Rating: 
Summary: John Carter finally returns to Barsoom to find Dejah Thoris
Review: At the end of "A Princess of Mars," the first in the John Carter series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter got the factory that produced oxygen for Barsoom (the Martian name for Mars) working again, but had collapsed. When he revived he found himself back on earth, separated from Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Helium and his beloved. Originally published in 1913 as a serial in "All-Story Magazine," this story finds John Carter returning to Mars and setting off to find his woman. Knowing that it was originally published as a serial is useful because Burroughs loads on the cliffhangers throughout the novel. When Carter returns to Barsoom a decade has passed and he finds himself in that part of the planet that the natives consider to be "heaven," which proves to be a more ironic idea. Carter has to reunite with his friend the fierce green warrior Tars Tarkas, fight with the great white apes of Barsoom and plant men, violate some significant religious taboos, survive the affections of an evil goddess, help with a slave revolt, fight in an arena, and still save Dejah Thoris in the middle of a giant air battle between the red, green, black and white people of Barsoom. "The Gods of Mars" is an early Burroughs novel, which means it is high on action and low on details. ERB would set his adventures in strange worlds such as Barsoom, Venus, Pellucidar, etc., but beyond the basic idea of it being a strange world he was content for such places to be the settings for this stories. The writing is a bit stilted and ERB likes to mix cliches and ponderous phrases that make the narrative seem dated, but "The Gods of Mars" meets his basic criteria of providing a ripping yarn for his readers. The best thing you can say about this novel is that the action never stops from start to finish. The worst thing you can say about it is that Burroughs puts off reuniting our hero with his beloved, but if you have read many of ERB's novels, Tarzan or otherwise, you know that once his happy couple is back together the story is pretty much over. However, even at the end there is another cliffhanger that will make you track down "The Warlord of Mars," the next installment in what is clearly the best Burroughs series. ERB milked the Tarzan character dry and still produced another dozen novels in that series, while the Mars books (sorry, the Barsoom series) remained relatively fresh.
Rating:
Summary: John Carter finally returns to Barsoom to find Dejah Thoris
Review: At the end of "A Princess of Mars," the first in the John Carter series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter got the factory that produced oxygen for Barsoom (the Martian name for Mars) working again, but had collapsed. When he revived he found himself back on earth, separated from Dejah Thoris, the Princess of Helium and his beloved. Originally published in 1913 as a serial in "All-Story Magazine," this story finds John Carter returning to Mars and setting off to find his woman. Knowing that it was originally published as a serial is useful because Burroughs loads on the cliffhangers throughout the novel. When Carter returns to Barsoom a decade has passed and he finds himself in that part of the planet that the natives consider to be "heaven," which proves to be a more ironic idea. Carter has to reunite with his friend the fierce green warrior Tars Tarkas, fight with the great white apes of Barsoom and plant men, violate some significant religious taboos, survive the affections of an evil goddess, help with a slave revolt, fight in an arena, and still save Dejah Thoris in the middle of a giant air battle between the red, green, black and white people of Barsoom. "The Gods of Mars" is an early Burroughs novel, which means it is high on action and low on details. ERB would set his adventures in strange worlds such as Barsoom, Venus, Pellucidar, etc., but beyond the basic idea of it being a strange world he was content for such places to be the settings for this stories. The writing is a bit stilted and ERB likes to mix cliches and ponderous phrases that make the narrative seem dated, but "The Gods of Mars" meets his basic criteria of providing a ripping yarn for his readers. The best thing you can say about this novel is that the action never stops from start to finish. The worst thing you can say about it is that Burroughs puts off reuniting our hero with his beloved, but if you have read many of ERB's novels, Tarzan or otherwise, you know that once his happy couple is back together the story is pretty much over. However, even at the end there is another cliffhanger that will make you track down "The Warlord of Mars," the next installment in what is clearly the best Burroughs series. ERB milked the Tarzan character dry and still produced another dozen novels in that series, while the Mars books (sorry, the Barsoom series) remained relatively fresh.
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi and Victorian prose
Review: ERB is a pioneer in science fiction and I can see the influence his work has had on many of my favorite authors. What I find truely amazing about this story is that deals with things such as aerial warfare but was written in 1913 when people were still debating if airplanes could ever have military value. Although the author was looking to the future with life on Mars and flying battleships, his values are anchored in the Victorian era. John Carter looks to fight the good fight, rescue the damsels in distress and still stay true to his princess. He's a think man's Conan and a monogumous James Bond all rolled into one. The plot line takes several unexpected turns and your pulse will be pounding as the story builds towards its climax. The story is written in the flowery prose that were typical of the Victorian era and it takes a little getting used to. As another reviewer mentioned, you just need to slow down, sit back and enjoy this one. It's definately worth it. The copy I had was about a few years old and the binding completely came apart and as I tried to keep the pages in order while reading I felt like I had uncovered a first addition from 1913. Normally, I would not have been to happy about that, but given the situation it just added charachter to the experience. If you pick this book up, make sure you also get a copy of the next book in the series "Warlord of Mars". Once you finish "Gods of Mars" you'll want to jump right into the next book.
Rating:
Summary: Sci-Fi and Victorian prose
Review: ERB is a pioneer in science fiction and I can see the influence his work has had on many of my favorite authors. What I find truely amazing about this story is that deals with things such as aerial warfare but was written in 1913 when people were still debating if airplanes could ever have military value. Although the author was looking to the future with life on Mars and flying battleships, his values are anchored in the Victorian era. John Carter looks to fight the good fight, rescue the damsels in distress and still stay true to his princess. He's a think man's Conan and a monogumous James Bond all rolled into one. The plot line takes several unexpected turns and your pulse will be pounding as the story builds towards its climax. The story is written in the flowery prose that were typical of the Victorian era and it takes a little getting used to. As another reviewer mentioned, you just need to slow down, sit back and enjoy this one. It's definately worth it. The copy I had was about a few years old and the binding completely came apart and as I tried to keep the pages in order while reading I felt like I had uncovered a first addition from 1913. Normally, I would not have been to happy about that, but given the situation it just added charachter to the experience. If you pick this book up, make sure you also get a copy of the next book in the series "Warlord of Mars". Once you finish "Gods of Mars" you'll want to jump right into the next book.
Rating: 
Summary: Hooked me on science fiction for nearly forty years
Review: Having introduced the characters in 'A Princess of Mars,' the author gets down to the action, in this the second Martian adventure of John Carter, with, as I recall, a new opponent, ready to fight, on almost every page.
The author subtly pokes fun at religion, race and our conventions and rituals regarding them, while writing an exciting adventure story that certainly gripped my imagination in the early sixties.
John Carter remains the perfect Virginian gentleman, respecting women, seeking no unfair advantage, while fighting plants, animals and multiple races of Martians. He must struggle to overcome them all, if he is to set free his beloved Dejah Thoris from a nested series of "Heavens within Heavens."
If he wins, will he kill the "Gods of Mars" in the title? What will happen to religion on Mars if he does? If he loses...........
An ideal introduction to science fiction and fantasy for boys reaching puberty. They can sublimate their aggressive tendencies as they imagine themselves opposing plant men, white apes and other foes.
Rating:
Summary: All Barsoom books are great!
Review: I first read the Martian Chronicles as a teenager. They are in fact the only sci-fi I've ever read. What I want to know is why George Lucas or Steven Spielberg havn't made movies of them? With their abilities in the sci-fi world they could do a great job with them.
Rating:
Summary: A heck of an adventure, with some satire of mass religions
Review: I just finished rereading this remarkable adventure story, and must say, some of the capsule summaries above leave a bit to be desired. Yes, John Carter returns to Mars after 10 years absence, and finds himself in a paradise. But ironically, it's a paradise that soon turns into a kind of violent warring hell. The plant men are only the beginning. The bitterest enemies are a race of almost diabolical priests, the Tharns, who set loose white apes and plant men to slaughter thousands of religious pilgrims. I'm not spoiling the plot at all, since this becomes clear in the first two or three chapters. Again, there's a deep bond between the hero, John Carter, and a brave and stunning young woman named Thuvia. John Carter, a warlord, is not content to merely escape. He must somehow end this evil empire of hypocritical priests and mass slaughter. One fine element is the reintroduction of the green warrior chieftan, John's dear friend from the first novel in the series. There are strains of deeper thought woven throughout. For example, the biting satire against mindless "fanatic" religions. Heck of a book. Burroughs writes in a style that would seem a bit heavy today. But after a chapter or two, the reader usually can get in the stride. These books read fast-- you can't put them down. The heroines are GORGEOUS-- but the language is "clean" and the books can be recommended for teens. The description-- often in battle scenes-- is up to anything written in adventure science fiction today. This book was written-- amazingly-- in about 1917.
Rating:
Summary: A good read...let yourself go for a while
Review: It is not surprising that the Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs sparked the imagination of such worthies as Carl Sagan. The Martian Tales stories are adventures in the old style. Now we are accustomed to high tech, fast paced, get it while you can stories. If you like to slow down and immerse yourself in a story of and about "the good fight" for true love this is the book for you. Don your long sword and charge into the Mars that we would have all liked to have seen not the dry, "almost" sterile world Earth's various probes have shown us. We can still dream with the dream maker that was Edgar Rice Burroughs, whatever NASA still shows us. So do yourself a favour get it and get it soon. Dream the dreams
Rating:
Summary: A good read...let yourself go for a while
Review: It is not surprising that the Martian Tales of Edgar Rice Burroughs sparked the imagination of such worthies as Carl Sagan. The Martian Tales stories are adventures in the old style. Now we are accustomed to high tech, fast paced, get it while you can stories. If you like to slow down and immerse yourself in a story of and about "the good fight" for true love this is the book for you. Don your long sword and charge into the Mars that we would have all liked to have seen not the dry, "almost" sterile world Earth's various probes have shown us. We can still dream with the dream maker that was Edgar Rice Burroughs, whatever NASA still shows us. So do yourself a favour get it and get it soon. Dream the dreams
Rating:
Summary: fun and interesting
Review: It would be difficult for this book to top its predecessor. In fact I would say this is a step down from A Princess of Mars in general quality. However, A Princess of Mars is, in my opinion, the best story ever written. If you're looking for an interesting, fun sequel, this book delivers well. John Carter returns to Mars after a ten year exile on Earth. There he is reunited with his old friend Tars Tarkas. Together they fight their way through the Martian "heaven" (which turns out to be a living hell) past giant apes, plant men and false gods. Along the way they meet new people, discover hidden races of "gods," and find new quests. However, this book fails to reunite John Carter with his wife Dejah Thoris until late in the book (very late in the book). Their relationship was always my favorite part of the original, A Princess of Mars. Naturally, I am a bit disappointed in this. However, I feel that The Gods of Mars holds up better than most sequels--it is fun and exciting, and returns the reader to one of the most interesting worlds ever conceived in all of fiction. As an avid Sci Fi reader, I can honestly say this is one of the better science fiction books I have read.
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