Gods of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs
Barsoom #2
copyright 1913
read in August 2023
... and I must have read it before, years before, because I remember the ending.
rated 7/10: well worth reading
Well worth reading? but it's rubbish!
No... it's a vastly enjoyable book in the category of bloodthirsty but heroic sword and sandals. I enjoyed it :-)
John Carter and his princess, the incomparable Dejah Thoris, are separated by vicious creatures, enemy armies, half a planet, a religion which demands their death. John Carter carves his way towards his princess. Every step of the way, there is a new obstacle. But he is unstoppable. Until... the final pages... a quick kiss and cuddle... and a further obstacle -- which will not be beaten until the next book. Oh no!
In that next book, the hero has a habit of overhearing just the right bit of information which allows him to overcome the next challenge. In this book it is the villain who manages to overhear just the right few words to further his nefarious schemes.
Yes, the plot is complex but weak. The goodies characters are strong, loyal, heroic... etc :-) admirable and worthy of the reader's expectation of ultimate success. (I almost wrote likeable, worthy of smpathy. But neither of those suits the strength of these characters.)
It's all a lot of highly imaginative fun Though violent.
This book does mention that John Carter is on the planet Mars -- named for Mars, the god of war -- so we should expect the planet and its people to be very warlike. Mind you... that logic would have made a huge difference to Burroughs' Venus stories :-)
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