Skeleton Men of Jupiter

Barsoom #11B

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

FOREWORD

Particularly disliking forewords, I seldom read them; yet it seems that I scarcely ever write a story that I do not inflict a foreword on my long-suffering readers. Occasionally I also have to inject a little weather and scenery in my deathless classics, two further examples of literary racketeering that I especially deplore in the writings of others. Yet there is something to be said in extenuation of weather and scenery, which, together with adjectives, do much to lighten the burdens of authors and run up their word count.

Still, there is little excuse for forewords; and if this were my story there would be none. However, it is not my story. It is John Carter’s story. I am merely his amanuensis. On guard! John Carter takes his sword in hand.

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS





ONE

BETRAYED

I am no scientist. I am a fighting man. My most beloved weapon is the sword, and during a long life I have seen no reason to alter my theories as to its proper application to the many problems with which I have been faced. This is not true of the scientists. They are constantly abandoning one theory for another one. The law of gravitation is about the only theory that has held throughout my lifetime--and if the earth should suddenly start rotating seventeen times faster than it now does, even the law of gravitation would fail us and we would all go sailing off into space.

Theories come and theories go--scientific theories. I recall that there was once a theory that Time and Space moved forward constantly in a straight line. There was also a theory that neither Time nor Space existed--it was all in your mind’s eye. Then came the theory that Time and Space curved in upon themselves. Tomorrow, some scientist may show us reams and reams of paper and hundreds of square feet of blackboard covered with equations, formulae, signs, symbols, and diagrams to prove that Time and Space curve out away from themselves. Then our theoretic universe will come tumbling about our ears, and we shall have to start all over again from scratch.

Like many fighting men, I am inclined to be credulous concerning matters outside my vocation; or at least I used to be. I believed whatever the scientists said. Long ago, I believed with Flammarion that Mars was habitable and inhabited; then a newer and more reputable school of scientists convinced me that it was neither. Without losing hope, I was yet forced to believe them until I came to Mars to live. They still insist that Mars is neither habitable or inhabited, but I live here. Fact and theory seem to be opposed. Unquestionably, the scientists appear to be correct in theory. Equally incontrovertible is it that I am correct in fact.

In the adventure that I am about to narrate, fact and theory will again cross swords. I hate to do this to my long-suffering scientific friends; but if they would only consult me first rather than dogmatically postulating theories which do not meet with popular acclaim, they would save themselves much embarrassment.

Dejah Thoris, my incomparable princess, and I were sitting upon a carved ersite bench in one of the gardens of our palace in Lesser Helium when an officer in the leather of Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium, approached and saluted.

“From Tardos Mors to John Carter, Kaor!” he said. “The jeddak requests your immediate presence in the Hall of Jeddaks in the imperial palace in Greater Helium.”
More
In The Barsoom Series by ADB Publishing
(The Original) Fighting Man of Mars
(The Original) A Princess of Mars (This Book)
(The Original) John Carter and the Giant of Mars (1940)
(The Original) Llana of Gathol
(The Original) Skele

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Fiction, Pulp, Adventure, Speculative Fiction

64 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

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

Reviews

[Adrian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unintentional Series Read through 2025, August

And unfortunately this is the last in the series (written by ERB). This again was a novella, that was due to be part of a series of novellas detailing John Carter’s adventures on Jupiter and how he rescued his wife. Unfortunately this was the only one that he wrote before he died, so we can only assume that eventually John would heave rescued Dejah Thoris.

Funnily enough I find this one of the most exciting and well written off the stories in the whole series, and I always prefer it when we are focussed mostly on John Carter rather his compatriots or other Barsoomiam warriors.

I think I shall investigate some of the stories by other authors to se if they are as good.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is standard John Carter fare, but Burroughs died before he could carry the story to its proper resolution. Certainly it's a far cry from the proper send-off these characters deserve.

[Cameron James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the twelfth and final entry in Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Barsoom series (or, if you’re a movie buff, the John Carter of Mars series). This entry, Skeleton Men of Jupiter, is really short, as was the previous entry, John Carter and the Giant of Mars, and are often bound together as one volume, despite having nothing to do with each other.

Skeleton Men of Jupiter was clearly meant to be the first in a series of novellas that would be collectively published as a novel, much like some of the previous entries in this series have done. This tale has an ending of sorts — but there’s still great peril and unresolved issues that were meant to be completed in later entries — but for some reason Burroughs never finished it. (I just checked the dates on Wikipedia, Skeleton Men of Jupiter was published years before his death, so I’m unsure why Burroughs didn’t complete the tale.)

This entry is markedly different from most of the previous books in the series by one factor and one factor alone. It is not a woman’s kidnapping that starts the conflict, it is the kidnapping of John Carter. Yes, John Carter, the unstoppable, unbeatable, and uncontainable hero of the entire series is easily duped, kidnapped, and stolen away to Jupiter.

Read the rest of the review on my blog:
http://camerondjames.wordpress.com/20...

[Salman Ali]

Sub-standard writing and brutal ending which could have been better... Not up to the usual standard of other stories in Barsoom Series..

[Remy G · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Edgar Rice Burroughs’ final Barsoom novel, he opens with a foreword saying that he doesn’t like doing introductory chapters, and introduces John Carter again as narrator, who tells of the recent conquest of Zor on Barsoom, with a red man, U Dan, taking him to Sasoom, or Jupiter, and forcing him to learn the language of the insectoid Morgors in a brutal process. Jupiter is eventually reached, with U Dan and Carter being incarcerated alongside a Savator named Zan Dar. Carter is interrogated before being returned to his cell, and finds that Dejah was captured, as well.

John Carter further learns of plans by Sassomians to take over Barsoom, with Vorion leading an unsuccessful escape that lands the Warlord of Mars in solitary confinement, awaiting execution. Carter is forced to fight gladiatorial battles, finds that Pho Lar wrongfully boasted of his swordsmanship, and fights Morgors, afterward journeying to Han Du’s country, where the story ends. Overall, this isn’t exactly a wonderful finale to the Barsoom saga, but is enjoyable if brief, and very much on par with its predecessors, in spite of some scientific inaccuracy.

[Rex Libris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our old buddy John Carter is lounging around the palace in Helium when he gets kidnapped by the Skeleton Men from Jupiter. He is taken back there because the warlord of Jupiter wants to take over Mars and needs the intel from Carter. To try and get him to talk they kidnap his wife and hold her hostage. Needless to say, he ultimately frees them both. Unfortunately, the story ends with them marooned on Jupiter.

[Ethan Knierim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Standard Barsoom fare. John Carter is at his most impossibly heroic in this story. Eurobus and her peoples are imaginative and it is a shame that Burroughs never penned further exploration of the planet.

[Esse · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Burroughs

[Scout Who · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read book:John Carter on Mars (Barsoom)
That Kindle book is properly described as "John Carter and the Giant of Mars and The Skeleton Men of Jupiter", aka Barsoom 11.1 & 11.2, but in the series it is indexed improperly as Barsoom 1-5. Therefore, I've added this title and the previous separately to my "Read" list.
Here is my combined review:
The first story (about the synthetic man and the giant) wasn't up to the level of Edgar Rice Burroughs, but it was an adequate action-adventure story.
The story of the skeleton men of Jupiter was better, but seemed to be the first half of a novel. After all, at the end of the tale, Barsoom is still very much in danger from the skeleton men.

[Montgomery Webster · Rating 3 out of 5]

This marks the completion of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars (Barsoom) 12-book series. I have now read more books by him than any other author. Thus, will not return to Burroughs other books for many years to come. Nevertheless, still wholly recommend them.
As for a review of this John Carter of Mars series, I would say only the first book is absolutely necessary. They are all incredibly similar action adventure books. They are certainly fun, but not the conceptual and exploratory science fiction I am looking for.

[Robert Lent · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was much better than John Carter and the Giant of Mars. That book reads like a poor imitation of a Barsoom book, this one felt like a Barsoom book. It was a short work, and the ending was a little abrupt.

[Alex]

False

[Jesse VanDeWalker · Rating 3 out of 5]

A rip-roaring read until it abruptly ends, stranding John Carter and Dejah Thoris on the inhospitable world of Jupiter, or Sasoom if you'd rather. There are definitely better John Carter stories.

[Roxana]

I cannot decide whether i like the open ending or not.

[Laycie Moss]

#12

[Timothy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This books is in book 11 and is cowritten by edgar's son.

[Bruce · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sketchy

[Gary · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish that this story was able to be finished.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great end to the series

[Paul Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Last book of the Barsoom books written. Not a great story