Rating: 
Summary: Very Disappointing
Review: The "conclusion" to the Mars series is not what I had hoped for. John Carter of Mars is actually two stories--Giant of Mars and Skeleton Men of Jupiter.Giant of Mars is actually not written by Burroughs. The story is not nearly up to par with his writtings; in fact the story contains boring, childlike descriptions of uninspired incidents. The giant is not very interesting, and the way he is defeated is horribly boring. Skeleton Men of Jupiter is better, actually worth reading, although I find the ideas about Jupiter to be simply ludicrous--much more so than the fantasy ideas about Mars. At the beginning, John Carter is kidnapped and taken to Jupiter. His adventures among the natives begin there. The biggest problem with Skeleton Men is that it was supposed to be the first part in a series of stories. The other stories were never written, and one is left with a feeling of "missing out." The first half of the book is simply bad. The second half shows promise that is never realized. And finally, this book is afflicted with the same problems of books 4-10 in the series: they simply retell the same basic stories from the original trilogy, without the same flair for story-telling. Stick with the original trilogy (especially A Princess of Mars) if you want classic Sci Fi.
Rating: 
Summary: The final adventures of ERB's hero, John Carter of Mars
Review: This is the 11th and final volume in the celebrated Martian series by Edgar Rice Burroughs has a couple of shorter stories featuring John Carter. "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" first appeared in the January 1941 issue of "Amazing Stories," and was written by Burroughs and his youngest son John Coleman Burroughs. The story was originally intended for a Whitman Big Little Book, which meant the story had to be 15,000 words long and have facing pages illustrating the action. The younger Burroughs was also the illustrator. At some point 6,000 words were added to the story and it was published in "Amazing," with no one ever knowing for sure how much ERB actually wrote of this story, which was the final complete John Carter tale. As you would expect when ERB was writing for children, he goes back to his standard formula. John Carter and Dejah Thoris are having a nice ride of a thoat when they are attacked and his beloved princess is once again captured. Carter is off to the rescue with help from his old friend Tars Tarkas. Along the way they encounter Joog, a 130-foot tall giant, and a city of rats; just the sort of fantastic characters kids would be looking for in a story. Beyond sticking to the standard Burroughs formula, there is not much here of interest. "Skeleton Men of Jupiter" was originally published in "Amazing Stories," and was intended to be the first of a four-part story, but ERB died before it could be completed. Since then it has been, by several pastiche writers. John Carter is called away from his beloved princess Dejah Thoris to meet with Tardox Mors in the Hall of Jeddaks, when he is captured by men that look like human skeletons speaking a strange language. It turns out the Morgors are from Sasoom, the Barsoomian name for Jupiter, which is where our hero ends up. ERB has to play fast and loose with science, arguing that Jupiter rotates fast enough that Carter is not crushed by the gravity. Still, he has lost the advantage he had on Barsoom with its lower-than-Earth gravity. Anyway, it would not be a Burroughs Martian novel if the hero did not have to rescue his beloved, and it turns out Dejah Thoris has been captured as well. Consequently, Carter has to escape and tracked down his princess. Slightly better than "The Giant of Mars," the story is hurt by the lack of an ending. Fans will read these stories out of a sense of completeness, but clearly ERB's Barsoom series went out with a whimper.
Rating:
Summary: The final adventures of ERB's hero, John Carter of Mars
Review: This is the 11th and final volume in the celebrated Martian series by Edgar Rice Burroughs has a couple of shorter stories featuring John Carter. "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" first appeared in the January 1941 issue of "Amazing Stories," and was written by Burroughs and his youngest son John Coleman Burroughs. The story was originally intended for a Whitman Big Little Book, which meant the story had to be 15,000 words long and have facing pages illustrating the action. The younger Burroughs was also the illustrator. At some point 6,000 words were added to the story and it was published in "Amazing," with no one ever knowing for sure how much ERB actually wrote of this story, which was the final complete John Carter tale. As you would expect when ERB was writing for children, he goes back to his standard formula. John Carter and Dejah Thoris are having a nice ride of a thoat when they are attacked and his beloved princess is once again captured. Carter is off to the rescue with help from his old friend Tars Tarkas. Along the way they encounter Joog, a 130-foot tall giant, and a city of rats; just the sort of fantastic characters kids would be looking for in a story. Beyond sticking to the standard Burroughs formula, there is not much here of interest. "Skeleton Men of Jupiter" was originally published in "Amazing Stories," and was intended to be the first of a four-part story, but ERB died before it could be completed. Since then it has been, by several pastiche writers. John Carter is called away from his beloved princess Dejah Thoris to meet with Tardox Mors in the Hall of Jeddaks, when he is captured by men that look like human skeletons speaking a strange language. It turns out the Morgors are from Sasoom, the Barsoomian name for Jupiter, which is where our hero ends up. ERB has to play fast and loose with science, arguing that Jupiter rotates fast enough that Carter is not crushed by the gravity. Still, he has lost the advantage he had on Barsoom with its lower-than-Earth gravity. Anyway, it would not be a Burroughs Martian novel if the hero did not have to rescue his beloved, and it turns out Dejah Thoris has been captured as well. Consequently, Carter has to escape and tracked down his princess. Slightly better than "The Giant of Mars," the story is hurt by the lack of an ending. Fans will read these stories out of a sense of completeness, but clearly ERB's Barsoom series went out with a whimper.
Rating: 
Summary: ABSOLUTE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT
Review: This story lends to the reader, a release of ones overworked mind, and allows him or her the privilege in undertaking a trip without leaving their chair. The story is quite entertaining, in that it provides a geography lesson, a political oriented briefing of a different society, meeting new species, animal and plant life, and the enviorment in which they live within. John Carter is real inasmuch as the Author has spelled out his actions up to the transformation from Earth to Mars. The reader assumes the position of another traveler, who, when John Carter has arrived on Mars, follows his every action and adventure, and reader lives through these adventures also. The description of the surroundings, cities, and landscapes, provides the reader the sense that he or her is actually on Mars. One cannot put this story down once he or she has started reading, without feeling that the character wouldn't survive their adventure unless they completed the book. This novel entraps the reader in a fantasy, allows him or her to assume the characters life, and thrills them in the continous adventure.
Rating:
Summary: The incomparable Dejah Thoris
Review: With her slim dagger she fought at her husband's back when they were outnumbered. No victim women in these books. This was one of the few adventure-sci fi series with interesting worthwhile women.
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