A Princess of Mars: A Quick Read edition

Discover a new way to read classics with Quick Read.
This Quick Read edition includes both the full text and a summary for each chapter.
- Reading time of the complete text: about 6 hours
- Reading time of the summarized text: 23 minutes

"A Princess of Mars" is a classic example of 20th-century pulp fiction and a seminal instance of the planetary romance subgenre of science fantasy. The story is set on Mars, imagined as a dying planet with a harsh desert environment. The Barsoom series inspired many well-known 20th-century science fiction writers and scientists in the fields of space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life. The novel follows John Carter, a Confederate veteran of the American Civil War, who finds himself on Mars with superhuman abilities. He rises to a high position in the tribe and earns the respect and eventually the friendship of Tars Tarkas, one of the Thark chiefs. The novel has elements of Westerns, sword and planet, and sword and sorcery genres. The novel's vision of Mars was inspired by astronomical speculations of the time, especially those of Percival Lowell. The novel has influenced many later science fiction authors, including Robert A. Heinlein, Arthur C. Clarke, and Ray Bradbury. The novel's centennial anniversary was celebrated with a hardcover edition based on the original book in April 2012. The novel has many similarities to Westerns, including a desert setting, a heroine taken captive, and a showdown with the antagonist.