A Princess of Mars
By Edgar Rice Burroughs
- Release Date: 2008-06-23
- Genre: Adventure Sci-Fi
Description
A Princess of Mars (1917) is a science fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the first of his Barsoom series. Full of swordplay and daring feats, the novel is considered a classic example of 20th century pulp fiction. It is also a seminal instance of the planetary romance, a sub-genre of science fantasy that became highly popular in the decades following its publication. Its early chapters also contain elements of the Western. The story is set on Mars, imagined as a dying planet with a harsh desert environment. This vision of Mars was based on the work of the astronomer Percival Lowell, whose ideas were widely popularized in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Barsoom series inspired a number of well-known 20th century science fiction writers, including Jack Vance, Ray Bradbury, Arthur C. Clarke, Robert A. Heinlein, and John Norman. The series was also inspirational for many scientists in the fields of space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life, including Carl Sagan, who read A Princess of Mars when he was a child.
Reviews
John Carter
5By Walter VaShelThis book is very good really the idea book.Came for the Classic, Stayed for the Adventure
5By JACooganI started this book almost entirely as a sort of research, so that I could get to the roots of science fiction and the planetary romance genre. I fully expected this story to be dull, dry and unimaginative compared to the fiction of today, and brimming with the bigotry that was common for its time. But I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it more than holds up after all these years. The world is wondrous, imaginative and full of adventure, the characters are surprisingly compelling, and most of all, the action is gripping and makes you eager to find out what happens next. I can definitely see why this is considered a space opera classic.Mediocre
3By Nakepatt26Very mediocre and uninteresting story 🤷🏻♂️A Princess of Mars
5By beanlolWhat a great, fun Summer read! That science and politics had birthed this kind of story in hindsight, makes perfect sense. From this author and H. G. Welles were born all our favorite Sci-if writers since.Great
5By XdakotakidA good fiction read with a mysterious look into the dying planet of Mars.A SciFi Romance from the early 1900s
5By LucentripI have heard of this book multiple times over the course of my 36 years on our beautiful blue green planet, but somehow never read it. I rectified that over the last week or so, and am very glad I did so. Thank you to Project Gutenberg for making this classic available free of charge. I can easily understand why it was inspirational to Edgar Rice Burroughs' writer peers and to sci fi writers that came in to e generations after. It is a delightful example of what we now call Space Opera, a distinction from hardcore sci fi in that it doesn't go onto great technical detail, instead focusing on a great romance and rollicking adventure. Burroughs does do an excellent job imagining what the various races of Mars would be like, both in form and culture. The book itself was a great read, and I only wish I had stumbled upon it sooner. This is a book I could see myself reading to my children. I'll continue to comb through Project Gutenberg for more hidden gems!What a surprise!
5By ScottydI read this book in the anticipation of seeing the movie. I really thought it was pretty good, especially when you think about when it was written. I love old classic sci fi. This hit the spot.
