yadda) the character still thinks very much like that kind of old school "hero" who's perfectly willing to slaughter whomever necessary to get what he wants. This doesn't actually bother me too much, but it is worth pointing out. Really, the story is too fun and old-fashioned for such things to bog it down too much.

Undoubtedly, the planet itself is the real star of the show, and witnessing its marvels, and peoples, and battles is a lot of fun. What's more, it sets up very nicely for future books in a way that I didn't think was really being done back then. I can't wait to read more.

The Second Book (read April 10, 2009):

Well Burroughs certainly doesn't let up. Not only does Gods of Mars move really quickly, but he introduces almost as much new stuff as he did in the first one--and still doesn't answer every mystery left over from the first either. There's some kind of weird race stuff, and a lot of surprisingly modern views of religion, but it's still, all told, a fast and exciting story, with much more depth given to the world than the characters.(less)

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Feb 14, 2010 Bradford rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Interesting because it is early, EARLY sci-fi (same guy who wrote Tarzan), but the writing and story are absolutely awful. In fact, the book is fun on a so-bad-it's-good level. Written first person style, John Carter is a Civil War veteran magically plucked from Earth and dropped into the middle of warring nations on Mars. John Carter is stronger, braver, smarter, and more humble (as he tells us unironically)than any other creature on the exotic planet. Every Martian man wants to be him, will fo...more

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Mar 05, 2012 Guy Gonzalez rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, research

I'm not quite sure how I'd never read any John Carter stories, not even the comics, nor do I remember exactly what prompted me to pick up this collection sometime last summer, but I'm glad I did.

Definitely dated, Burroughs' style is crisp enough to overcome the old school sensibilities, and his pulpy characters and non-stop action make each of these novels legitimate page-turners. From the amazing world-building of Princess of Mars, to Gods of Mars' insane cliffhanger ending, to Warlord of Mars...more

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Feb 07, 2012 David Maine marked it as to-read

Hey people! I just stumbled across this Kindle book at Amazon for 99 cents! It contains the first three books in the John Carter of Mars series, a terrifically fun bunch of books that serve as the spiritual ancestor iof any number of fantasy-adventure books, including (ahem) my own Gamble of the Godless, but also plenty of others. ERB was the creator of Tarzan, so there you go. I plan to reread these ASAP, but in the meantime you could do a lot worse than this series for some mid-winter pick-me-...more

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Mar 12, 2013 Sherry rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One day, just as I had begun to read Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Mars Trilogy, I was looking through the stamps at the Post Office, and to my delight, there was a 2012 stamp honoring Burroughs and his Tarzan. I bought some!

The Mars Trilogy conveniently brings together three shorter works, which include A Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, and The Warlord of Mars. In 1912, these writings began as true pulp fiction--Burroughs being one of the first Science Fiction writers before it was even called...more

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Jul 19, 2012 Jennifer Risley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is very little like the movie.
I suggest if you want to see the movie watch it before reading the book.

This book I thought, especial for when it was written, very well wrote and interesting. John Carter, was really a Chaotic Good man. who did what ever it took to save the people he loved, even if he didn't realize he loved them. His rushes to save his partarn even after his died try to save his body. Which nearly kills him.

He states that he is not a hero. And he is and isn't. He is a...more This book is very little like the movie.
I suggest if you want to see the movie watch it before reading the book.

This book I thought, especial for when it was written, very well wrote and interesting. John Carter, was really a Chaotic Good man. who did what ever it took to save the people he loved, even if he didn't realize he loved them. His rushes to save his partarn even after his died try to save his body. Which nearly kills him.

He states that he is not a hero. And he is and isn't. He is a hero in a since that he fought for the to nations that he loved and the people he loved with stopping to think about it.

But he also is a villain. He Massicued a city, one which viewed him as a friend and honored solider Because he didn't want to lose the love of his life. HE MASSICUED it. He also killed a man that crime was that he was going to wed carters love. He planned for his death, and when finding out he could not kill him, planned on someone else to do it.

The closest person to lawful good in this book was one of The future Jaddak. And that he was tied to a lawful evil people. ANd the only good character was SOLA and the frog like dog.

still it is easy to fall for Carter and His princess, and in the end he did save the whole of the planet... at lease i believe he did. since there are more books.

But this is a classic, and i did love it.

It was written well and mostly easly to follow, well all but the time line. that got a little confusing at times.

As a side note in defense of the movie. Which i own. I like the John Carter like the characters in the movie better, and the plot was more action base. The Princess in the movie was more of a warrior. Carter was a good man, who had better motives for going to war, and his back story was more engaging... One difference that i liked in the book better, Carter won the title chief from his first kill, another chief, then he kill a second chief and received a name after these to chiefs instead of just being given the title. (less)

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Nov 27, 2012 Bradley rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: removed-from-collection, science-fiction, fantasy

The Martian Tales Trilogy is, as described, actually three books, now combined into a single volume. Comprised of A Princess of Mars , The Gods of Mars , and The Warlord of Mars , all written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Burroughs is responsible for other classics such as Tarzan of the Apes.

Since the books in The Martian Tales Trilogy were published nearly a century ago, there's nothing I could write that most likely hasn't already been said. It is my intention therefore, to put my own thoughts dow...more The Martian Tales Trilogy is, as described, actually three books, now combined into a single volume. Comprised of A Princess of Mars , The Gods of Mars , and The Warlord of Mars , all written by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Burroughs is responsible for other classics such as Tarzan of the Apes.

Since the books in The Martian Tales Trilogy were published nearly a century ago, there's nothing I could write that most likely hasn't already been said. It is my intention therefore, to put my own thoughts down, for the purpose of this review.

Though written long ago, I was impressed by the language within. Other novels written in older timeframes are often fairly hard to read, since the language often is quite different from modern publications and style. During the course of the novels, the prose does seem to affect some type unusual phrasing, but it's still immensely readable.

The story of John Carter is nothing if impossible, but that doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the story, as it sweeps from pole to pole of Mars, known as Barsoom to its inhabitants. Once you put aside what we currently know about our red neighbor, the story captures the imagination of the reader. When the story was first published, back in 1914, one can only imagine what readers were capable of believing. Very little was known about Mars at that time in history.

Throughout the three novels of the Trilogy, John Carter's heroics are chronicled, as he strives to rescue his Martian wife from the evil clutches of numerous creatures. Written in first-person, from John Carter's view, it does grow a tad tiresome to hear his boasts of swordsmanship and courage, when his story describes no such skills while he's on Earth. Of course, the facts of his magical appearances on Mars, and his seemingly immortal character is also so fantastical that one can only accept it as part of the story.

In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the stories, and was mildly disappointed to reach the end. Certainly, Burroughs could have written much more about the events surrounding John Carter, and continued those marvelous adventures, but alas he did not.

The Martian Tales Trilogy can be described as one of the first science-fiction novels, in a new and upcoming genre of that area. Though I had my doubts about the story before beginning, I quickly cast aside my preconceptions and enjoyed the work.

It's a marvel that this was never turned into a movie or series of films. I highly recommend it for fans of all literature--not just science-fiction. It's more of a fantasy than science-fiction and it does not disappoint.(less)

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Apr 17, 2012 Theophilus (Theo) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fantastic. Burroughs is a master of fantasy. If you like action that you can share with a teen or tweener son, take a look at this book. I've been a fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs since I was in jr. high school, but I had not read this saga. This is beyond his Tarzan series and right there with his Pelucidar and Venus series. John Carter, a war veteran in the American West seeks refuge in an Arizona cave and is mysteriously transported to Mars, called by its inhabitants Barsoom. Barsoom strangely r...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Josiah rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was an excellent read. It was very enjoyable to follow the adventure of the unstoppable John Carter. It is not very often anymore that we get to hear stories of the hero who cannot be bested. In more recent decades we seem to look more towards the little guy who does great things, which is great in its own way. Maybe we like to be able to relate as little people who can accomplish things despite that. I prefer, however, the epic warrior hero who is more than enough to take on any challenge...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Ryan Long rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fusing popular romance with the prose of late 19th-Century authors like Mary Shelley, Edgar Rice Burroughs created a whole new genre almost single-handedly.

The Chronicles of Mars depict a war-torn and dying world of racial unrest, where men are scarcely more than the playthings of kings, Warlords, and self-proclaimed Gods. Burroughs' John Carter is a retired Confederate Army mercenary who dies in an attack by a band of Native Americans. While Burroughs never makes this back-story an explicit tal...more

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Jun 03, 2010 Joann rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I always heard the name Edgar Rice Burroughs but never read anything by him until I heard this first book on Books on Radio and fell in love with the characters from the book. I am now reading the next in this series. There was a total of 11 books on the life of John Carter and I am sure I will enjoy each one and the only sad part is that there will be no more!

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Dec 24, 2012 Casey rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'll admit, I hadn't heard of John Carter before the movie, even though he's been around for 100 years (The Princess of Mars was originally published in 1912). Once I started reading though, I loved it.

John Carter, a Civil War Captain, is magically transported to Mars where he encounters several different races of creatures. Using his newfound strength and agility (due to the difference in gravity between Earth and Mars) he fights his way through several battles and perilous encounters. Granted...more

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Apr 10, 2012 Vivian rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: adolescent boys

Shelves: science-fiction, rereads

"With a snarl he sprang toward me with naked sword, but whether Salensus Oll was a good swordsman or a poor I never learned; for with Dejah Thoris at my back I was no longer human--I was a superman, and no man could have withstood me then."

I read these books when I was a kid and I enjoyed them. Now? Not so much. lol

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Feb 18, 2013 Cleverusername rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Five stars for the first three tales of Barsoom.

Edgar Rice Burroughs has prose like I've never seen. These books are pulpy entertainment at its best... and the distinct worlds that Burroughs creates and populates with characters both literally and figuratively alien defies are so lush and detailed that it's easy to see why the adventures of John Carter sparked so many other imaginations that would eventually create nearly every other great adventure, science fiction, and fantasy story you could...more

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May 09, 2011 Travis rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't see how Tarzan became more popular than any of the John Carter stories. Maybe Tarzan was more adaptable as the John Carter series are far more complex. Either way I loved all three of the books and plan on reading the rest of the Barsoom series in the future.

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May 27, 2008 J.D. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of high adventure

Cheesy as only early 20th century adventure fiction could be, but riveting nonetheless. Absolutely mesmerizing storytelling, set on a fantastic Mars that could never exist in real life, but one that's more vivid than reality.

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Jun 20, 2012 Aaron rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

First off, this edition (Barnes and Noble Essential Reading) is easily the most poorly-edited volume of literature I have ever experienced. There is probably at least one typo per page (missing periods, misspelled words, errant quotation marks) and one recurring error that wears on you after about the seven-hundredth time it happens. The error? The letters "th" incessantly replaced with the letter "m" ( as in "mat" for "that", "me" for "the", "man" for "than").

Also, do not let the fact that this...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Liisa rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read these 3 books fairly quickly, one after another after seeing the movie. They are fun boy's own adventure type pulp fiction set in a fantastical 'Mars' of the author's imagination. They are dated hugely of course so there is notable overt racism and sexism, but the creatures and environments described are very creative and fascinating. They are serialised stories and the first 2 books finish with cliff hanger endings and although the 3rd book seems to round everything up it appears there a...more

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Feb 13, 2012 john Adams rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

If ever was a book ready made for a Hollywood blockbuster this is it. The book is in essence a cowboy and Indian story set on Mars. John Carter is a bad ass and he “whoops.” He is transported to Mars, fights some really bad guys, saves the girl, be-fiends the enemies, fights some even worse enemies, and then saves the planet. It was pointed out to me that this book could be seen as a critique of the cowboy and Indian genre. Because like Dances with Wolves the cowboy, John Carter, and the Indian,...more

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Jul 24, 2012 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: keepers, pulp-fiction, ebook

I read A Princess of Mars a few years ago, having really enjoyed Tarzan. I was so disappointed by the ending, however, that I gave the Barsoom series up as a lost cause.
But now, having just watched John Carter, I became really curious as to what happened next.

So over the last week, I have read books 1-3 and am now totally hooked.

I just love the ridiculousness of it all. It really is the true definition of pulp fiction, but it is also the birthplace of what are now the classics of science ficti...more

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Apr 06, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: animals-and-children

When it rains in a Burroughs novel, the reader gets wet." -- Science-fiction writer Jack McDevitt

Combining otherworldly adventures with elements of classical myth, fast-paced plots with cliffhanging tension, and imaginative fantasy with vivid prose, Edgar Rice Burroughs' The Martian Tales Trilogy helped define a new literary genre emerging in the early twentieth century that would become known as science fiction.

Hero John Carter proves himself against deadly foes in The Martian Trilogy. In the f...more

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Aug 02, 2012 Brad added it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Apr 30, 2012 Melinda rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, fiction, fun, made-into-a-movie, sci-fi, worth-owning

I have been a long time fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs. ERB wrote many of his books first as serials in magazines. Only later would they be published as individual books and then later in book series form. So the writing style lends itself towards leading the reader to the next serial magazine instead of creating final closure. There are 11 books in the John Carter series, and yes, the plots begin to strain a bit of credulity, however the all out swashbuckling adventure is still there and still fun...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Adelaide Metzger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-nook-library, adelaide-s-favorites

(This review is for the first two books in the series).
"...There is no other mortal on Barsoom who would have done what you have for me. I think I have learned that there is such thing as a friendship, my friend." (Tars Tarkas on pg 123).
When you ask people who have read the John Carter series what they think of the character, you'll most likely get a response along the lines of "masculine and steamy" from women, "heroic and bada**" from men, and "brave and courageous" from everyone. What most...more (This review is for the first two books in the series).
"...There is no other mortal on Barsoom who would have done what you have for me. I think I have learned that there is such thing as a friendship, my friend." (Tars Tarkas on pg 123).
When you ask people who have read the John Carter series what they think of the character, you'll most likely get a response along the lines of "masculine and steamy" from women, "heroic and bada**" from men, and "brave and courageous" from everyone. What most readers see in this character is what Edgar Rice Burroughs placed upfront, and that is everything that was previously described. But Burroughs also put another element upfront that most don't remember John Carter for: Love. Sure, it does get steamy after he and Deja Thoris become twitterpated, and even though that kind of love is obvious in the series with Deja always slipping out of his hands, Burroughs does a golden job sculpting one other form of love into this character.
We all become hooked after reading the first two chapters and the story is faceted with many likable characters on a dangerous, colorful scale of pragmatism. But the gracious love of loyalty and kindness stands out the most as we follow John Carter through the series. The love I'm talking about is Ahava, which is the Hebrew definition of the love of will. This love urges you to join your life with another. It's an emotion that leads to commitment.
When John Carter first arrives on Barsoom, he finds that the Thark race is a violent and brutal one devoid of love, friendship, and even simple kindness. John Carter, who is a born human, slowly teaches the Tharks that kindness gains trust and dedication. But they are slow to accept any terms of real love or friendship because of their ruthless leader Tal Hajus. But Carter gains many followers including Tars Tarkas who becomes his most loyal and trusted friend on all of Barsoom. He also gains friendship with Woola, a six-legged dog alien; Kantos Kan, a general for Helium's forces; and Xodar, a black pirate of mars, along with many others. Carter expresses himself through ahava love and kindness to all he meets, becoming a king of mars because of it.
It is unclear if Burroughs' cause of this was to show how kind in nature our race can really be, or if Carter is how Burroughs wanted all of humanity to act. Either way, this message of love and companionship is presented openly and was intended for us as readers to learn something from it.
When John Carter of Mars was first published, I don't think anyone expected an epic masterpiece. In fact, at the time, it was probably seen as a child's fantasy. I paraphrase C.S. Lewis when he said, "Fantasy is the best art form to represent what you have to say." In this case, as in many others, he was 100% right.
(less)

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Jul 18, 2012 Dave Birchbauer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great book. Initially, I found it difficult to read because of its 100 year old writing style. Some of the first books I read were Burroughs Tarzan series which helped fuel my love of reading.

The book is in constant motion, I can't recall is sitting still for more than a page or two. It is about John Carter, an old west miner/gunfighter/swordsman and all around tough guy/gentleman who is mysteriously transported to Mars where his adventures instantly begins. Early on he meets the woman who steal...more

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Mar 24, 2012 Jim Fitzgerald rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone interested in historical science fiction, alien cultures

12/19/2011 - I have finished reading Book I of the John Carter of Mars Collection :
John Carter of Mars (Book I): A Princess of Mars By Edgar Rice Burroughs Kindle Edition by Douglas Editions (2009)
Burroughs, Edgar Rice (2009-01-03). The John Carter of Mars Collection (Kindle Locations 13-16). Kindle Editions. Kindle Edition.

This is the first book I have read on my iPhone. I downloaded the Kindle App while exploring the eBook concept for my son and daughter who just started college. It looks lik...more

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Jul 24, 2011 Jason Shuttlesworth rated it 3 of 5 stars

John Carter of Mars...a trilogy actually...is quite an interesting series. It starts out with John falling asleep in an Arizona cave during the Civil War days and waking up in Mars. He then goes through many adventures, so that the end result is John getting married to the most beautiful Martian gal on the planet and him (eventually) being something like the emperor over Mars.

At times, especially after the first few chapters, the book started reading like a really long comic book or video game....more

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May 05, 2011 Aaron rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-fiction

One of the founding trilogies of science fiction, the Martian Tales Trilogy has, to some degree, not aged very well. It is a good story, sure, full of pulse-pounding sword fights to the death with all of the many races of beings on Mars. There is romance, though very man-oriented, with the women primarily existing as objects to be won. For example, John Carter's wife is the reason he spends most of the trilogy charging all over Mars, as she gets captured and hauled from one pole of the planet to...more

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