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The Gods of Mars

The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
By: Edgar Rice Burroughs 1875-1950

The Gods of Mars is a 1918 Edgar Rice Burroughs science fiction novel, the second of his famous Barsoom series. It can be said that the novel set the tone for much science fiction to come. Its influence can clearly be seen in franchises such as Star Trek and Farscape. While Burroughs no doubt borrowed liberally from the pulp fiction of his day, particularly westerns and swashbuckling tales, the pacing and themes set the tone for the soft science fiction genre.

The protagonist, John Carter, with his proficiency in hand-to-hand combat and flirtations with beautiful alien women, could be said to have set the mold for later influential icons like Captain James T. Kirk and James Bond.

At the end of the first book, A Princess of Mars, John Carter is unwillingly transported back to Earth. The Gods of Mars begins with his arrival back on Barsoom (Mars) after a ten year hiatus, separated from his wife Dejah Thoris, his unborn child, and the Red Martian people of the nation of Helium, whom he has adopted as his own. Unfortunately, John Carter materializes in the one place on Barsoom from which nobody is allowed to depart: the Valley Dor, which is the Barsoomian heaven.

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Reviews
4of 5 stars Reviewer: Thomas Covenant - 12/14/2006 6:19
Subject: Drivin' Crazy!
O.K. The first thing I want to say is that the reader does a good job overall, he seems to have an understanding for the language and rythym of the work. However, I may be a stickler for the English language but this person does not know how to pronounce the word escape and he is driving me crazy! The word escape is pronounced as it is spelled E−S−C−A−P−E, not E−X−C−A−P−E...putting the x in the word not only sounds ghetto, it also slows down the overall meter. And to top it off it is used like 50 times in the first 5 chapters! Not cool JD.
5of 5 stars Reviewer: J M Fahey - 11/16/2007 11:41
Subject: Excellent Job
Cīmon Thomas:You must be kidding!! JD made an excellent job, an incredible display of patience and goodwill for all of us to enjoy but you *have* to "find" a "problem"? Donīt be ridiculous !! Why donīt *you* read and post 10 hours (or more) worth of literature for us to enjoy? Thanks JD, keep up with the good work.
4of 5 stars Reviewer: CasualListener - 11/9/2008 17:48
Subject: after a low start, it goes up to professional story telling.
I must say I was quite disappointed at first: the reader starts with an uncertain reading pace, often stumbling and pausing when it's not opportune. Of course that happens, but none of those initial mistakes had been edited out for the final listener. Anyway, with my great surprise and delight, after the first 6−7 chapters the precarious reading style becomes steady and very well paced, all the stumbles gone or otherwise edited out. Then after some more reading it improves further, introducing all those features which are only common to professional and seasoned readers such as: character voices, circumstantial pacing and voicing(tuning the pace and the voice to suit a sudden gush of action in the story for example), and a great passion which binds and enraptures the reader to the story. That's awesome! Well done JD. As for the story itself it's far better than the first chapter of the series(a princess of mars). Definitely a must listen for those who started this series: four stars.
3of 5 stars Reviewer: Kaare Christiansen - 12/11/2008 19:47
Subject: More adventure, less scifi
As a sequel to "a princess of Mars", this story seems quite different. Rather than focusing on the scifi aspects, this story is more of a classic adventure, that happens to be set on Mars. To me, it didn't work quite as well as the first story, but it is still a good work. The reading is fine, although improving with the chapters, as someone else mentioned. Don't give up on the first chapter, both story and reading improves!
5of 5 stars Reviewer: Beldapriest - 5/15/2009 18:23
Subject: Great story; Great reader.
Kaor! I feel the love. A few mispronounced words but enough passion to more than make up for it. I love these stories and appreciate the read. Well done, i'm ready for the next one. JD obviously a hopeless romantic. Oh yes, it shows.

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