A Princess of Mars
What is A Princess of Mars about?
A Princess of Mars, first published in 1912, is the debut novel of Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom series and one of the founding works of the planetary romance genre. The story follows John Carter, a Confederate veteran and Virginia gentleman, who is mysteriously transported to Mars, known to its inhabitants as Barsoom. On this dying world of red deserts and ancient civilizations, Carter discovers that the planet's lower gravity grants him extraordinary strength and agility. He is captured by the Tharks, a fierce race of fifteen-foot-tall, four-armed green warriors, and gradually earns their respect through his courage and martial prowess. Carter soon encounters Dejah Thoris, the incomparably beautiful princess of the red-skinned humanoid nation of Helium, and falls deeply in love with her. As political intrigues, tribal wars, and an environmental catastrophe threatening all life on Barsoom converge, Carter must unite warring factions and fight his way across a hostile alien landscape to save both the woman he loves and the planet itself. Blending swashbuckling adventure with vivid extraterrestrial world-building, A Princess of Mars launched one of the most influential science-fiction series ever written.
Main themes in A Princess of Mars
Interplanetary adventure and exploration
A Princess of Mars thoughtfully explores interplanetary adventure and exploration through its central conflicts.
Love across cultural and racial divides
The theme of love across cultural and racial divides weaves through A Princess of Mars, adding depth to its narrative.
Heroism and martial valor
The theme of heroism and martial valor weaves through A Princess of Mars, adding depth to its narrative.
Clash of civilizations on a dying world
In A Princess of Mars, clash of civilizations on a dying world provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Why A Princess of Mars is still relevant today
A Princess of Mars is a landmark of early science fiction and the novel that launched the planetary romance subgenre. Published over a century ago, it directly inspired creators of Star Wars, Avatar, and Flash Gordon. The book introduced John Carter, one of fiction's most iconic interplanetary heroes, and established many conventions of the alien adventure story that persist today. As a public-domain classic, it remains freely accessible and serves as essential reading for anyone tracing the roots of modern space opera and science-fiction world-building.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Princess of Mars about?
A Princess of Mars follows John Carter, a Civil War veteran mysteriously transported to Mars (Barsoom), where lower gravity gives him superhuman strength. He navigates wars between green-skinned Tharks and red-skinned humanoids, falls in love with Princess Dejah Thoris of Helium, and must save the planet from environmental collapse.
Is A Princess of Mars the first book in the Barsoom series?
Yes, A Princess of Mars is the first of eleven novels in Edgar Rice Burroughss Barsoom series. Originally serialized in 1912 as Under the Moons of Mars, it introduced the world of Barsoom and the character of John Carter.
What genre is A Princess of Mars?
A Princess of Mars is considered a planetary romance, a subgenre of science fiction focused on adventures on other planets. It blends elements of adventure fiction, romance, and early science fiction.
Is A Princess of Mars in the public domain?
Yes, A Princess of Mars is in the public domain in the United States and can be read freely online through Project Gutenberg and other digital libraries.
How did A Princess of Mars influence science fiction?
The novel established the planetary romance genre and influenced generations of science-fiction creators. George Lucas has cited the Barsoom stories as an inspiration for Star Wars, and James Cameron acknowledged their influence on Avatar.