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Barsoom
John Carter: The Movie Novelization: Also includes: A Princess of Mars
LOST IN OUR WORLD, FOUND IN ANOTHER.
JOHN CARTER is a war-weary former military captain who finds himself inexplicably transported to Mars, where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions. From being captured by four-armed giants to being the focal point of a war between two nations, Carter will rediscover his humanity millions of miles from Earth.
Also included in this volume is the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novel A PRINCESS OF MARS. First published in 1912, it introduced the world to John Carter and is the basis for the 2012 Walt Disney Pictures film John Carter. The first of the eleven Barsoom books, it is a classic tale of planetary adventure.
JOHN CARTER is a war-weary former military captain who finds himself inexplicably transported to Mars, where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions. From being captured by four-armed giants to being the focal point of a war between two nations, Carter will rediscover his humanity millions of miles from Earth.
Also included in this volume is the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novel A PRINCESS OF MARS. First published in 1912, it introduced the world to John Carter and is the basis for the 2012 Walt Disney Pictures film John Carter. The first of the eleven Barsoom books, it is a classic tale of planetary adventure.
560 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2012
14 people are currently reading
180 people want to read
About the author
Stuart Moore
399 books69 followersSTUART MOORE is a writer, a book editor, and an award-winning comics editor.
Among his current writing projects are THE ZODIAC LEGACY, created and cowritten by Stan Lee and published by Disney, featuring an all-new team of teenaged super heroes in a series of illustrated prose novels and graphic novels; DOMINION: LAST SACRIFICE, a comic book series for Amazon/Jet City; and THANOS: DEATH SENTENCE, an original Marvel prose novel. Recent work includes EGOs, an original comic book series from Image Comics, and GARTER'S BIG SCORE, an original ebook novella for Kindle. He also contributed two series, TEACH and OUT WITH A BANG, to the launch of the online comics app Stela. Other comics work includes WOLVERINE NOIR and NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT (Marvel); FIRESTORM (DC Comics); assorted Star Trek and Transformers projects; and the science-fiction graphic novels EARTHLIGHT, PARA, SHADRACH STONE, and MANDALA. Prose writing includes the novel version of Marvel’s CIVIL WAR, and Disney Worldwide's JOHN CARTER: THE MOVIE NOVELIZATION.
Among his current writing projects are THE ZODIAC LEGACY, created and cowritten by Stan Lee and published by Disney, featuring an all-new team of teenaged super heroes in a series of illustrated prose novels and graphic novels; DOMINION: LAST SACRIFICE, a comic book series for Amazon/Jet City; and THANOS: DEATH SENTENCE, an original Marvel prose novel. Recent work includes EGOs, an original comic book series from Image Comics, and GARTER'S BIG SCORE, an original ebook novella for Kindle. He also contributed two series, TEACH and OUT WITH A BANG, to the launch of the online comics app Stela. Other comics work includes WOLVERINE NOIR and NAMOR: THE FIRST MUTANT (Marvel); FIRESTORM (DC Comics); assorted Star Trek and Transformers projects; and the science-fiction graphic novels EARTHLIGHT, PARA, SHADRACH STONE, and MANDALA. Prose writing includes the novel version of Marvel’s CIVIL WAR, and Disney Worldwide's JOHN CARTER: THE MOVIE NOVELIZATION.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
April 18, 2012
3.5 Stars. Although unfamiliar with Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter adventures, I thoroughly enjoyed the recent film -- so much so that I wanted to seek out the source material on which it was based. Many, if not all, of Burroughs' Carter novels are in the public domain (and as such are available as free or bargain-priced e-books), but I opted to purchase this novelization of the film for two reasons. One, I am a sucker for a decent script novelization, particularly if it expands on the movie's action to some degree (the novelizations of the original Star Wars films are extremely effective in this respect), and two, this novelization is packaged with A Princess of Mars, the original and first novel to feature John Carter's adventures on Mars, and the story on which the film is principally based.
The movie novelization is written by Stuart Moore, and as written realization of the film it falls a bit short. Let me put it this way -- if I'd read the novelization first there's a good chance I would've opted not to see John Carter on the big screen, and that would've been a crying shame. Moore's novelization is a decent adaptation of the script, but it fails to flesh out the fascinating world the film introduced me to. I wanted more of Carter's backstory, more insight into the development of his romance with Dejah Thoris, more insight into his efforts to adapt to the brave new and dangerous world he finds himself unexpectedly thrust into when he encounters the Thern being in the Arizona cave. Moore's prose is relatively flat, and given the imaginative canvas Burroughs created that's a shame. But having seen the film first, the novelization does a decent job translating the storyline from screen to the page -- I would simply encourage anyone who picks it up to not stop there when investigating the written origins of Carter's Mars adventures.
Reading A Princess of Mars was a first for me -- I have no experience reading early 20th-century classic pulp fiction, so stylistically I had no idea what to expect. I was of course familiar with Burroughs as the creator of Tarzan, and that character principally through its silver screen adaptations from the 1930s and 40s. First published in 1912 in serial form, Princess is told wholly from John Carter's point-of-view. This means there is a lot -- and I mean A LOT -- of information "dumping," exacerbated by the fact that all of the action is related as Carter's reminiscences, and for a good part of his time on Mars he's observing and learning, concealing the fact that he's learning the Martian language. This narrative style made the first third or so of Princess a bit of a slow go -- but with the images from the film firmly ingrained in my imagination, I was nonetheless eager to learn Carter's origin story as originally envisioned by his creator.
Roughly halfway through Burroughs' first Barsoom (Mars) novel, the action begins to pick up the pace, and what the movie novelization lacked in developing the Carter/Dejah relationship, Burroughs made up for in this novel. While the original Dejah isn't quite the warrior (at least not yet) that we see in the movie, her nobility and sacrificing spirit translated from Burroughs' text to the screen relatively intact. And I'm a complete sucker for an old-fashioned romance, and Carter's character has an inherent nobility that I just adored. Princess is an old-fashioned adventure novel that becomes an increasing page-turner the more Burroughs lets us see Carter adapt to his new environment, gradually opening himself up to friendships and relationships with people whose appearance and customs are so different from his own at first blush. Surprisingly, since it seems so out of my reading norm, I'm more interested than I ever expected in investigating Burroughs' subsequent John Carter novels. Happily the film (though not the novelization exactly) is a decent and fairly faithful adaptation of its ground-breaking source material -- I'm happy to have finally discovered this classic from the pen of a pulp fiction master.
The movie novelization is written by Stuart Moore, and as written realization of the film it falls a bit short. Let me put it this way -- if I'd read the novelization first there's a good chance I would've opted not to see John Carter on the big screen, and that would've been a crying shame. Moore's novelization is a decent adaptation of the script, but it fails to flesh out the fascinating world the film introduced me to. I wanted more of Carter's backstory, more insight into the development of his romance with Dejah Thoris, more insight into his efforts to adapt to the brave new and dangerous world he finds himself unexpectedly thrust into when he encounters the Thern being in the Arizona cave. Moore's prose is relatively flat, and given the imaginative canvas Burroughs created that's a shame. But having seen the film first, the novelization does a decent job translating the storyline from screen to the page -- I would simply encourage anyone who picks it up to not stop there when investigating the written origins of Carter's Mars adventures.
Reading A Princess of Mars was a first for me -- I have no experience reading early 20th-century classic pulp fiction, so stylistically I had no idea what to expect. I was of course familiar with Burroughs as the creator of Tarzan, and that character principally through its silver screen adaptations from the 1930s and 40s. First published in 1912 in serial form, Princess is told wholly from John Carter's point-of-view. This means there is a lot -- and I mean A LOT -- of information "dumping," exacerbated by the fact that all of the action is related as Carter's reminiscences, and for a good part of his time on Mars he's observing and learning, concealing the fact that he's learning the Martian language. This narrative style made the first third or so of Princess a bit of a slow go -- but with the images from the film firmly ingrained in my imagination, I was nonetheless eager to learn Carter's origin story as originally envisioned by his creator.
Roughly halfway through Burroughs' first Barsoom (Mars) novel, the action begins to pick up the pace, and what the movie novelization lacked in developing the Carter/Dejah relationship, Burroughs made up for in this novel. While the original Dejah isn't quite the warrior (at least not yet) that we see in the movie, her nobility and sacrificing spirit translated from Burroughs' text to the screen relatively intact. And I'm a complete sucker for an old-fashioned romance, and Carter's character has an inherent nobility that I just adored. Princess is an old-fashioned adventure novel that becomes an increasing page-turner the more Burroughs lets us see Carter adapt to his new environment, gradually opening himself up to friendships and relationships with people whose appearance and customs are so different from his own at first blush. Surprisingly, since it seems so out of my reading norm, I'm more interested than I ever expected in investigating Burroughs' subsequent John Carter novels. Happily the film (though not the novelization exactly) is a decent and fairly faithful adaptation of its ground-breaking source material -- I'm happy to have finally discovered this classic from the pen of a pulp fiction master.
February 29, 2012
This is an omnibus edition of the novelization of the Disney's movie, John Carter and of Edgar Rice Burroughs' A Princess of Mars.I first read A Princess of Mars over thirty years ago.It was one of the books that helped to set my reading habits that I still follow today.To be fair,I decided to do my review in three parts.The first will be a review of the movie novelization.Followed by a review of A Princess of Mars, hopefully it will hold up to my memories.Finally I will compare the two.Since I haven't seen the movie I will not be commenting on how the novelization compares to it.(I will definitely not compare any previous attempts to make a movie of the story. I will warn you that movie starred Traci Lords and Antonio Sabato Jr and had a special effects budget that would almost buy you a Happy Meal.)
The movie novelizationmakes this sound like the new style of Disney action movies(think Pirates of the Carribean or Sorceror's Apprentice).A lot of action, clearly defined good guys and bad guys,and a problem that the hero has to solve with a little romance thrown into the mix.The action is quick and the heroes are likable.The bad guys are very powerful but somewhat one-dimensional.It is a nice touch that John Carter is supposed to be the uncle of Edgar Rice Burroughs.It does follow the trend to make the story only last a few days. It always makes me wonder what would have happened if the hero was just a couple of days late.If only someone had contacted them a couple of months earlier, the hero could have actually taken time to come up with a plan instead of just winging it.Of course, winging it does seem to work for them.Overall a fun and quick read. I would rate the novelization as 3.5 stars.
I was really amazed at how much I enjoyed A Princess of Mars.I was afraid that my childhood memories mght have softened rough edges or that the writing might not hold up compared with all the books I have read since then.Even though this story was originally written for pulp magazines, it is still an epic adventure filled with swashbuckling action and romance.It is the story of a world in decline.Natural resources have to be carefully managed and the effort to survive has caused many to become hard and unfeeling.Martians are extremely long-lived but usually don't live to old age because of their continual fighting.Green Martians fight red Martians and both fight amongst themselves as well.Plus their is the hostile environment and the ever-dangerous white apes.
Thrown into this setting is John Carter,a man disillusioned after returning from the civil war.Acting in the only way he knows how, he resists the temptation to give into cruelty and tries to show others that "softer emotions" can have better results.But can he survive and win the heart of the beautiful Dejah Thoris?I would rate A Princess of Mars a solid 5 stars.If you haven't read it, add it to your to read list.
Comparing the two books,the movie novelization is like the cliff notes version of A Princess of Mars.Either that or it is like someone took most of the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and somehow made a slightly differnt picture.The main pieces are there but turned in slightly different ways.The only two new pieces to John Carter is the villians and the elixir that gives people the ability to understand Martian speech.In Princess, John Carter has to do things the hard way(and longer).He has to learn Martian speech, how to operate a flier, more fighting techiques, customs, etc.Princess has a detailed and vibrant world setting while John Carter skims over the surface.Picture the differnce of looking only at an ocean's surface to exploring its depths.John Carter is a softer version of A Princess of Mars(as can be expected from a Disney version) but both are great adventerous reads.
The movie novelizationmakes this sound like the new style of Disney action movies(think Pirates of the Carribean or Sorceror's Apprentice).A lot of action, clearly defined good guys and bad guys,and a problem that the hero has to solve with a little romance thrown into the mix.The action is quick and the heroes are likable.The bad guys are very powerful but somewhat one-dimensional.It is a nice touch that John Carter is supposed to be the uncle of Edgar Rice Burroughs.It does follow the trend to make the story only last a few days. It always makes me wonder what would have happened if the hero was just a couple of days late.If only someone had contacted them a couple of months earlier, the hero could have actually taken time to come up with a plan instead of just winging it.Of course, winging it does seem to work for them.Overall a fun and quick read. I would rate the novelization as 3.5 stars.
I was really amazed at how much I enjoyed A Princess of Mars.I was afraid that my childhood memories mght have softened rough edges or that the writing might not hold up compared with all the books I have read since then.Even though this story was originally written for pulp magazines, it is still an epic adventure filled with swashbuckling action and romance.It is the story of a world in decline.Natural resources have to be carefully managed and the effort to survive has caused many to become hard and unfeeling.Martians are extremely long-lived but usually don't live to old age because of their continual fighting.Green Martians fight red Martians and both fight amongst themselves as well.Plus their is the hostile environment and the ever-dangerous white apes.
Thrown into this setting is John Carter,a man disillusioned after returning from the civil war.Acting in the only way he knows how, he resists the temptation to give into cruelty and tries to show others that "softer emotions" can have better results.But can he survive and win the heart of the beautiful Dejah Thoris?I would rate A Princess of Mars a solid 5 stars.If you haven't read it, add it to your to read list.
Comparing the two books,the movie novelization is like the cliff notes version of A Princess of Mars.Either that or it is like someone took most of the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and somehow made a slightly differnt picture.The main pieces are there but turned in slightly different ways.The only two new pieces to John Carter is the villians and the elixir that gives people the ability to understand Martian speech.In Princess, John Carter has to do things the hard way(and longer).He has to learn Martian speech, how to operate a flier, more fighting techiques, customs, etc.Princess has a detailed and vibrant world setting while John Carter skims over the surface.Picture the differnce of looking only at an ocean's surface to exploring its depths.John Carter is a softer version of A Princess of Mars(as can be expected from a Disney version) but both are great adventerous reads.
October 27, 2017
I was among the few who caught JOHN CARTER in theaters and one of the many who were disappointed by it. Although I hadn't yet read Burroughs' BARSOOM novels at that time, I'd seen enough concept art to realize that giving the movie the look and feel of STAR WARS EPISODE I: THE PHANTOM MENACE was a far cry from the tone Burroughs originally established.
This novelization by Stuart Moore is an automatic improvement over the film in that it doesn't feature cartoonish CGI or a dull performance by Taylor Kitsch as the titular lead. Any way you cut it, though, the book's existence is completely superfluous considering that a better version of the exact same novel already existed in the form of the original A PRINCESS OF MARS.
It's a very rare thing to produce a novelization of a movie that was itself based on a novel. Almost without exception, movie studios just take the original work, slap a new cover on it, and use it as their movie tie-in. It's true that Christopher Wood's THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER exist on the same weird plane as JOHN CARTER, but at least those two books were based on movies that had little or nothing to do with the Ian Fleming source material. On the other hand, JOHN CARTER the movie was a fairly straight-forward re-telling of A PRINCESS OF MARS for the most part; and therefore so is the novel, apart from the modern prose and Disney's story "improvements," such as Dejah Thoris being portrayed as a kickass swordswoman who kills people every bit as efficiently and emotionlessly as her male counterpart, rather than as a Princess Toadstool type always being whisked off to another castle.
As you would expect from a novelization of a Disney film, the book is professional yet pedestrian. The new story line provides a better explanation for Carter's sudden transportation to Mars, and it's definitely a good way to introduce young kids to this particular mythology, but there's no reason for any Barsoom fan to ever choose it over A PRINCESS OF MARS, which, oddly enough, is included in this same volume.
This novelization by Stuart Moore is an automatic improvement over the film in that it doesn't feature cartoonish CGI or a dull performance by Taylor Kitsch as the titular lead. Any way you cut it, though, the book's existence is completely superfluous considering that a better version of the exact same novel already existed in the form of the original A PRINCESS OF MARS.
It's a very rare thing to produce a novelization of a movie that was itself based on a novel. Almost without exception, movie studios just take the original work, slap a new cover on it, and use it as their movie tie-in. It's true that Christopher Wood's THE SPY WHO LOVED ME and MOONRAKER exist on the same weird plane as JOHN CARTER, but at least those two books were based on movies that had little or nothing to do with the Ian Fleming source material. On the other hand, JOHN CARTER the movie was a fairly straight-forward re-telling of A PRINCESS OF MARS for the most part; and therefore so is the novel, apart from the modern prose and Disney's story "improvements," such as Dejah Thoris being portrayed as a kickass swordswoman who kills people every bit as efficiently and emotionlessly as her male counterpart, rather than as a Princess Toadstool type always being whisked off to another castle.
As you would expect from a novelization of a Disney film, the book is professional yet pedestrian. The new story line provides a better explanation for Carter's sudden transportation to Mars, and it's definitely a good way to introduce young kids to this particular mythology, but there's no reason for any Barsoom fan to ever choose it over A PRINCESS OF MARS, which, oddly enough, is included in this same volume.
August 1, 2025
There is an expression, "age before beauty." So, I will start with the original novel, A Princess of Mars, then the novelization of John Carter.
I saw the movie and was more than happy with what I saw on screen, and waited patiently for the next movie. Sadly, Disney Studios claimed defeat, proclaiming that their film wasn't successful enough to make the sequels that they planned. But I loved the movie and wanted more, so I read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs's epic Barsoom series, and I loved every single book. I then learned that Stuart Moore adapted the screenplay into a novel and was eager to read it as well. Initially, I wasn't patient enough to read both books at once, but in the end, I loved reading them both.
A Princess of Mars
I'm more than aware that Edgar Rice Burroughs created a more famous work in his character of Tarzan, but I'm not the biggest fan of that series. This, however, wins my heart.
Before watching the movie, I witnessed a poorly executed ad campaign. One teaser trailer at the Super Bowl and a few tie-in materials, soundtrack, and reprints of the original books. But no toys, no other merchandise sold at restaurants or other stores, and very few TV commercials or specials that could have explained what you were getting into. I eventually heard from film magazines online that this book was described as the first modern sci-fi action story. With a plot similar to many great books, films, and shows like Star Wars, Dune, and Stargate. With a description like that, I knew I wanted to check this out. After having seen and loved the movie and knowing no sequel was going to be filmed, I decided to check out the books, starting with A Princess of Mars.
This deserved to have been made into a movie so many years ago. Science fiction truly made strides into popular culture because it secretly clung to a dying genre in Westerns. From Star Wars to Dune, the spirit of traveling to a frontier and the discovery of foreign cultures, adventures, and people that make our lives worth living isn't just in the desert sands of Earth but on other deserts, in this case, the deserts of Mars.
John Carter of Earth is prospecting for gold when he and a partner, unfortunately, get themselves into a spot of trouble that leads them to a cave for sanctuary. John's partner is dying and John himself experiences a strange feeling overcoming him merely from entering the cave. He is then whisked away to a different world where he is lighter yet stronger than he was on Earth, and from there is discovered by a race of creatures that take him in as he learns that he is not on Earth but on Mars.
In an adventure that spans hundreds of pages, months occur for our hero as he learns the language and culture of the peoples of the planet. Carter takes on allies as well as enemies, but more importantly, he falls in love with a gorgeous hostage, a noblewoman named Dejah Thoris. She and Carter endure a road full of danger with a destination of glory. But it is only the beginning of the adventure.
Having read this, I was saddened that the movie ended without the sequels being made, but I was more than satisfied to read the original and knew that the best part was that the book had a sequel that I could read. A great start. A-
John Carter
After having seen the movie in theaters, I wanted to read this for fun. Basically, it's a loyal adaptation of the final script with nothing else added to the story, like deleted scenes. 200 or so pages that move supremely fast with modest attention to detail and decent prose.
The story itself is pretty close to the original Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom adventures. It's 1880s America, and a young man is given a Will to execute after the events of the death of a wealthy distant relative named John Carter. John Carter, a former Confederate cavalry officer who made a fortune prospecting gold in the American West told wondrous stories to his beloved nephew and in the event of his death wrote a will that made it clear those weren't stories, they were real events of his life in another world known as Barsoom or as it is known to us as the planet Mars.
What started as an extraordinary day on Earth, a horseback chase by natives and cavalry to a cave, led to John Carter being sent to the planet Mars via the work of a dangerous being and an unknown science. Struggling with the complications of being in an unknown land and being stronger yet lighter starts the adventure, but then the discovery of many strange races follows. Tall green vicious tribal creatures are known as Tharks. Red-skinned humanoids at war with each other are known as Helium and Zodanga. But also, White-skinned humanoids that perpetuate strife with superior technology known as Therns, who manipulate the Red-skins.
All this as Dejah Thoris, a beautiful Helium princess, finds Carter and sees a hope to save her world. All this just leads to the most amazing adventure that ends gloriously but also in doubt as Carter relates this story to his nephew after having returned to Earth with great danger from the Therns, not just to Mars but to Earth as well, and Carter's nephew relates this story to its very end.
I wish there were more details given from the original eleven books this series was based on. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed many of the changes that were adapted to the movie. Such as the involvement of the Therns from the original two sequels. Having read those books, I could see how that could have been adapted for the films if those sequels had been made. Similar to the Stargate film/TV series. Sadly, those film sequels never came to pass; it would have been just as great as the original film.
I still shed a tear at the lost possibilities, but I enjoyed this story. A-
I saw the movie and was more than happy with what I saw on screen, and waited patiently for the next movie. Sadly, Disney Studios claimed defeat, proclaiming that their film wasn't successful enough to make the sequels that they planned. But I loved the movie and wanted more, so I read all of Edgar Rice Burroughs's epic Barsoom series, and I loved every single book. I then learned that Stuart Moore adapted the screenplay into a novel and was eager to read it as well. Initially, I wasn't patient enough to read both books at once, but in the end, I loved reading them both.
A Princess of Mars
I'm more than aware that Edgar Rice Burroughs created a more famous work in his character of Tarzan, but I'm not the biggest fan of that series. This, however, wins my heart.
Before watching the movie, I witnessed a poorly executed ad campaign. One teaser trailer at the Super Bowl and a few tie-in materials, soundtrack, and reprints of the original books. But no toys, no other merchandise sold at restaurants or other stores, and very few TV commercials or specials that could have explained what you were getting into. I eventually heard from film magazines online that this book was described as the first modern sci-fi action story. With a plot similar to many great books, films, and shows like Star Wars, Dune, and Stargate. With a description like that, I knew I wanted to check this out. After having seen and loved the movie and knowing no sequel was going to be filmed, I decided to check out the books, starting with A Princess of Mars.
This deserved to have been made into a movie so many years ago. Science fiction truly made strides into popular culture because it secretly clung to a dying genre in Westerns. From Star Wars to Dune, the spirit of traveling to a frontier and the discovery of foreign cultures, adventures, and people that make our lives worth living isn't just in the desert sands of Earth but on other deserts, in this case, the deserts of Mars.
John Carter of Earth is prospecting for gold when he and a partner, unfortunately, get themselves into a spot of trouble that leads them to a cave for sanctuary. John's partner is dying and John himself experiences a strange feeling overcoming him merely from entering the cave. He is then whisked away to a different world where he is lighter yet stronger than he was on Earth, and from there is discovered by a race of creatures that take him in as he learns that he is not on Earth but on Mars.
In an adventure that spans hundreds of pages, months occur for our hero as he learns the language and culture of the peoples of the planet. Carter takes on allies as well as enemies, but more importantly, he falls in love with a gorgeous hostage, a noblewoman named Dejah Thoris. She and Carter endure a road full of danger with a destination of glory. But it is only the beginning of the adventure.
Having read this, I was saddened that the movie ended without the sequels being made, but I was more than satisfied to read the original and knew that the best part was that the book had a sequel that I could read. A great start. A-
John Carter
After having seen the movie in theaters, I wanted to read this for fun. Basically, it's a loyal adaptation of the final script with nothing else added to the story, like deleted scenes. 200 or so pages that move supremely fast with modest attention to detail and decent prose.
The story itself is pretty close to the original Edgar Rice Burroughs Barsoom adventures. It's 1880s America, and a young man is given a Will to execute after the events of the death of a wealthy distant relative named John Carter. John Carter, a former Confederate cavalry officer who made a fortune prospecting gold in the American West told wondrous stories to his beloved nephew and in the event of his death wrote a will that made it clear those weren't stories, they were real events of his life in another world known as Barsoom or as it is known to us as the planet Mars.
What started as an extraordinary day on Earth, a horseback chase by natives and cavalry to a cave, led to John Carter being sent to the planet Mars via the work of a dangerous being and an unknown science. Struggling with the complications of being in an unknown land and being stronger yet lighter starts the adventure, but then the discovery of many strange races follows. Tall green vicious tribal creatures are known as Tharks. Red-skinned humanoids at war with each other are known as Helium and Zodanga. But also, White-skinned humanoids that perpetuate strife with superior technology known as Therns, who manipulate the Red-skins.
All this as Dejah Thoris, a beautiful Helium princess, finds Carter and sees a hope to save her world. All this just leads to the most amazing adventure that ends gloriously but also in doubt as Carter relates this story to his nephew after having returned to Earth with great danger from the Therns, not just to Mars but to Earth as well, and Carter's nephew relates this story to its very end.
I wish there were more details given from the original eleven books this series was based on. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed many of the changes that were adapted to the movie. Such as the involvement of the Therns from the original two sequels. Having read those books, I could see how that could have been adapted for the films if those sequels had been made. Similar to the Stargate film/TV series. Sadly, those film sequels never came to pass; it would have been just as great as the original film.
I still shed a tear at the lost possibilities, but I enjoyed this story. A-
November 15, 2021
Okay, the novelization of the film (which I absolutely loved) was great. But Burroughs' novel? All it seems to be is Carter being long-winded as he recounts his journey to Mars. It's just talk, talk, and more talk, and little, if any, showing.
Honestly, I was hoping it'd be an improvement over Orwell's 1984, but it just got tiresome; I didn't even bother finishing it. How'd this novel even get published in the first place?
Final analysis: The movie novelization is better than Burroughs' original novel; it's a LOT less wordy and it doesn't tax your brain.
Honestly, I was hoping it'd be an improvement over Orwell's 1984, but it just got tiresome; I didn't even bother finishing it. How'd this novel even get published in the first place?
Final analysis: The movie novelization is better than Burroughs' original novel; it's a LOT less wordy and it doesn't tax your brain.
March 19, 2025
I have never read the original John Carter novels by Sir Edgar Rice Burroughs. I did like the movie in spite of the critics and found the novelization version to be entertaining. Stuart Moore manages to bring an edge into the character of John Carter through his descriptive style. After reading this, I have decided to read the original novels.
January 11, 2021
Identical to the movie, which I personally appreciated to follow along with the plot. Followed up by watching the film, which helped me visualize the scenery this book describes (I’m not good at being creative). Now to read A Princess of Mars this coming week!
September 9, 2021
Loved the film but the book adaptation of the film was an easy read but what was interesting was reading the original story by Edgar Rice Burroughs straight afterwards. Slow start but was hooked before long and now want to read more of John Carter and Mars.
May 24, 2017
PERSONAL RESPONSE
I thought this book was amazing; along with the movie. It had everything you might want; Romance, Action, and also somewhat futuristic.
THE PLOT
The plot of this book happens around a man named John Carter and around a woman named
Dejah Thoris. Dejah is the princess of Helium. The leader of Zodanga wants to marry Dejah for the safety of their planet. She denies the offer at first because she thinks John Carter dies in battle. In the end John Carter and Dejah end up falling in love and getting married because John fights the leader of Zodanga and kills him saving Dejah.
CHARACTERIZATION
Throughout the book, John carter changes because: he lost his wife to Indians; gets forced into the army; is chased through the desert, and then he is sent to mars. He meets a girl, "The Princess of Mars" who is trying to run away from the evil red people who want to destroy the planet.
IMPACTS OF SETTING
This book takes place on earth at John's mansion on mars which is in the desert. It is important for it to have taken place on earth because we are obviously humans and this is where we live. It takes place in the desert because John runs away from the military and finds a group of Indians on his way there. One man shot at an Indian and they started a fight. They ran into a canyon where there was a cave of the "spider" and the Indians are afraid and run away. It takes place on mars because that is where there is about to be a war against the two main tribes of the planet mars and John Carter is about to change it for the better.
RECOMMEND
I recommend this book to anyone who likes video games, or generally anything that has to do with the future. I would also suggest that an age limit for this series be high school age children because there is some violence and other things in this book that younger kids would not understand. As for the gender it doesn't matter because there are both male and female characters throughout the story and series.
I thought this book was amazing; along with the movie. It had everything you might want; Romance, Action, and also somewhat futuristic.
THE PLOT
The plot of this book happens around a man named John Carter and around a woman named
Dejah Thoris. Dejah is the princess of Helium. The leader of Zodanga wants to marry Dejah for the safety of their planet. She denies the offer at first because she thinks John Carter dies in battle. In the end John Carter and Dejah end up falling in love and getting married because John fights the leader of Zodanga and kills him saving Dejah.
CHARACTERIZATION
Throughout the book, John carter changes because: he lost his wife to Indians; gets forced into the army; is chased through the desert, and then he is sent to mars. He meets a girl, "The Princess of Mars" who is trying to run away from the evil red people who want to destroy the planet.
IMPACTS OF SETTING
This book takes place on earth at John's mansion on mars which is in the desert. It is important for it to have taken place on earth because we are obviously humans and this is where we live. It takes place in the desert because John runs away from the military and finds a group of Indians on his way there. One man shot at an Indian and they started a fight. They ran into a canyon where there was a cave of the "spider" and the Indians are afraid and run away. It takes place on mars because that is where there is about to be a war against the two main tribes of the planet mars and John Carter is about to change it for the better.
RECOMMEND
I recommend this book to anyone who likes video games, or generally anything that has to do with the future. I would also suggest that an age limit for this series be high school age children because there is some violence and other things in this book that younger kids would not understand. As for the gender it doesn't matter because there are both male and female characters throughout the story and series.
March 8, 2014
Moore, Stuart. John Carter: The Movie Novelization. New York: Disney Editions, 2012.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice. A Princess of Mars. New York: Disney Editions, 2012.
Characters: John Carter, also known as Captain Jack Carter of Virginia; Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium; Tars Tarkas, Tharkian green Martian; Sola, daughter of Tars Tarkas; Woola, John’s Martian loyal hound
Setting: Planet Earth, Arizona dessert, post-Civil War and Planet Mars
Theme: planetary adventure; aliens; heroic feats and battles; romance
Genre: YA, fantasy, science fiction
Summary: Both the movie novelization and the original 1912 publication by Burroughs follow the story of a man named John Carter who finds himself magically transported to the planet Mars, where he meets and befriends its native alien races, endures ongoing battles and tests of strength, and falls in love with a princess.
Target Audience: late middle school-age and high school-age; Grades 7-12
Critical Response: The movie novelization is true to the script made for the movie that was released in 2012 and aligns with the Disney trends towards heroism rewarded with a quick adventurous victory and the love of a beautiful princess. Burroughs’ original story, part of an lengthy series known as Barsoom, allows for more character development between John and the main Martians he interacts with. I liked both the adaptation and the original and found the story of science fiction to be appealing to the imagination, allowing me to wonder whether life on Mars would truly have such as amazing species of people and other-worldly terrain. The language and romantic content is appropriate for both middle school- and high school- aged readers and the adventure aspect of warriors, new customs, and descriptive battles remains strong throughout the entire story line, making it far from a dull read.
Burroughs, Edgar Rice. A Princess of Mars. New York: Disney Editions, 2012.
Characters: John Carter, also known as Captain Jack Carter of Virginia; Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium; Tars Tarkas, Tharkian green Martian; Sola, daughter of Tars Tarkas; Woola, John’s Martian loyal hound
Setting: Planet Earth, Arizona dessert, post-Civil War and Planet Mars
Theme: planetary adventure; aliens; heroic feats and battles; romance
Genre: YA, fantasy, science fiction
Summary: Both the movie novelization and the original 1912 publication by Burroughs follow the story of a man named John Carter who finds himself magically transported to the planet Mars, where he meets and befriends its native alien races, endures ongoing battles and tests of strength, and falls in love with a princess.
Target Audience: late middle school-age and high school-age; Grades 7-12
Critical Response: The movie novelization is true to the script made for the movie that was released in 2012 and aligns with the Disney trends towards heroism rewarded with a quick adventurous victory and the love of a beautiful princess. Burroughs’ original story, part of an lengthy series known as Barsoom, allows for more character development between John and the main Martians he interacts with. I liked both the adaptation and the original and found the story of science fiction to be appealing to the imagination, allowing me to wonder whether life on Mars would truly have such as amazing species of people and other-worldly terrain. The language and romantic content is appropriate for both middle school- and high school- aged readers and the adventure aspect of warriors, new customs, and descriptive battles remains strong throughout the entire story line, making it far from a dull read.
August 29, 2016
I enjoyed the film so now finally got round to giving the official novelization a read. After reading, I prefer the film.
As with some novelizations, I was maybe hoping for some expanded scenes or some that were eventually cut from the final film, but this sticks to the events in the film, with slight variances here or there, and skips through scenes too. Not the best novelization in my opinion, better to just watch the movie.
But the bonus with this book is that after the official movie read you get to read the original story that it's based on, 'A Princess Of Mars' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first book in his 'Barsoom' series.
Before the movie was released in 2012, I read through the entire series of John Carter / Barsoom books to get a better idea of what to expect, which in turn got me hooked on the pulp Sci-fi stories by other authors like Otis Adelbert Kline, Leigh Brackett and more, plus inspired me to attempt a go at writing one myself (which is still ongoing).
Yes, 'A Princess Of Mars' is clearly a product of its time, first published in 1912, but it's a rip roaring swashbuckling interplanetary romance adventure story that just blasts along at a quick pace. A very enjoyable read.
My recommendation for this book is to skip the first part (the movie novelization) and just read the original source, then follow up with books 2 and 3 of the series, 'The Gods Of Mars' and 'The Warlord Of Mars' to finish John Carter's first adventure on Mars/Barsoom. And if you like those, then there are another 8 books in the series to enjoy!
As with some novelizations, I was maybe hoping for some expanded scenes or some that were eventually cut from the final film, but this sticks to the events in the film, with slight variances here or there, and skips through scenes too. Not the best novelization in my opinion, better to just watch the movie.
But the bonus with this book is that after the official movie read you get to read the original story that it's based on, 'A Princess Of Mars' by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first book in his 'Barsoom' series.
Before the movie was released in 2012, I read through the entire series of John Carter / Barsoom books to get a better idea of what to expect, which in turn got me hooked on the pulp Sci-fi stories by other authors like Otis Adelbert Kline, Leigh Brackett and more, plus inspired me to attempt a go at writing one myself (which is still ongoing).
Yes, 'A Princess Of Mars' is clearly a product of its time, first published in 1912, but it's a rip roaring swashbuckling interplanetary romance adventure story that just blasts along at a quick pace. A very enjoyable read.
My recommendation for this book is to skip the first part (the movie novelization) and just read the original source, then follow up with books 2 and 3 of the series, 'The Gods Of Mars' and 'The Warlord Of Mars' to finish John Carter's first adventure on Mars/Barsoom. And if you like those, then there are another 8 books in the series to enjoy!
July 31, 2012
Since I've never read the original material, I'm starting with it and then I'll go back and read the novelization to compare them with a fresh eye.
Okay, like I said, I read the original ER Burroughs novel included in this book first, then went back to the beginning and read the movie novelization. Both were good reads, though I have to admit to taking a bigger step back when Burroughs used the pseudo-science of his day to explain anti-gravity. However.....his narratives were SO much fun to read and visualize. He really, really described things so beautifully and precisely that I could virtually see them in front of me as I was reading. The novelization made some interesting changes to the source material, some I didn't like so much (honestly, I didn't care for the Therns. I haven't read any of the rest of the Mars series by Burroughs, so I don't know if Disney just jumped forward and pulled them in earlier than the books did), and some I did like (I'll admit that I liked the more blatant romance between Carter and Thoris).
Now I need to go find the movie to see how it compares to both written works. Wish me luck :)
Okay, like I said, I read the original ER Burroughs novel included in this book first, then went back to the beginning and read the movie novelization. Both were good reads, though I have to admit to taking a bigger step back when Burroughs used the pseudo-science of his day to explain anti-gravity. However.....his narratives were SO much fun to read and visualize. He really, really described things so beautifully and precisely that I could virtually see them in front of me as I was reading. The novelization made some interesting changes to the source material, some I didn't like so much (honestly, I didn't care for the Therns. I haven't read any of the rest of the Mars series by Burroughs, so I don't know if Disney just jumped forward and pulled them in earlier than the books did), and some I did like (I'll admit that I liked the more blatant romance between Carter and Thoris).
Now I need to go find the movie to see how it compares to both written works. Wish me luck :)
Want to read
May 17, 2012As a long time fan of the Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs, I found that the Martian Tales resonated the best with me. It is full of all the things that young boys look for in a Sci-Fi fantasy tale, adventure, sword-fighting, aliens, strange and exotic people, and as such I would recommend it to any that would like to understand the basis for all modern sci-fi.
There I said it, the basis for all modern sci-fi is the Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Without his vision and prolific pen (not to mention his ineptitude with business) we would not have such inspired authors as Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, or Robert A. Heinlein. We wouldn't have movies or tv shows such as Star Trek or Star Wars or any of the other space operas.
I cannot recommend this highly enough to anyone that enjoys Sci-Fi but especially pre-teen and teens.
While this book may be the novelization of the film it includes the original A Princess of Mars from 1912. I enjoyed the movie and I am sure I will enjoy the book as well.
There I said it, the basis for all modern sci-fi is the Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Without his vision and prolific pen (not to mention his ineptitude with business) we would not have such inspired authors as Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, or Robert A. Heinlein. We wouldn't have movies or tv shows such as Star Trek or Star Wars or any of the other space operas.
I cannot recommend this highly enough to anyone that enjoys Sci-Fi but especially pre-teen and teens.
While this book may be the novelization of the film it includes the original A Princess of Mars from 1912. I enjoyed the movie and I am sure I will enjoy the book as well.
February 5, 2014
I bought this book because I was psyched to see the movie and it had the nice bonus of including the book the movie was based off of too. As it turns out though, I didn't particularly like the movie despite enjoying the novelization of it. I admit I wasn't expecting for it to have as much going on as it did because of the nature of the movie. There were a few differences between the novelization and "A Princess of Mars" but I suppose since the movie is a one-off and the other is the first in a series it's to be expected. Since I read both back to back though I can't definitely say what happened in which since a lot of stuff did happen in both. It had everything you would look for in a book. It had a decent plot. A little romance. Enjoyable characters of different backgrounds and some fighting with an explosion or two. I know it may not seem like a good book because of the nature of it but it really is.
May 2, 2013
This book places the original Edgar Rice Burroughs novel from 100 years ago between the same covers as a novelisation based on the recent (excellent) film adaptation. Novelisations are never my thing. I would have preferred the screenplay so I could compare for myself how director Andrew Stanton adapted the story.
Having said that, I am enjoying this as a souvenir of the movie rather than an immersive reading experience.
Having said that, I am enjoying this as a souvenir of the movie rather than an immersive reading experience.
Read
July 18, 2012I really enjoyed the novelization. I only read it as a 'book club' with Austin as a way to encourage him to read over the summer. He hasn't finished it yet... The novelization reads like a movie (of course) and is non-stop with either action or backstory. I plan to read the actual 'Princess of Mars' sometime in the future. I have heard the the Tarzan novels are also very good, so i will put those on my list, too.
March 2, 2012
I liked this book but it show much too much of the origin in a screen play. The best novelizations actually flesh out the story and the background present in the bare bones structure of a screen play and this novelization just didn't do that. Having said that, I do like the basic story and look forward to seeing the movie.
March 13, 2013
Enjoyable adventure, not what I was expecting, the depth of the characters and the multitude of characters was almost overwhelming. The descriptive language painted a remarkable landscape of grand scale. Nice respite from the more serious reading I've been indulging recently.
August 6, 2016
275 - 2014
Buku ini terdiri dari 2 novel, movie novelization dan buku asli yang diangkat menjadi filmnya.
Pantesan... nggak biasanya movie novelization tebel bener kayak gini. Tapi cocok sih buat yang kepingin membanding-bandingkan versi Edgar Rice Burroughs dengan adaptasi flmnya.
Buku ini terdiri dari 2 novel, movie novelization dan buku asli yang diangkat menjadi filmnya.
Pantesan... nggak biasanya movie novelization tebel bener kayak gini. Tapi cocok sih buat yang kepingin membanding-bandingkan versi Edgar Rice Burroughs dengan adaptasi flmnya.
June 28, 2015
The original Princess of Mars is a much better story, to be perfectly honest. Very interesting, and I'd definitely read it again. It's description as a 'travelogue' is apt, as it's more a series of adventures that are connected by time more than an overarching plot.
October 24, 2024
The novelization by Stuart Moore is adequate but does not add any insight to the movie. But ERB's "A Princess of Mars" remains a great classic of adventure...5 stars for that reason.
December 5, 2012
Several non-original ideas, but it was done well either way
February 14, 2013
I am a fan of this author and this book was great. It had excitement in spades. I would recommend it for any scifi fan that likes action.
July 9, 2013
The book wasn't bad. I'll read pretty much anything. This wasn't something I couldn't put down, but worth the read.
October 13, 2015
I tried to like it... But somehow the movie kinda ruined it for me.
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