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Callisto #1
Jandar Of Callisto
on Callisto, moon of Jupiter, a world of black and crimson jungles where the hand of every man is lifted in eternal enmity against every other... a savage, hostile world on which he is first held prisoner by the fearsome insect-men, only to be freed for a more binding slavery in the deadly clutches of the insidious Sky Pirates... and in the incalculable aura of the beautiful princess Darloona who elicits love almost beyond the limits of his mortal soul...
207 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1972
14 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
Lin Carter
424 books171 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 - 26 of 26 reviews
November 26, 2018
Carter replicates A Princess of Mars (of course) with a plot arc traversing multiple books. This is not a bad idea in itself, but it means that there's no satisfying payoff at any level for this particular book: romantic interest Princess Darloona reluctantly accepts Jandar's presence at best, the Black Legion has captured the princess and her home city, and Jandar and his compatriots have not (yet) achieved distinction and social success. Their actual successes are necessary but not exactly showpieces, and are usually achieved at cost. Jandar's stupid mistakes give the opportunity to redeem himself, but they don't cover the fact that he keeps making stupid mistakes.
Lin Carter's writing style, here, is blessedly free of author intrusion, but there is little attempt to amaze the reader. The story diverges into discussions of the way the sky glows to simulate daylight, or the mechanism of the preposterous flying pirate ships, when a simple handwave would do. Edgar Rice Burroughs had the ability to detect when reader interest was flagging and would change things up by introducing something weird or something exciting. Of all of Lin Carter's shortcomings, his lack of self-criticism has always been the most glaring.
This reread, after quite a bit more bad sword-and-planet stories, has put the book in more context, but it reveals that "stretch it out" is not the thing to do with A Princess of Mars.
Lin Carter's writing style, here, is blessedly free of author intrusion, but there is little attempt to amaze the reader. The story diverges into discussions of the way the sky glows to simulate daylight, or the mechanism of the preposterous flying pirate ships, when a simple handwave would do. Edgar Rice Burroughs had the ability to detect when reader interest was flagging and would change things up by introducing something weird or something exciting. Of all of Lin Carter's shortcomings, his lack of self-criticism has always been the most glaring.
This reread, after quite a bit more bad sword-and-planet stories, has put the book in more context, but it reveals that "stretch it out" is not the thing to do with A Princess of Mars.
June 28, 2011
Amazing! Just found this in my local hole-in-the-wall used bookstore. It's totally awesome. The first of a series but the store only had this and I think #4 (Mind Wizards of Callisto). Gotta hunt up the rest. I feel like I could read the whole series (six books I think) in about a weekend. Out of print these days I think. It's an ERB-type thing about a military guy in Vietnam who gets whisked away to Cllisto, one of Jupiter's moons, there to encounter six-legged tigers, evil bad guys, red-leafed plants and, of course, a moon princess who's a total hottie. God I'm a sucker for this stuff. Why isn't THIS being made into a movie?
November 18, 2024
Lin Carter knüpft an die alten Pulp-Standards in der Tradition von Edgar Rice Burroughs an. Das Ergebnis ist natürlich bei weitem keine hohe Literatur, aber als kurzes, abenteuerliches Vergnügen ganz unterhaltsam. Carter ist sich dessen ebenfalls absolut bewusst und so gibt es hier nicht viel Angriffsfläche für Kritik.
Jonathan Dark (später in seinem außerirdischen Exil wird er "Jandar" genannt) ist Helikopterpilot im Vietnamkrieg und stürzt im Urwald von Kambodscha ab. Dort stößt er auf eine längst verlassene antike Stadt und gerät unabsichtlich in eine Art Sternentor, dass ihn zum Jupitermond Kallisto transportiert.
Hier gibt es in rascher Folge Konfrontationen mit Außerirdischen, exotische Landschaften zu erkunden, Schwertkämpfe zu bestehen und natürlich eine Prinzessin zu retten. All das gute, klassische Zeug eben.
Dabei erfindet Carter weder das Rad neu, noch kommt es zu ironischen Brüchen - wenn man mal davon absieht, dass Jandar als Held keine besonders gute Figur macht und mehr als einmal ins Fettnäppchen tritt.
Ich kann damit leben, dass die Charaktere papierdünne Archetypen sind. Was mich aber stört, sins die Beschreibung der Schwertkämpfe, die oft in eine endlose Liste von Fecht-Fachbegriffen ausarten, unter denen man sich als Leie wenig vorstellen kann.
Und diese Kämpfe nehmen einen nicht geringen Teil dieses sehr kurzen Buchs ein.
Außerdem hat Carter sich zwar offenbar einige Mühe gegeben, die Kulturen von Kallisto (bzw. Thanator, wie die Einwohner es nennen) zu gestalten, aber die Beschreibungen der Örtlichkeiten bleiben in meinen Augen leider recht vage und farblos.
Zu guter Letzt endet das Ganze in einem Cliffhanger, also werde ich wohl bei Gelegenheit den nächsten Band besorgen müssen...
Jonathan Dark (später in seinem außerirdischen Exil wird er "Jandar" genannt) ist Helikopterpilot im Vietnamkrieg und stürzt im Urwald von Kambodscha ab. Dort stößt er auf eine längst verlassene antike Stadt und gerät unabsichtlich in eine Art Sternentor, dass ihn zum Jupitermond Kallisto transportiert.
Hier gibt es in rascher Folge Konfrontationen mit Außerirdischen, exotische Landschaften zu erkunden, Schwertkämpfe zu bestehen und natürlich eine Prinzessin zu retten. All das gute, klassische Zeug eben.
Dabei erfindet Carter weder das Rad neu, noch kommt es zu ironischen Brüchen - wenn man mal davon absieht, dass Jandar als Held keine besonders gute Figur macht und mehr als einmal ins Fettnäppchen tritt.
Ich kann damit leben, dass die Charaktere papierdünne Archetypen sind. Was mich aber stört, sins die Beschreibung der Schwertkämpfe, die oft in eine endlose Liste von Fecht-Fachbegriffen ausarten, unter denen man sich als Leie wenig vorstellen kann.
Und diese Kämpfe nehmen einen nicht geringen Teil dieses sehr kurzen Buchs ein.
Außerdem hat Carter sich zwar offenbar einige Mühe gegeben, die Kulturen von Kallisto (bzw. Thanator, wie die Einwohner es nennen) zu gestalten, aber die Beschreibungen der Örtlichkeiten bleiben in meinen Augen leider recht vage und farblos.
Zu guter Letzt endet das Ganze in einem Cliffhanger, also werde ich wohl bei Gelegenheit den nächsten Band besorgen müssen...
June 17, 2015
This book was a fun and somewhat fresh take on Burroughs' A Princess of Mars. Pretty much the same formula, but new environment. Some of the elements are certainly contrived and a bit of a stretch to get the protagonist to fit into the John Carter mold. Certainly it would be rare that someone going to war in Vietnam would have had fencing practice as a kid, but just go with it. This is not high literature, it's a fun adventure.
If you're looking for more Barsoom-esque tales, here you go.
If you're looking for more Barsoom-esque tales, here you go.
August 31, 2015
More than simply "inspired by" the John Carter novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, this is still a fun example of the sword and planet sub-genre from one of fantasy's great "hacks"--and I use that word with great respect, believe it or not. Jandar of Callisto succeeds at being good old fashioned goofy FUN.
March 30, 2017
Lin Carter does it again. By “It” I mean he disappoints.
I'll say right at the start that this is the best thing I've probably read from him, largely because he chose to try and “pay homage” to an adventure writer. Yes, this book is “dedicated with respect and affection to” Edgar Rice Burroughs. This book came out in 1972, which made it one of many series from around that time to pay similar homage.
Lin Carter's hero, Jon Dark, joins the likes of Dray Prescot, Tarl Cabot, (to a lesser extent) Dr. Zanthar, and others who followed in the shadow of John Carter. Anybody who has read the Barsoom series knows what's coming, which may leave them (as it did me) just a tad impatient.
Let's set comparison aside for just a second though.
This book basically has three prologues: the first, in which Lin Carter tells us he is a wonderful author, but he did not write this, the second, in which air-force guy Gary Hoyt says that all the boys in Vietnam love his wonderful Thongor books and that his missing friend Jon Dark vanished and left this mysterious manuscript, and finally the third, in which Jon Dark narrates his early life at length in order to explain how he wound up in Cambodia and why he is such a masculine badass (somehow he holds off telling how much he likes Thongor until later).
The result is that 43 pages go by before our sword-and-planet hero actually gets to the planet.
Anyhow, he gradually realizes he's on Jupiter's moon, Callisto (and admits that he can't figure out why it has an atmosphere), he becomes the slave of the insect/humanoid Yathoon horde, somehow befriends Koja, their leader, and in no time, Princess Darloona shows up for Jon Dark (or Jandar, as they call him there) to fall in love with.
Like I said before, this is probably the best thing I've read from Lin Carter, and this is due entirely to the Edgar Rice Burroughs influence forcing him to include escapes, sword fights, mishap, peril, etc. Essentially, most of the sci-fi/adventure/fantasy things that are missing in more of Carter's “exciting” stories actually appear. The problem is that he uses them all begrudgingly and not very well.
The effectiveness of Burroughs stories, any of his stories, was not just the use of planets or inventions or creatures, but a heightened sense of drama carried through by the hero's sense of heightened longing and desperation. Jon Dark's motivations are there from time to time, but he does not seem to possess the crystal-clear tunnel vision that kept John Carter ravaging Mars from pole to pole looking for Dejah Thoris.
Part of the problem is that the romance is never quite there. Romantic love seems like an alien thing to Lin Carter, probably because that would take time away from him describing clothes and settings and listing colors. Princess Darloona is put off by Jon Dark because of social errors (much like Dejah Thoris was), but she never seems to get over it and she remains an object of desire only.
Another issue is that Jon Dark is never really a badass of any description. He passes through many of the kinds of situations that a Burroughs hero would, only he just isn't as good. The lengthy early chapter seems to make this guy a ready-made action hero, and yet he isn't really a man of action and doesn't win any fights, at least not at first. The book is more than half gone before he actually manages to slay one of his foes (notice I was “checking my watch”), but shortly thereafter he meets a sword-master and sorta sharpens up.
I'm probably rattling on too long about this, but I will add that most of the book is bogged down in description and that Jon Dark has a long sword fight in which he tries to write his name on the other guy's chest because he's suddenly decided he's awesome.
Lin Carter wrote 7 sequels to this. I own some of them. I doubt I'll read them.
I'll say right at the start that this is the best thing I've probably read from him, largely because he chose to try and “pay homage” to an adventure writer. Yes, this book is “dedicated with respect and affection to” Edgar Rice Burroughs. This book came out in 1972, which made it one of many series from around that time to pay similar homage.
Lin Carter's hero, Jon Dark, joins the likes of Dray Prescot, Tarl Cabot, (to a lesser extent) Dr. Zanthar, and others who followed in the shadow of John Carter. Anybody who has read the Barsoom series knows what's coming, which may leave them (as it did me) just a tad impatient.
Let's set comparison aside for just a second though.
This book basically has three prologues: the first, in which Lin Carter tells us he is a wonderful author, but he did not write this, the second, in which air-force guy Gary Hoyt says that all the boys in Vietnam love his wonderful Thongor books and that his missing friend Jon Dark vanished and left this mysterious manuscript, and finally the third, in which Jon Dark narrates his early life at length in order to explain how he wound up in Cambodia and why he is such a masculine badass (somehow he holds off telling how much he likes Thongor until later).
The result is that 43 pages go by before our sword-and-planet hero actually gets to the planet.
Anyhow, he gradually realizes he's on Jupiter's moon, Callisto (and admits that he can't figure out why it has an atmosphere), he becomes the slave of the insect/humanoid Yathoon horde, somehow befriends Koja, their leader, and in no time, Princess Darloona shows up for Jon Dark (or Jandar, as they call him there) to fall in love with.
Like I said before, this is probably the best thing I've read from Lin Carter, and this is due entirely to the Edgar Rice Burroughs influence forcing him to include escapes, sword fights, mishap, peril, etc. Essentially, most of the sci-fi/adventure/fantasy things that are missing in more of Carter's “exciting” stories actually appear. The problem is that he uses them all begrudgingly and not very well.
The effectiveness of Burroughs stories, any of his stories, was not just the use of planets or inventions or creatures, but a heightened sense of drama carried through by the hero's sense of heightened longing and desperation. Jon Dark's motivations are there from time to time, but he does not seem to possess the crystal-clear tunnel vision that kept John Carter ravaging Mars from pole to pole looking for Dejah Thoris.
Part of the problem is that the romance is never quite there. Romantic love seems like an alien thing to Lin Carter, probably because that would take time away from him describing clothes and settings and listing colors. Princess Darloona is put off by Jon Dark because of social errors (much like Dejah Thoris was), but she never seems to get over it and she remains an object of desire only.
Another issue is that Jon Dark is never really a badass of any description. He passes through many of the kinds of situations that a Burroughs hero would, only he just isn't as good. The lengthy early chapter seems to make this guy a ready-made action hero, and yet he isn't really a man of action and doesn't win any fights, at least not at first. The book is more than half gone before he actually manages to slay one of his foes (notice I was “checking my watch”), but shortly thereafter he meets a sword-master and sorta sharpens up.
I'm probably rattling on too long about this, but I will add that most of the book is bogged down in description and that Jon Dark has a long sword fight in which he tries to write his name on the other guy's chest because he's suddenly decided he's awesome.
Lin Carter wrote 7 sequels to this. I own some of them. I doubt I'll read them.
March 30, 2017
Jandar of Callisto is dedicated to Edgar Rice Burroughs. Author Lin Carter was obviously an ERB aficionado and, in writing this science (and I use the term loosely) fantasy pulp adventure series, he has assembled an incredible homage to the master of the genre. As with Burroughs’ own pastiche of himself (perhaps, not intended, but it comes off so) in the Carson of Venus series, we have a manuscript delivered to the author, purporting to be from the protagonist of the adventure. Naturally, the latter is using the same structure as the John Carter of Mars, the author acts as either editor or “medium” in publishing the story. Although Carson Napier has a rocket go awry, it is launched from a third world location. John Carter found hieroglyphics in a desert cave. Jon Dark finds an abandoned well in a Cambodian village) which causes him to be teleported to a location in space. John Carter, of course, finds himself on a version of Mars which couldn’t exist while Carson finds a version of Venus which couldn’t exist and Jon Dark finds himself on a version of Jupiter’s moon, Callisto, that couldn’t exist.
In that regard is why one uses the term “science” loosely in even calling these science-fantasy. The fantasy element is that just as ERB created societies on a dying Mars and a mysteriously fecund Venus, Lin Carter creates a society of warrior protocol and airships on Callisto. John Carter has Dejah Thoris, Carson Napier has his Princess Duare, and, of course, Jon Dark (aka “Jandar”) quickly meets his Princess Darloona (Why do these women always start with “D?”). You know before you start reading that either the Princess or both Jandar and the Princess will be captives more than once and you know before you start that the earthman protagonist is going to have some kind of physical advantage due to having been transplanted to worlds of different gravity and atmosphere. As a result, you know that the protagonist is going to win an improbable one-on-one duel at some point. There is even the obligatory gladiator-style scene, though I enjoyed the images in this one even more than one I remember from the John Carter series (The Chessmen of Mars as memory serves me).
When I started the book, I thought Lin Carter was doing a slavish imitation of ERB. Upon completing the book, I can say that in spite of all the homage scenes (and characters), there is enough freshness to make it interesting. I can’t explain what I mean without spoiling part of the book, but the relationship between Darloona and Jandar is handled differently (and much more interestingly). Even though the structure is ERB-compatible (I just made up that term for my own amusement), it is full of clever ideas in terms of settings, society, and suspense. After all, Jandar of Callisto doesn’t exactly resolve everything you would expect at the conclusion. It leaves room for more adventure and entertainment. It's yet another light, escapist series I will be collecting.
In that regard is why one uses the term “science” loosely in even calling these science-fantasy. The fantasy element is that just as ERB created societies on a dying Mars and a mysteriously fecund Venus, Lin Carter creates a society of warrior protocol and airships on Callisto. John Carter has Dejah Thoris, Carson Napier has his Princess Duare, and, of course, Jon Dark (aka “Jandar”) quickly meets his Princess Darloona (Why do these women always start with “D?”). You know before you start reading that either the Princess or both Jandar and the Princess will be captives more than once and you know before you start that the earthman protagonist is going to have some kind of physical advantage due to having been transplanted to worlds of different gravity and atmosphere. As a result, you know that the protagonist is going to win an improbable one-on-one duel at some point. There is even the obligatory gladiator-style scene, though I enjoyed the images in this one even more than one I remember from the John Carter series (The Chessmen of Mars as memory serves me).
When I started the book, I thought Lin Carter was doing a slavish imitation of ERB. Upon completing the book, I can say that in spite of all the homage scenes (and characters), there is enough freshness to make it interesting. I can’t explain what I mean without spoiling part of the book, but the relationship between Darloona and Jandar is handled differently (and much more interestingly). Even though the structure is ERB-compatible (I just made up that term for my own amusement), it is full of clever ideas in terms of settings, society, and suspense. After all, Jandar of Callisto doesn’t exactly resolve everything you would expect at the conclusion. It leaves room for more adventure and entertainment. It's yet another light, escapist series I will be collecting.
September 18, 2022
Detta är en portalfantasy, vilket klassar den som en fabelfantasy, men den är väldigt annorlunda än det mesta i genren som jag har läst. Huvudpersonen hör hemma i Sword & Sandal, världen är satt på en annan planet, och med en teknologisk nivå som varierar mellan bronsålder och steam-punk. Den är välskriven, som genrelitteratur.
March 7, 2018
Quick and entertaining read. Fun Swords and Planet story. If you are a John Carter of mars fan these are a good read. Recommended
July 4, 2016
This was the first novel by Lin Carter I'd ever read. I wanted to like it, but by the halfway point I was worn out by Carter's windy and overblown style. Although it strives to be colorful and imaginative, the ideas often seemed lazy and uninspiring, and the actual reading experience at times was like being hit over the head with a pocket thesaurus. It's clear that Carter enjoys writing - so much so that he seeks out ways of being overly wordy and forcing his readers to re-read the same cliches and phrases over, and over. Gary Provost once said that good writing is writing in which every word is doing a job. If that's the litmus test then this novel falls short in my view. I really felt at one point like I was reading a very impressive 7th grade creative writing project. I don't want to sound overly critical, and I think anyone who is looking for a fun and light adventure story will enjoy this. To be fair, the story is truly fantastic in its scope and quickly thrusts the reader into a larger-than-life adventure. And perhaps I would've enjoyed it more if my expectations had been a little lower. For me, however, it was a disappointment, though I will probably give Lin Carter another shot at some point in the future.
August 24, 2016
If you like Edgar Rice Burroughs Mars series then this is right up your alley. It is pretty much a fanboy kind of story which mirrors the Mars stories alot. Lots of adventure, a princess, and good friends made. Though I did find the princess to be quite annoying and I believe the story would of been better if he would of kicked her to the curb and said Bro's before Ho's! But I know that you got to have a lovely princess to save so, nope, it just didn't happen. Now on to book two!
August 6, 2011
If The Green Star Saga Is Carter doing ERB's Venus then Calisto is Carter doing ERB's Mars. Oddly enough were Burroughs falls flat, Carter soars, and in reverse were Burroughs Mars is wonderful Calisto is slightly less than. Although not completely without merit, Carter was doing much better elsewhere.
July 20, 2008
The first in this series.
October 29, 2017
I'm beginning to suspect that at the time of the likes of this book the fantasy literature lacked good editors and was often too much like borderline or whole fan fiction, though it could had easily been more - since fantasy fiction back then was much more fantastic, more mobile&expressive, more experimental and more faster paced (in a positive way) than the dull hogwash we get today, it is really a bit sad thing that authors such as Lin Carter didn't cross the threshold to become Howards, Burroughses or CA Smiths of their own era. I believe it wasn't even far, that threshold.
Jandar of Callisto is disappointing and shallow at the beginning, but gets better and better all the time -with a good editor and maybe some bolder moves in narrative it would had been a really good book, but there are errors that can't really be excused, only ignored for the sake of the ride. It was a page turner for me, wanting to read the kind of stuff that this is -Sword and planet/ sword and sorcery fantasy with lot of suspense and swordfights and weird otherwordly scenery.
But there are minuses:
1) How the life story of the protagonist goes before entering another world is stupid and very unconvincing, the worst part of the book. No one lives the kind of life portrayed here: childhood in the jungle with adventuring father, then going to Yale and becoming an expert student and also a sword champion of the university, ending up in Vietnam... Oh god, this is so bad. Sword champion and time in Vietnam would had been adequate. Now it reads like some kid making the most unrealistic roleplaying character imaginable, kind of forcing the character to become the character of the jungle planet story in question.
2) Too much fantasy/horror/scifi namedropping, I mean things like "I remembered the story from Clark Ashton Smith where..." -seems that beside spending his early years in jungle, protagonist has read all the books of the genre that he himself with his adventures represents. It's a really bad idea and also unconvincing, it breaks the illusion. As the book otherwise follows also much on the footsteps of likes of Burroughs, Leigh Brackett and Jack Vance, it would had been a more tasteful thing to leave namedropping to minimum, especially as there are some own and unique ideas also. And when fighting a duel in an airship making a reference like "I felt like I'm in Errol Flynn movie" is just plain stupid and again fucks up the illusion.
3) Swordfighting is badly written. I am the first one to like realistic swordfight based on real systems of fence, but it is really a bad idea to write with terminology that only sport fencers and rapier fencers understand.
From these cons it could be wrongly deduced that I don't think much about Jandor of Callisto but actually I'm reading these books happily, I'm already on a third one. Lin Carter besides these stupid ideas of his is really good at keeping a good suspence, making some really likeable characters and the moon of jupiter where the action takes is really a cool place full of wonders and weird sights. I genuinely like this stuff and am good in ignoring the bad stuff for the sake of the good ride.
Jandar of Callisto is disappointing and shallow at the beginning, but gets better and better all the time -with a good editor and maybe some bolder moves in narrative it would had been a really good book, but there are errors that can't really be excused, only ignored for the sake of the ride. It was a page turner for me, wanting to read the kind of stuff that this is -Sword and planet/ sword and sorcery fantasy with lot of suspense and swordfights and weird otherwordly scenery.
But there are minuses:
1) How the life story of the protagonist goes before entering another world is stupid and very unconvincing, the worst part of the book. No one lives the kind of life portrayed here: childhood in the jungle with adventuring father, then going to Yale and becoming an expert student and also a sword champion of the university, ending up in Vietnam... Oh god, this is so bad. Sword champion and time in Vietnam would had been adequate. Now it reads like some kid making the most unrealistic roleplaying character imaginable, kind of forcing the character to become the character of the jungle planet story in question.
2) Too much fantasy/horror/scifi namedropping, I mean things like "I remembered the story from Clark Ashton Smith where..." -seems that beside spending his early years in jungle, protagonist has read all the books of the genre that he himself with his adventures represents. It's a really bad idea and also unconvincing, it breaks the illusion. As the book otherwise follows also much on the footsteps of likes of Burroughs, Leigh Brackett and Jack Vance, it would had been a more tasteful thing to leave namedropping to minimum, especially as there are some own and unique ideas also. And when fighting a duel in an airship making a reference like "I felt like I'm in Errol Flynn movie" is just plain stupid and again fucks up the illusion.
3) Swordfighting is badly written. I am the first one to like realistic swordfight based on real systems of fence, but it is really a bad idea to write with terminology that only sport fencers and rapier fencers understand.
From these cons it could be wrongly deduced that I don't think much about Jandor of Callisto but actually I'm reading these books happily, I'm already on a third one. Lin Carter besides these stupid ideas of his is really good at keeping a good suspence, making some really likeable characters and the moon of jupiter where the action takes is really a cool place full of wonders and weird sights. I genuinely like this stuff and am good in ignoring the bad stuff for the sake of the good ride.
February 5, 2025
John Dark is a Vietnam-era helicopter pilot who crash-lands in the Vietnam jungles, discovers a lost city, and is sucked into a vortex that takes him to the inhabited moon Callisto which orbits Jupiter.
Here is captured by a savage tribe of insectoid creatures and his adventures begin. The inhabitants of Callisto have difficulty speaking his name so it becomes Jandar.
In the sword & sci-fi stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the protagonist John Carter has a healthy ego, often proclaiming himself the best swordsman of two planets. Jandar also has a healthy ego though he doesn't at first have the the swordfighting skills to back up his braggadocio. He is also handicapped by pettiness and a profound misunderstanding of the cultures of Callisto.
For this reason, when he encounters the beautiful princess Darloona with a spectacular mane of golden red hair, he quickly manages to offend her. Other than the fact that she is smoking hot, the reader isn't really sure what causes Jandar to fall hopelessly, unreasonably in love, because she often expresses her revulsion and hatred for him, and states that she wishes she had never met him. However, love is blind, and Jandar persists in rescuing her from a marriage she didn't want to be rescued from by knocking her out and jumping onto a gyrocopter.
Despite our hero's flaws and his obsession with a woman who wants nothing to do with him (or perhaps because of this), the book is highly entertaining. The author even manages to name-drop himself when Jandar mentions a book he read by Lin Carter in which the hero leaped from a precipitous height and survived striking the water because he entered at just the right angle.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, so hopefully I can round up the next in the series.
Here is captured by a savage tribe of insectoid creatures and his adventures begin. The inhabitants of Callisto have difficulty speaking his name so it becomes Jandar.
In the sword & sci-fi stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the protagonist John Carter has a healthy ego, often proclaiming himself the best swordsman of two planets. Jandar also has a healthy ego though he doesn't at first have the the swordfighting skills to back up his braggadocio. He is also handicapped by pettiness and a profound misunderstanding of the cultures of Callisto.
For this reason, when he encounters the beautiful princess Darloona with a spectacular mane of golden red hair, he quickly manages to offend her. Other than the fact that she is smoking hot, the reader isn't really sure what causes Jandar to fall hopelessly, unreasonably in love, because she often expresses her revulsion and hatred for him, and states that she wishes she had never met him. However, love is blind, and Jandar persists in rescuing her from a marriage she didn't want to be rescued from by knocking her out and jumping onto a gyrocopter.
Despite our hero's flaws and his obsession with a woman who wants nothing to do with him (or perhaps because of this), the book is highly entertaining. The author even manages to name-drop himself when Jandar mentions a book he read by Lin Carter in which the hero leaped from a precipitous height and survived striking the water because he entered at just the right angle.
The book ends on a cliff-hanger, so hopefully I can round up the next in the series.
August 2, 2024
The first of Lin Carter's Callisto books, a homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series, was a blast to read and served as a clear reminder of why Lin Carter is one of my very favourite pulp writers - and one of my favourite authors, period. In fact, although this may be blasphemous to some readers, I actually preferred this to the Barsoom books I've read.
Although there are certainly some writing flaws at play here, such as excessive and dry exposition that occasionally breaks up the action, this still ticks all the boxes you could want from a pulpy sword and planet yarn. The world of Thanator is unique and colourful, with strange races, creatures, and cultures galore, and the adventures of Jandar are exactly the kind of thing classic heroic fiction should comprise of. Ultimately, you can tell Lin Carter is a super-fan of the kind of materials he writes, and his passion emanates from almost every single page.
For those reasons, this gets a solid 4 stars from me, and I look forward to seeing what the next seven books in this interplanetary saga have to offer.
Although there are certainly some writing flaws at play here, such as excessive and dry exposition that occasionally breaks up the action, this still ticks all the boxes you could want from a pulpy sword and planet yarn. The world of Thanator is unique and colourful, with strange races, creatures, and cultures galore, and the adventures of Jandar are exactly the kind of thing classic heroic fiction should comprise of. Ultimately, you can tell Lin Carter is a super-fan of the kind of materials he writes, and his passion emanates from almost every single page.
For those reasons, this gets a solid 4 stars from me, and I look forward to seeing what the next seven books in this interplanetary saga have to offer.
June 5, 2018
If you're into Edgar Rice Burroughs style adventure novels, then this is certainly for you. Not only is it similar to the Mars novels, it's almost the exact same thing, but on Callisto. These books are dedicated to ERB himself, so it is more of an homage to him, rather than a rip-off of his stories. I almost wish Carter would have created his own extension novels of the Mars novels in addition to this, or instead of. He does a great job of creating the world of Callisto. It's fast paced and entertaining, so I'm going to continue the series to see what Carter has in store.
February 16, 2023
Read this in 1973 and liked it, so decided to read it again after 50 years; did not age well. Author spent about 100 pages setting up the background and building the plot, but once the story got going it fell flat. There was absolutely no chemistry between the hero, Jandar, and the beautiful princess, Darloona. Carter is the poor man's Edgar Rice Burroughs, and this series is sort of like the Martian series, but it lacks the rick rich flavor, realistic atmosphere, and charismatic characters that ERB created.
September 2, 2021
Another one of Lin Carter's Burroughs homages, and not his best. It gets off to a slow start and doesn't pick up much from there. The best part comes after he joins forces with the fencing master and learns how to swordfight. I was disappointed. I really enjoyed Carter's underground world novels. He turned them into almost a satire of the genre. He played this one too straight. I checked out the rest of the series from Kindle Unlimited and I'll give them a go and see if they improve.
July 16, 2024
The first of a series of eight books. Heavily based on ERB's A PRINCESS OF MARS, this is a fine work of fantasy on a jungle world/moon filled with strange people and even stranger monsters. Jon Dark somehow transported to a moon of Jupiter, which somehow has air, light, heat and living things; makes friends, and some enemies as he goes from one adventure to the next. The novel runs at a good pace and ends where you expect the second novel to start.
December 22, 2020
I read this book in a single take. It was trash, but the extremely enjoyable type.
Also, I found Carter's prose to be more fun than Burroughs', who the author was clearly imitating
Also, I found Carter's prose to be more fun than Burroughs', who the author was clearly imitating
June 21, 2022
Absolutely awesome.
Great story with gripping plot and interesting writing from Lin Carter. I highly recommend it for all ages. I can't wait to read the next book.
Great story with gripping plot and interesting writing from Lin Carter. I highly recommend it for all ages. I can't wait to read the next book.
January 24, 2017
It's basically John Carter of Mars fan fiction, and I love it.
November 22, 2017
2.5 Stars.
This is a first book in a series written over forty years ago which is based upon the Burroughs Princess of Mars series.
A Vietnam helicopter pilot crash lands in the jungle of Cambodia and discovers an ancient city where he is transported to one of moons of Jupiter.
Well he gets captured by a intelligent insect type of creature, saves a princess and so on.
There are the usual tropes here.
Story has some promise so am pushing on to volume two to give it a chance.
This is a first book in a series written over forty years ago which is based upon the Burroughs Princess of Mars series.
A Vietnam helicopter pilot crash lands in the jungle of Cambodia and discovers an ancient city where he is transported to one of moons of Jupiter.
Well he gets captured by a intelligent insect type of creature, saves a princess and so on.
There are the usual tropes here.
Story has some promise so am pushing on to volume two to give it a chance.
December 9, 2016
An entertaining read as are most of Carter's books.
November 8, 2012
Great book, very similar to John Carter
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