Gods of Mars

by Edgar Rice Burroughs

The plant man was well muscled, heavy, and powerful but my earthly sinews and greater agility, in conjunction with the deathly strangle hold I had upon him, would have given me, I think, an eventual victory had we had time to discuss the merits of our relative prowess uninterrupted.

It's the random humorous just casually thrown in that makes me like these books.

which appeal most strongly to this race of mental giants and moral pygmies."

Republicans