The Masters of the Pit
by Michael Moorcock
Kane of Old Mars (book 3), The Eternal Champion (Kane of Old Mars book 3)
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Michael Moorcock's Eternal Champion returns in the form of MichaelKane, a brilliant Earthman stranded on the treacherous deserts of Ancient Mars! In this sweeping, epic sword-and-planet adventure in the tradition of EdgarRice Burroughs, Kane and his blue giant companion Hool Haji must travel to thefar reaches of the Red Planet to halt the hideous Green Death, an unstoppabledisease that rots the mind as well as the body. From gorgeous Karnala, City ofGreen Mists, to the empty streets of show more tainted Cend-Amrid to the forgottenweird-science laboratories of the lost, highly advanced Yaksha culture,Masters of the Pit promises stunning locales, disgusting Martiancreatures, and relentless action from the Nebula and World Fantasy Award-winningcreator of Elric of Melniboné! show lessTags
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Member Reviews
This was in a way the weakest and strongest of the three books in this trilogy about old Mars, odd as that may sound. By the midway point I almost wanted to give the book up, it had gotten impossibly convoluted; side-adventure within side-adventure. Plus some somewhat absurd-looking (described?) creatures became a prominent part of the story for a few chapters. I persevered, though, and actually found the ending a bit touching, and a nice, meaningful way to end the final story in the series. So, overall a mixed bag, but if you‰ÃƒÂ›Ã‚ªve read the other two books, you might as well finish the series.
Michael Kane heads back to Mars again, and this time, it's personal. He battles barbarians, dog people, bats, plague and beasties the likes of which would turn a grown man's stash of intestinal fortitude into a quivering mound of mellow yellow jello. Of course, Kane just eats that shit for breakfast! And then asks for a side of non-violence to go with his mound of dead bodies. All in good fun.
Another of Moorcock's 'Burroughs type' fantasy novels from the early 60's. This will be a good read for anyone who is a fan of Burrough's style.
Enjoyable trilogy as an alternative to Burroughs' Barsoom works.
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657+ Works 64,879 Members
Michael Moorcock, 1939 - Writer Michael Moorcock was born December 18, 1939 in Mitcham, Surrey, England. Moorcock was the editor of the juvenile magazine Tarzan Adventures from 1956-58, an editor and writer for the Sexton Blake Library and for comic strips and children's annuals from 1959-61, an editor and pamphleteer for Liberal Party in 1962, show more and became editor and publisher for the science fiction magazine New Worlds in 1964. He has worked as a singer-guitarist, has worked with the rock bands Hawkwind and Blue Oyster Cult and is a member of the rock band Michael Moorcock and the Deep Fix. Moorcock's writing covers a wide range of science fiction and fantasy genres. "The Chronicles of Castle Brass" was a sword and sorcery novel, and "Breakfast in the Ruins: A Novel of Inhumanity" uses the character Karl Glogauer as a different person in different times. Karl participates in the political violence of the French Revolution, the Paris Commune, and a Nazi concentration camp. Moorcock also wrote books and stories that featured the character Jerry Cornelius, who had no consistent character or appearance. "The Condition of Muzak" completed the initial Jerry Cornelius tetralogy and won Guardian Literary Prize in 1977. "Byzantium Endures" and "The Laughter of Carthage" are two autobiographical novels of the Russian emigre Colonel Pyat and were the closest Moorcock came to conventional literary fiction. "Byzantium Endures" focuses on the first twenty years of Pyat's life and tells of his role in the Russian revolution. Pyat survives the revolution and the subsequent civil war by working first for one side and then another. "The Laughter of Carthage" covers Pyat's life from 1920-1924 telling of his escape from Communist Russia and his travels in Europe and America. It's a sweeping picture of the world during the 1920's because it takes the character from living in Constantinople to Hollywood. Moorcock returned to the New Wave style in "Blood: A Southern Fantasy" (1994) and combined mainstream fiction with fantasy in "The Brothel of Rosenstrasse," which is set in the imaginary city of Mirenburg. MoorCock won the 1967 Nebula Award for Behold the Man and the 1979 World Fantasy Award for his novel, Gloriana. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- The Masters of the Pit
- Original title
- The Masters of the Pit
- Alternate titles
- Barbarians of Mars
- Original publication date
- 1965
- People/Characters
- Michael Kane; Hool Haji; Shizala; Barane Dasa; Ala Mara; Zonorn the Render (show all 14); Rokin the Gold; Fasa; Slurra; Zapha; Darnad; Carnak; Mas Rava; Eternal Champion
- Important places
- Mars; Vashu (Mars)
- Dedication
- For Mr. Chip Delaney of San Francisco
and Sister Mary Eugene of Bon Secours Convent,
Derby Pennsylvania
- the sickness is Fear and
the remedy is Faith - - First words
- Sitting in my study one autumn night, a small fire burning in the grate taking the chill off a room filled with the scents of oncoming winter, I heard a footfall in the hall below.
- Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)There were even more memories for me soon. Of that I was sure.
- Original language
- English
- Canonical DDC/MDS
- 823.087626
Classifications
- Genres
- Fiction and Literature, Science Fiction
- DDC/MDS
- 823.087626 — Literature & rhetoric English & Old English literatures English fiction By type Genre fiction Adventure fiction Speculative fiction Science fiction Planetary romance
- LCC
- PR6063 .O59 .M3 — Language and Literature English English Literature 1961-2000
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 361
- Popularity
- 86,837
- Reviews
- 4
- Rating
- (3.43)
- Languages
- 5 — Czech, English, French, German, Portuguese
- Media
- Paper
- ISBNs
- 10
- ASINs
- 18
