Is John Carter Of Mars A Good Novel To Start With?

I picked up 'A Princess of Mars' on a whim after hearing it was one of the granddaddies of sci-fi, and wow, it did not disappoint. The way Edgar Rice Burroughs throws you headfirst into Barsoom—his version of Mars—is just exhilarating. John Carter's adventures feel like a pulpy, old-school rollercoaster, complete with sword fights, alien cultures, and a romance that’s straight out of a classic adventure tale. The prose is dated, sure, but there’s a charm to its earnestness. It’s like listening to your granddad tell a wild story—you can’t help but get swept up. What really got me was the world-building. Burroughs didn’t just imagine Mars; he populated it. From the green Tharks to the red Martians, every faction feels distinct, and the politics are surprisingly nuanced for something written in 1912. If you’re into foundational works that inspired everything from 'Star Wars' to 'Avatar,' this is a must-read. Just go in expecting fun, not hard sci-fi.

Ever since I first cracked open 'A Princess of Mars', I was hooked by the sheer escapism of John Carter’s journey. The guy’s a Civil War veteran, disillusioned and exhausted by the brutality of Earth, and suddenly he’s whisked away to Barsoom—this wild, vibrant world where gravity’s different, colors are brighter, and he’s got superhuman strength. It’s not just about adventure; it’s a rebirth. Carter stumbles into that cave, gets mysteriously transported, and boom—he’s no longer a broken soldier but a hero among warring Martian tribes. The novel frames Mars as this blank slate where he can redefine himself, away from Earth’s scars. Plus, let’s be real, who wouldn’t trade post-war Reconstruction for sword fights with four-armed Tharks and a romance with Dejah Thoris? Burroughs paints Mars as this romanticized frontier, a place where Carter’s archaic Southern chivalry somehow fits. It’s fascinating how the story leans into the 'man out of time' trope before it was even a trope. The Martian setting lets Carter’s anachronistic ideals—honor, bravery, love-at-first-sight—feel heroic instead of outdated. And honestly, the sheer weirdness of Barsoom’s ecology (dying oceans, air factories, egg-laying humans) makes Earth seem dull by comparison. Carter doesn’t just go to Mars; he belongs there in a way he never did on Earth.

I picked up 'John Carter: The Movie Novelization' on a whim after rewatching the film, and honestly, it surprised me. The book expands on the world of Barsoom in ways the movie couldn’t—deeper lore about the Therns, more nuanced political struggles between the city-states, and even extra scenes with Dejah Thoris that flesh out her character beyond the warrior princess archetype. The prose isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s solid and captures the pulpy adventure vibe of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ original stories. If you’re a fan of the film or the Barsoom series, it’s a fun companion piece. That said, it’s not without flaws. Some passages feel rushed, like they were padding runtime to match the movie’s pacing. And while the action sequences translate well to text, the emotional beats sometimes fall flat compared to the visual spectacle of the film. Still, as someone who loves sci-fi swashbuckling, I enjoyed the extra worldbuilding—it made me wish Disney had greenlit a sequel.