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The Mysteries of Mars
The Man Who Loved Mars
A ROSE-RED CITY, HALF AS OLD AS TIME...
Once it had been king city of a mighty empire and the center of the ancient faith; Gateway to the Gods, the old epics name it. Now it was dead, empty, deserted, only a dim ghost of its vanished splendor.
Such was Ilionis. Lost city of Mars. A somber ruin, cold and lonely.
But Ilionis was not forgotten. The old city held a valuable treasure. A treasure that brought Earthmen Ivo Tengren and scientist Keresny on a strange and difficult journey to the city's gates.
A journey that was now ended.
Ilionis had been found. The treasure was close by. And now an even stranger journey was about to begin...
(Source: back cover)
Once it had been king city of a mighty empire and the center of the ancient faith; Gateway to the Gods, the old epics name it. Now it was dead, empty, deserted, only a dim ghost of its vanished splendor.
Such was Ilionis. Lost city of Mars. A somber ruin, cold and lonely.
But Ilionis was not forgotten. The old city held a valuable treasure. A treasure that brought Earthmen Ivo Tengren and scientist Keresny on a strange and difficult journey to the city's gates.
A journey that was now ended.
Ilionis had been found. The treasure was close by. And now an even stranger journey was about to begin...
(Source: back cover)
156 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1973
5 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Lin Carter
427 books172 followersLin Carter was an American author, editor, and critic best known for his influential role in fantasy literature during the mid-20th century. Born in St. Petersburg, Florida, he developed an early passion for myth, adventure stories, and imaginative fiction, drawing inspiration from authors such as Edgar Rice Burroughs, Robert E. Howard, H. P. Lovecraft, and J. R. R. Tolkien. After serving in the U.S. Army, Carter attended Columbia University, where he honed his literary skills and deepened his knowledge of classical and medieval literature, myth, and folklore — elements that would become central to his work.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.
Carter authored numerous novels, short stories, and critical studies, often working within the sword-and-sorcery and high fantasy traditions. His own creations, such as the “Thongor of Lemuria” series, paid homage to pulp-era adventure fiction while adding his distinctive voice and world-building style. His nonfiction book Tolkien: A Look Behind The Lord of the Rings was one of the first major studies of Tolkien’s work and its mythological roots, and it helped establish Carter as a knowledgeable commentator on fantasy literature.
Beyond his own writing, Carter was a central figure in bringing classic and forgotten works of fantasy back into print. As editor of the Ballantine Adult Fantasy series from 1969 to 1974, he curated and introduced dozens of volumes, reintroducing readers to authors such as William Morris, Lord Dunsany, E. R. Eddison, and James Branch Cabell. His introductions not only contextualized these works historically and literarily but also encouraged a new generation to explore the breadth of the fantasy tradition.
Carter was also active in the shared literary universe of the “Cthulhu Mythos,” expanding upon the creations of H. P. Lovecraft and other members of the “Lovecraft Circle.” His collaborations and solo contributions in this genre further cemented his reputation as both a creative writer and a literary preservationist.
In addition to fiction and criticism, Carter was an active member of several science fiction and fantasy organizations, including the Science Fiction Writers of America. He frequently appeared at conventions, where he was known for his enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the genre, and willingness to mentor aspiring writers.
Though sometimes critiqued for the derivative nature of some of his work, Carter’s influence on the fantasy revival of the late 20th century remains significant. His combination of creative output, editorial vision, and scholarly enthusiasm helped bridge the gap between the pulp traditions of the early 1900s and the expansive fantasy publishing boom that followed.
Lin Carter’s legacy endures through his own imaginative tales, his critical studies, and the many classic works he rescued from obscurity, ensuring their place in the canon of fantasy literature for generations to come.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
January 22, 2016
So, why didn't Carter write like this more often? Instead of his usual affectations of embellishments and olde-tyme stylings and a somewhat leering, over-chummy voice, he hands narration duties to the protagonist Ivo Tengren: abrupt, weary, direct, yet educated and even sophisticated. The sort of man who reads Borges and Carriego and compares mysterious artifacts to Brancusi sculptures, and who quotes Sumerian epic poetry. It reads so differently that I was actually expecting that he would omit his usual early-in-the-book leering description of some inappropriately young woman.
Carter apparently can't maintain the style indefinitely, especially when epic/cosmic events loom and the characters make a trek through a weird gauntlet of mythic landscapes. And this is a shame, because using it more often would have greatly improved his usual heroic fantasy work.
The second thing that struck me was the story's context. Ivo Tengren led a rebellion on Mars against the occupation, having assumed leadership over many clans by a series of adventures. He was defeated, the love of his life slaughtered with many Martians, and was returned to Earth for show trial and exile. This story is in the aftermath of all that. The risk of this approach is that Tengren's earlier adventures actually sound more interesting and dramatic that what goes on here, especially at the moment of time he reveals the backstory to various traveling companions.
Thirdly, this is yet another Lost City of Mars story. Of the three books I've read from the series, all have featured lost cities. Two contain mega-powerful ancient entities that appear in a poof of deus ex machina to assume control of matters. This is one of those two. I am fairly certain that the final book, The Valley Where Time Stood Still, contains a lost city and a resident ancient being.
Carter apparently can't maintain the style indefinitely, especially when epic/cosmic events loom and the characters make a trek through a weird gauntlet of mythic landscapes. And this is a shame, because using it more often would have greatly improved his usual heroic fantasy work.
The second thing that struck me was the story's context. Ivo Tengren led a rebellion on Mars against the occupation, having assumed leadership over many clans by a series of adventures. He was defeated, the love of his life slaughtered with many Martians, and was returned to Earth for show trial and exile. This story is in the aftermath of all that. The risk of this approach is that Tengren's earlier adventures actually sound more interesting and dramatic that what goes on here, especially at the moment of time he reveals the backstory to various traveling companions.
Thirdly, this is yet another Lost City of Mars story. Of the three books I've read from the series, all have featured lost cities. Two contain mega-powerful ancient entities that appear in a poof of deus ex machina to assume control of matters. This is one of those two. I am fairly certain that the final book, The Valley Where Time Stood Still, contains a lost city and a resident ancient being.
June 23, 2017
In 1973, the horrors of the Vietnam Conflict still overshadowed the public perception of the United States of America. The Man Who Loved Mars is a product of its era. Although the events follow a plot where the treasures of an ancient Martian civilization are about to be looted like the treasures of Egypt in the early 20th century, it is really a study about patriotism versus integrity in the light of atrocities committed by one’s fellow citizens. A bonus feature is the inclusion of gentle science lessons presented as part of the natural flow in the book. But, at its core, is a cry for justice and a longing for peace.
To those of us who first knew of Lin Carter as an editor, it serves as both a surprise and a fulfilled expectation that the author would use a technique often used by one of his heroes, Edgar Rice Burroughs. ERB liked to intersperse his own imaginary “native” or “indigenous” language into his stories. Sometimes, he would introduce these terms and keep the readers guessing until later in the text. Carter does a bit of this. An important artifact is wrapped in yonka (never precisely defined except in context), slidars are said to be needed for efficient travel on page 16 ( but not defined until pages 63 and 75, respectively), huakin (defined as “godstones” when introduced on page 58), chardakha is imbibed (apparently a version of tea on page 62), a thirty-stringed odyar is presumed to be a musical instrument (revealed one page after its introduction), ushongti is a term that mystifies briefly on page 104 (revealed to be monoliths later on the page) and we are told on page 119 that the arghatha are healing priests. I share these with you just so that you know the expectation of alien language was met.
Unlike ERB, the science is “real.” Albedo is discussed on p. 43, fumeroles are considered on page 45, and the lack of atmospheric pressure making champagne flat on page 47. There is even a bit of speculative xenobiology, “The followers of Cantwell argue that homo sapiens is simply the only practical design for intelligent life. They muster impressive biological reasons why any race that is intended to develop a high civilization has to evolve into an erect, warm-blooded, oxygen-breathing, mammalian biped with binocular vision, an opposing thumb, and a carbon-based body chemistry.” (p. 76) Others dismiss those assertions as lacking evidence (p. 77), but it is an interesting aside, nonetheless.
Earlier, I claimed that this is a book inspired by the Vietnam Conflict. When the leader of the archaeological expedition worries that the High Clans of Mars have never acceded to the authority of the Colonial Administration (CA), the protagonist responds: “’Why should they since the CA cops never got close enough to them to hold a gun to the heads of their women? Which is the way the bastards got the rest of the Nations to sign that peace of toilet paper?’” (pp. 24-25 – and yes, I realize this could apply to the subjugation of Native Americans, as well) But the protagonist’s justification clinches the argument for me: “’Listen to me. There are two kinds of traitors. The first is the man who betrays a word, a name, a bit of cloth, a colored place on a map. The second is the man who betrays his own instinct; who goes against what his heart and his own reason tells him is the truth. I am the first. I will not be the second.’” (pp. 56-57) He goes on to say, “’I loved home and flag and mother. But when I got out here and saw the things that were being done under that same flag, I wanted to tear it down and dirty it.’” (p. 57) He finishes up that discussion with: “’I saw a proud, poor, ancient culture being ripped apart. I saw a magnificent civilization being looted with all the expertise of modern technology.’” (p. 57) If that doesn’t describe what some felt about Vietnam in 1973, I don’t know what would.
The Man Who Loved Mars has an unexpected ending. Ivo Tengren, the protagonist and self-acclaimed traitor, is faced with a Catch-22. He can either help loot this civilization or unite the clans for war. That he doesn’t get the chance to do either is caused by two different interruptions which turn one’s expectations upside-down. The Man Who Loved Mars didn’t finish in the way I expected, but I really liked the conclusion. Unlike the Thongor and Jandar series written by the same author, The Man Who Loved Mars isn’t the pulp adventure one thinks it is going to be at the beginning.
To those of us who first knew of Lin Carter as an editor, it serves as both a surprise and a fulfilled expectation that the author would use a technique often used by one of his heroes, Edgar Rice Burroughs. ERB liked to intersperse his own imaginary “native” or “indigenous” language into his stories. Sometimes, he would introduce these terms and keep the readers guessing until later in the text. Carter does a bit of this. An important artifact is wrapped in yonka (never precisely defined except in context), slidars are said to be needed for efficient travel on page 16 ( but not defined until pages 63 and 75, respectively), huakin (defined as “godstones” when introduced on page 58), chardakha is imbibed (apparently a version of tea on page 62), a thirty-stringed odyar is presumed to be a musical instrument (revealed one page after its introduction), ushongti is a term that mystifies briefly on page 104 (revealed to be monoliths later on the page) and we are told on page 119 that the arghatha are healing priests. I share these with you just so that you know the expectation of alien language was met.
Unlike ERB, the science is “real.” Albedo is discussed on p. 43, fumeroles are considered on page 45, and the lack of atmospheric pressure making champagne flat on page 47. There is even a bit of speculative xenobiology, “The followers of Cantwell argue that homo sapiens is simply the only practical design for intelligent life. They muster impressive biological reasons why any race that is intended to develop a high civilization has to evolve into an erect, warm-blooded, oxygen-breathing, mammalian biped with binocular vision, an opposing thumb, and a carbon-based body chemistry.” (p. 76) Others dismiss those assertions as lacking evidence (p. 77), but it is an interesting aside, nonetheless.
Earlier, I claimed that this is a book inspired by the Vietnam Conflict. When the leader of the archaeological expedition worries that the High Clans of Mars have never acceded to the authority of the Colonial Administration (CA), the protagonist responds: “’Why should they since the CA cops never got close enough to them to hold a gun to the heads of their women? Which is the way the bastards got the rest of the Nations to sign that peace of toilet paper?’” (pp. 24-25 – and yes, I realize this could apply to the subjugation of Native Americans, as well) But the protagonist’s justification clinches the argument for me: “’Listen to me. There are two kinds of traitors. The first is the man who betrays a word, a name, a bit of cloth, a colored place on a map. The second is the man who betrays his own instinct; who goes against what his heart and his own reason tells him is the truth. I am the first. I will not be the second.’” (pp. 56-57) He goes on to say, “’I loved home and flag and mother. But when I got out here and saw the things that were being done under that same flag, I wanted to tear it down and dirty it.’” (p. 57) He finishes up that discussion with: “’I saw a proud, poor, ancient culture being ripped apart. I saw a magnificent civilization being looted with all the expertise of modern technology.’” (p. 57) If that doesn’t describe what some felt about Vietnam in 1973, I don’t know what would.
The Man Who Loved Mars has an unexpected ending. Ivo Tengren, the protagonist and self-acclaimed traitor, is faced with a Catch-22. He can either help loot this civilization or unite the clans for war. That he doesn’t get the chance to do either is caused by two different interruptions which turn one’s expectations upside-down. The Man Who Loved Mars didn’t finish in the way I expected, but I really liked the conclusion. Unlike the Thongor and Jandar series written by the same author, The Man Who Loved Mars isn’t the pulp adventure one thinks it is going to be at the beginning.
May 16, 2024
Frankly, Ivo Tengren does not love Mars enough. If he'd loved Mars more, the book would have been better.
January 5, 2020
I have read a lot of Lin Carter’s stuff. He walked in the shadow of giants never quiet reached their heights.
This book begins a series that is imitating Leigh Bracket’s Eric John Stark Stories.
The book starts out really good. It’s very dark a moody. Sure it’s “white savior”story but the going native and becoming one of the under dog’s is a timeless concept. The atmosphere is great. It’s dark and brooding and imaginative.
The story moves along almost like one of H. Rider Haggard’s Alan Quartemain stories. More so an Indiana Jones on Mars than EJS story. For the most part Carter writes above his normal level, though ever once in awhile he falls into it. Up until the very end I would say this is one of the best thing’s he’s written and then it falls apart in typical Lin Carter fashion.
The ancient things should be weird, horrible, and ultimately left alone. If he wanted to imitate Leigh Brackett’s work EJS stuff he totally missed the point. The end is a total dues ex machina in the worst way. The ancient ones are benevolent, some ancient aliens crap, and then a happy ending. It totally ruins the somber atmosphere of the whole story and feels slapped on.
I understand this is written in the context of the Vietnam and the point is not subtle but if you write a story that’s 140 pages of dark, somber brooding mystery, then 15 pages of convenient benevolent alien’s and everything is fixed it just totally kills all of the mood you were setting out to accomplish.
Really up until the end I would have said this might be the best book Carter has written but he is who is. He was a man that strode for greatness but never really understood it. But he got closest to the sun in this book...maybe too close.
This book begins a series that is imitating Leigh Bracket’s Eric John Stark Stories.
The book starts out really good. It’s very dark a moody. Sure it’s “white savior”story but the going native and becoming one of the under dog’s is a timeless concept. The atmosphere is great. It’s dark and brooding and imaginative.
The story moves along almost like one of H. Rider Haggard’s Alan Quartemain stories. More so an Indiana Jones on Mars than EJS story. For the most part Carter writes above his normal level, though ever once in awhile he falls into it. Up until the very end I would say this is one of the best thing’s he’s written and then it falls apart in typical Lin Carter fashion.
The ancient things should be weird, horrible, and ultimately left alone. If he wanted to imitate Leigh Brackett’s work EJS stuff he totally missed the point. The end is a total dues ex machina in the worst way. The ancient ones are benevolent, some ancient aliens crap, and then a happy ending. It totally ruins the somber atmosphere of the whole story and feels slapped on.
I understand this is written in the context of the Vietnam and the point is not subtle but if you write a story that’s 140 pages of dark, somber brooding mystery, then 15 pages of convenient benevolent alien’s and everything is fixed it just totally kills all of the mood you were setting out to accomplish.
Really up until the end I would have said this might be the best book Carter has written but he is who is. He was a man that strode for greatness but never really understood it. But he got closest to the sun in this book...maybe too close.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 19, 2020
WHY DID YOU READ THIS BOOK?
The book was published in the early 70s, and I have it in my head that I love SciFi from that era, so when I saw it (on Goodreads I think), I thought to myself how much the title alone seems to epitomize the era, and-so I had to read it.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK?
The writing is good; it’s very good. I found myself lingering in the fertile descriptions of imagery and enjoying the cadence of the sentences. I also love stories with monolithic structures for some reason.
Also, throughout the story, I felt the suspense of a great looming battle and won’t reveal the plot here, but I admire the author’s choice with regards to the battle.
WHAT DID YOU DISLIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK?
The story didn’t thrill me, probably because I’m world-weary and tend to forget to set down some of my critical-theory lenses, but even-so the characters are paper thin, and one can’t help but to notice it.
DO YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO OTHERS?
Yes, I recommend this book as an example of good writing, especially with regards to crafting the imagery.
The book was published in the early 70s, and I have it in my head that I love SciFi from that era, so when I saw it (on Goodreads I think), I thought to myself how much the title alone seems to epitomize the era, and-so I had to read it.
WHAT DID YOU LIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK?
The writing is good; it’s very good. I found myself lingering in the fertile descriptions of imagery and enjoying the cadence of the sentences. I also love stories with monolithic structures for some reason.
Also, throughout the story, I felt the suspense of a great looming battle and won’t reveal the plot here, but I admire the author’s choice with regards to the battle.
WHAT DID YOU DISLIKE ABOUT THIS BOOK?
The story didn’t thrill me, probably because I’m world-weary and tend to forget to set down some of my critical-theory lenses, but even-so the characters are paper thin, and one can’t help but to notice it.
DO YOU RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO OTHERS?
Yes, I recommend this book as an example of good writing, especially with regards to crafting the imagery.
February 7, 2012
Ivo Tengren, a man from Earth who's considered a traitor for his loyalty to the people of Mars, had a lot of potential as a character. His backstory made me wish the book was about that previous adventure though, because this one reads more like a travelogue.
It's all crumbling cities and ancient mysteries, and the few obstacles are easily (and predictably) handled. Ivo is strangely dull for a rebel leader, he spends most of his time walking around and looking at things.
The story involves colonialism and identity, unfortunately it's mostly in the form of Ivo lecturing everyone. The Earth people who are exploiting Mars are clearly bad, but that point is undermined considering that the author paints the Martians as tribal, superstitious, and in need of an Earthling savior.
It's all crumbling cities and ancient mysteries, and the few obstacles are easily (and predictably) handled. Ivo is strangely dull for a rebel leader, he spends most of his time walking around and looking at things.
The story involves colonialism and identity, unfortunately it's mostly in the form of Ivo lecturing everyone. The Earth people who are exploiting Mars are clearly bad, but that point is undermined considering that the author paints the Martians as tribal, superstitious, and in need of an Earthling savior.
July 19, 2022
I always grant an extra star to a Lin Carter adventure, simply out of a sense of kinship. He wrote, chiefly, fantasy and science … -fantasy. He never really had an interest in the romance of Future Knowledge. His romance is almost always playing with Lost Knowledge of the Past. Even his books, like this one, that are set in the relatively near future (as well as more fanciful constructs sets in a far-future Dying Earth/Gondwane) are about a distant past, and touch on the perennial themes of high fantasy: past fallen civilizations, forgotten lore, cyclical catastrophe, and a sense of the design of the ages.
All within the confines of the classic pulp adventure, Burroughsian and Merritesque.
This book is a step up from the others in this vein, since it has a first-person narrator with a backstory and a sense of loss. Sure, the backstory is improbable and treated way too matter-of-factly; Carter’s editors should have returned the manuscript and told him to tell the backstory in alternating chapters and in the third person. And given him a few extra thousand. But good editors and hack writers rarely find each other for true mutual benefit: Philip K. Dick got his best editor late in life.
Anyway, this is one of Lin Carter’s best fantasies: a sci-fi story of Mars, with a now-familiar anti-imperialist bent. I am glad I read it, though I am under no illusion of its novelty. In a sense, all his Mars stories are the same: they tell of explorations down into the Martian underworld, literal, and back into the past.
All within the confines of the classic pulp adventure, Burroughsian and Merritesque.
This book is a step up from the others in this vein, since it has a first-person narrator with a backstory and a sense of loss. Sure, the backstory is improbable and treated way too matter-of-factly; Carter’s editors should have returned the manuscript and told him to tell the backstory in alternating chapters and in the third person. And given him a few extra thousand. But good editors and hack writers rarely find each other for true mutual benefit: Philip K. Dick got his best editor late in life.
Anyway, this is one of Lin Carter’s best fantasies: a sci-fi story of Mars, with a now-familiar anti-imperialist bent. I am glad I read it, though I am under no illusion of its novelty. In a sense, all his Mars stories are the same: they tell of explorations down into the Martian underworld, literal, and back into the past.
April 5, 2018
Emphasis is on creating mood, espousing philosophy of the oneness of mankind, not storyline. Simple plot of man who once led a revolt by Martians against Earth exiled back to Earth. He gets a chance to go back to Mars where he is reinstated as almighty; then leads an expedition which finds a lost city with the true gods. Not good.
January 14, 2020
This is one of the best Lin Carter books in existence--and, sadly, that does not say much. It reads like something out of 1930's classic age of planetary fantasy, but did not age well in either narrative structure, nor descriptions of Mars. Fun for a short read, of course, but with little suspense and of little originality.
September 5, 2023
Excellent space opera set in a “what if” Mars
One of Lin Carter’s better books. An enthralling space opera set on a Mars that might’ve been. You will enjoy this page-turner
One of Lin Carter’s better books. An enthralling space opera set on a Mars that might’ve been. You will enjoy this page-turner
April 20, 2024
In desperate need of an editor
January 23, 2013
This book was a fun, quick, read: a first person narrative of an adventure that happened in the past, but with no framing story about when the narrative was being told. How many years in the future was this story being recalled? Or maybe.... it's just a first person narrative with no thought for framing. I just get stuck on things like that. It reminded me (in a very loosely connected way) of The Lord of the Rings, wherein Bilbo and Frodo are writing the story of their adventures.
This novel basically has a very simple plot about a man who wants to go, goes to, and explores Mars (as one might have guessed from the title) with only one real twist near the end of the book--right before the story's big mystery is revealed. Yes, pretty straightforward--but I suppose that is what makes it a "pulp" novel. I never would have picked it up if the author hadn't been recommended by my Internet-pal Ken St. Andre, whose fantasy role-playing exploits I have followed and shared for many years. (Yes, I just name-dropped.)
This novel basically has a very simple plot about a man who wants to go, goes to, and explores Mars (as one might have guessed from the title) with only one real twist near the end of the book--right before the story's big mystery is revealed. Yes, pretty straightforward--but I suppose that is what makes it a "pulp" novel. I never would have picked it up if the author hadn't been recommended by my Internet-pal Ken St. Andre, whose fantasy role-playing exploits I have followed and shared for many years. (Yes, I just name-dropped.)
December 4, 2010
I'd give it a little better than 3 stars. Very much modeled on the Martian stories of Leigh Brackett and the Northwest Smith stories of C. L. Moore, but it did a pretty good job of invoking the same kind of atomsphere. An earthman who had gone native with the Martians and led a revolt against Earth rule on Mars has been sentenced to "exile" on Earth, but finds his way back and is seeking out the most ancient city on the planet. The revelation of what he finds is pretty good and I found it largely unsuspected.
May 23, 2013
The story is OK. I thought that Carter took too long to get to why Tengren was so revered on Mars. Also, Ilsa staying with him on Mars at the end seemed forced - other than one or two scenes, the two characters really did not interact with each other that much. I thought that Chaka, the prince, would play a more prominent role than he ended up playing.
October 14, 2017
I grew up in the 1970s reading Lin Carter, but I missed this one somehow. This is a very good pastiche of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Leigh Bracket, and a wee bit of Abraham Merritt.
This is a fun read, so get to it!
This is a fun read, so get to it!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews