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Warlord of Mars is the third novel in Burroughs' Barsoom series. The setting is an inhabited, dying Mars, where the different races fight over dwindling resources. It is a frontier world full of honor, glory and desperation; lost cities and ancient secrets provide the landscape for heroic adventures..
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This is the third book in the authors series starring Virginian John Carter's adventures on Barsoom (Mars). As usual, it is mostly action and fight sequences as, following on immediately from the end of the previous book, Carter covers a lot of ground once again to rescue his princess Dejah Thoris. I did feel there was a bit more plot in this one though, which will keep me (slowly) working my way through the series.
John Carter was the first real hero. Not a super hero..but a man with an agenda that was unwittingly thrust upon him. It is a shame that his presence fades through the series but that does nothing to take away the excitement of the Martian adventures. Burroughs was a genius. He created the first pulp heroes and laid a heavy foundation for all others to follow. Though his work is quirky, to the point and leaves little room for mind blowing intellectual filler he was a master storyteller. John Carter, The Mucker, Tarzan and a myriad of others forged a path to the future.
This is the third book of the John Carter of Mars series and finishes the sequence of events that began in the second book, The Gods Of Mars. Like the second book, this novel features extraordinary accomplishments by the hero combined with an unlikely streak of incredibly good luck that sees him through the trials he faces. Some might say this stuff is unrealistic and is to be discounted as quality science fiction. I say hogwash! These novels are written in a specific way to portray the hero, John Carter, as a man of uncompromising principles bent on heroic goals despite all odds. That is the theme of these books and to think any other format would be more desirous is false. Before there was Superman, before Captain America, before any show more of your modern day superheroes, there was John Carter of Mars. Accept what he was, a legend of his time. One of the greatest fictional literary heroes ever written about. Nuff said. show less
It had to happen. This is just as much two-fisted John Carter fun as the previous books, but I'm quite over Dejah In Distress. She doesn't even get any lines. Well, some lines. I spent quite a bit of time imaging a book that was all about Phaidon, Dejah Thoris and Thuvia having shenanigans. There was still fun to be had.
I have a question, though. How do you think John Carter disguised the colour of his pubic hair whenever he was 'in disguise' as a Thern in the previous book? And how did they colour his genitals? Seriously? These people don't wear clothes unless they are outside at the North pole of Mars. Is there not significant scholarship on this topic?
I have a question, though. How do you think John Carter disguised the colour of his pubic hair whenever he was 'in disguise' as a Thern in the previous book? And how did they colour his genitals? Seriously? These people don't wear clothes unless they are outside at the North pole of Mars. Is there not significant scholarship on this topic?
A very servicable pulp adventure story to while away my long bus journey. The story is dated, fairly simple, and tropetastic - John Carter need only enter another new hostile country, when he will inevitably meet and rescue a heroic warrior who is unlike the rest of his people, and immediately becomes his friend and loyal follower, allowing Carter to overthrow the established order and install his new right-thinking friend as leader. The same tricks, ideas and errors crop up, women are largely irrelevant except as motivation, and the ecosystem consists entirely of large and terrible predators.
Despite all this, it's actually quite fun if you're able to shrug off those things, or indeed appreciate them. The predictable outlines of the show more plot and the simplicity of the characters make it an easy and undemanding read. Seeing our heroes be valiant and defeat impossible odds is fun, even though their love of violence is rather deplorable - between the violent age and background from which Carter comes, and the savagery of Barsoom, it's much easier to justify that.
It's not a particularly clever or enlightening book, and won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's a decent example of its type and achieves what it sets out to do - page-turning adventure. show less
Despite all this, it's actually quite fun if you're able to shrug off those things, or indeed appreciate them. The predictable outlines of the show more plot and the simplicity of the characters make it an easy and undemanding read. Seeing our heroes be valiant and defeat impossible odds is fun, even though their love of violence is rather deplorable - between the violent age and background from which Carter comes, and the savagery of Barsoom, it's much easier to justify that.
It's not a particularly clever or enlightening book, and won't be to everyone's tastes, but it's a decent example of its type and achieves what it sets out to do - page-turning adventure. show less
The Barsoom series was originally written as a trilogy and Warlords of Mars was supposed to wrap up some plot threads. This is the first Martian novel to take place entirely on Mars. As usual, John Carter spends lots of time running from one pole of Mars to the other, trying to recover his kidnapped princess. When the story opens, he has triumphed over the wicked, tyrannical ruler of the Firstborn, and has exposed the official religion of Barsoom as a farce and a system of control. Before he could rescue his beloved princess, Dejah Thoris, she is imprisoned in the depths of the Temple of the Sun by the evil Matai Shang. John Carter continues to prove himself the greatest warrior on two worlds, and is the most heroic person in the entire show more universe.
Although there are still eight more books to go in the Mars series, with The Warlord of Mars, Burroughs can bring to a conclusion Phase One of the saga. The books that follow will take different paths with new heroes. John Carter will not return to the protagonist role until the eighth book.
For as cheesy as everything is in the series, Burroughs is at least consistent in his cheesiness. Sensationalized to the utmost degree, he once again puts his flair for storytelling to use via endless action and adventure. And you've got to love the book covers!
TBR 1389 show less
Although there are still eight more books to go in the Mars series, with The Warlord of Mars, Burroughs can bring to a conclusion Phase One of the saga. The books that follow will take different paths with new heroes. John Carter will not return to the protagonist role until the eighth book.
For as cheesy as everything is in the series, Burroughs is at least consistent in his cheesiness. Sensationalized to the utmost degree, he once again puts his flair for storytelling to use via endless action and adventure. And you've got to love the book covers!
TBR 1389 show less
I thought that this book was just exhausting. I'm tired of John Carter being pompous, racist, sexist, dim, self righteous, egocentric, and war hungry. I'm tired of spending book after book starting war after war over Dejah Thoris who has fallen into the 'damsel in distress' ditch. I'm tired of knowing ten pages before John Carter what is about to happen/his mistake/the solution to a problem. If you can get past all of that, there is a chance you will enjoy, now that Carter has civilized the Black men, conquering yet another race, I mean group of enemies.
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Author Information
769+ Works 65,088 Members
Edgar Rice Burroughs was born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago. His father, George Tyler was a distiller and a battery manufacturer. Early in life Burroughs attempted to support his family in a variety of occupations, including railroad policeman, business partner, and miner. None of these proved successful. However, Burroughs had always enjoyed show more reading adventure fiction and decided to try his hand at writing. His first attempt, written under the pseudonym Normal Bean, sold very quickly and Burroughs' career took off. Although critics and educators have not always been supportive of Burroughs' writing, the characters in his stories have entertained readers for many years. Tarzan was the most popular, earning Burroughs enough money to start his own publishing house and a motion picture company. Another character, John Carter, is the hero of Burroughs' Mars adventure series. The continuing popularity of these characters has led some critics to reconsider the value of Burroughs' writing and to acknowledge significant themes in his stories. Burroughs died on March 19, 1950. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Some Editions
Series
Belongs to Publisher Series
Work Relationships
Is contained in
The Martian Tales Trilogy: A Princess of Mars / The Gods of Mars / The Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Pulp Tales Presents #35: Under the Moons of Mars and Carter of the Red Planet by Edgar Rice Burroughs (indirect)
The John Carter Trilogy of Edgar Rice Burroughs: A Princess of Mars; The Gods of Mars; A Warlord of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (indirect)
The Ultimate Science Fiction Mega Collection: 24 of the Best Sci-Fi Books of All Time: A Journey to the Center of the Earth, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in 80 Days, John Carter of Mars Trilogy, The War of the Worlds, The Time Machine, Frankenstein, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 3 Ray Bradbury Stories, Flatland, & More by Jules Verne
Common Knowledge
- Canonical title
- The Warlord of Mars
- Original title
- The Warlord of Mars: John Carter
- Original publication date
- 1919; 1913-12; 1914-01; 1914-02; 1914-03
- People/Characters
- John Carter; Dejah Thoris; Thuvia; Tars Tarkas; Woola; Carthoris (show all 21); Salensus Oll; Thuvan Dihn; Thurid; Matai Shang; Phaidor; Kantos Kan; Hor Vastus; Lakor; Torkar Bar; Kulan Tith; Talu; Sorav; Solan; Tardos Mors; Mors Kajak
- Important places
- Mars; Barsoom; Lost Sea of Korus, Barsoom; Valley Dor, Barsoom; River Iss, Barsoom; Temple of the Sun, Valley Dor, Barsoom (show all 14); Helium, Barsoom; Otz Mountains, Barsoom; Valley of Lost Souls, Otz Mountains, Barsoom; Kaol, Barsoom; Carrion Caves, Okar, Barsoom; Okar, Barsoom; Kadabra, Okar, Barsoom; Marentina, Okar, Barsoom
- First words
- In the shadows of the forest that flanks the crimson plain by the side of the Lost Sea of Korus in the Valley Dor, beneath the hurtling moons of Mars, speeding their meteoric way close above the bosom of the dying planet, I c... (show all)rept stealthily along the trail of a shadowy form that hugged the darker places with a persistency that proclaimed the sinister nature of its errand.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)Before them all I drew my wife close to me and kissed her upon the lips.
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 813.087626
Classifications
- Genres
- Science Fiction, Fiction and Literature
- DDC/MDS
- 813.087626 — Literature & rhetoric American literature in English American fiction in English By type Genre fiction Adventure fiction Speculative fiction Science fiction Planetary romance
- LCC
- PS3503 .U687 — Language and Literature American literature American literature Individual authors 1900-1960
- BISAC
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- ISBNs
- 180
- ASINs
- 81