Rating: Summary: Introduces one of the best anti-villains in SF & F Review: Ulysses Paxton proves that John Carter is not as unique as the reader was led to believe. Mortally wounded on a World War I battlefield, Paxton is transported to Barsoom much like Carter was decades before. His sojourn on the red planet starts out more humbly, as Paxton fidns himself apprenticed to Ras Thavas, arguably the greatest scientist of the day.ERB dons his lecturer persona once again as he unwinds an intriguing story about the perils of allowing science and political power to proceed in all directions unchecked. Knowledge gained irresponsibly leads to irresponsible actions. Paxton struggles to transport the moral lessons he has learned from the horrors of World War I to the almost savage and near-mercenary social hierarchy he finds himself trapped in on Barsoom. The best elements of the story are undoubtedly the bizarre twists and turns which unsettle the hero and force him to fall back on his courage and ingenuity.
Rating: Summary: Introduces one of the best anti-villains in SF & F Review: Ulysses Paxton proves that John Carter is not as unique as the reader was led to believe. Mortally wounded on a World War I battlefield, Paxton is transported to Barsoom much like Carter was decades before. His sojourn on the red planet starts out more humbly, as Paxton fidns himself apprenticed to Ras Thavas, arguably the greatest scientist of the day. ERB dons his lecturer persona once again as he unwinds an intriguing story about the perils of allowing science and political power to proceed in all directions unchecked. Knowledge gained irresponsibly leads to irresponsible actions. Paxton struggles to transport the moral lessons he has learned from the horrors of World War I to the almost savage and near-mercenary social hierarchy he finds himself trapped in on Barsoom. The best elements of the story are undoubtedly the bizarre twists and turns which unsettle the hero and force him to fall back on his courage and ingenuity.
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