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Barsoom #4
Thuvia, Maid of Mars
Mars has become divided by love. Not one, but two princes and a Jeddak are vying for the love of Thuvia of Ptarth. When she is mysteriously kidnapped, treachery threatens to throw Barsoom into bloody war. Now Cathoris must follow in the footsteps of his father, John Carter, and overcome phantom armies, dangerous spies and savage beasts as he attempts to save his true love and reunite Mars. The fourth Martian novel from Burroughs.
Excerpt:
Upon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeous blooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat. Her shapely, sandalled foot tapped impatiently upon the jewel-strewn walk that wound beneath the stately sorapus trees across the scarlet sward of the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth, as a dark-haired, red-skinned warrior bent low toward her, whispering heated words close to her ear. "Ah, Thuvia of Ptarth," he cried, "you are cold even before the fiery blasts of my consuming love! No harder than your heart, nor colder is the hard, cold ersite of this thrice happy bench which supports your divine and fadeless form! Tell me, O Thuvia of Ptarth, that I may still hope-that though you do not love me now, yet some day, some day, my princess, I-" The girl sprang to her feet with an exclamation of surprise and displeasure. Her queenly head was poised haughtily upon her smooth red shoulders. Her dark eyes looked angrily into those of the man.
Excerpt:
Upon a massive bench of polished ersite beneath the gorgeous blooms of a giant pimalia a woman sat. Her shapely, sandalled foot tapped impatiently upon the jewel-strewn walk that wound beneath the stately sorapus trees across the scarlet sward of the royal gardens of Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth, as a dark-haired, red-skinned warrior bent low toward her, whispering heated words close to her ear. "Ah, Thuvia of Ptarth," he cried, "you are cold even before the fiery blasts of my consuming love! No harder than your heart, nor colder is the hard, cold ersite of this thrice happy bench which supports your divine and fadeless form! Tell me, O Thuvia of Ptarth, that I may still hope-that though you do not love me now, yet some day, some day, my princess, I-" The girl sprang to her feet with an exclamation of surprise and displeasure. Her queenly head was poised haughtily upon her smooth red shoulders. Her dark eyes looked angrily into those of the man.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1916
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4580 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Rice Burroughs
2,804 books2,735 followersEdgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 403 reviews
July 19, 2017
The 4th installment of the John Carter/Barsoom series. I continue to be entertained by each and every tale Burroughs tells. I think this one has been my favorite so far!
This story branches away from John Carter and Deja Thoris to focus on Carthoris and Thuvia - each played parts in the earlier stories. What was great is that it was not that hard to jump right into. The last two installments took much longer for me to get comfortable with.
I love Burroughs' imagination. His creations hop off the page effortlessly and without feeling forced or silly. Also, the plot points throughout are clearly allegories for life on Earth at the time he wrote it (race, social status, wealth, bravery, ego, etc.) It's like each character is a parable our cautionary tale - this has been a part of every book so far. Very fascinating!
If you are a sci fi fan and want to read the classics - this is it! Read this series!
This story branches away from John Carter and Deja Thoris to focus on Carthoris and Thuvia - each played parts in the earlier stories. What was great is that it was not that hard to jump right into. The last two installments took much longer for me to get comfortable with.
I love Burroughs' imagination. His creations hop off the page effortlessly and without feeling forced or silly. Also, the plot points throughout are clearly allegories for life on Earth at the time he wrote it (race, social status, wealth, bravery, ego, etc.) It's like each character is a parable our cautionary tale - this has been a part of every book so far. Very fascinating!
If you are a sci fi fan and want to read the classics - this is it! Read this series!
February 14, 2024
I can't put my finger on the reason for it, but this isn't my favorite Barsoom book. Having said which, it's still a very strong entry in the series. This is the first book written in third person, so you actually get multiple points of view. It's also the first book not to feature John Carter as a protagonist (he has a very brief walk-on in the beginning of the book). The plot is about what you'd expect: Steel-thewed, square-jawed warrior is smitten with beautiful princess, but many complications ensue to keep them apart; in this case, the warrior being Carthoris (son of John Carter and the incomparable Dejah Thoris) and the princess being Thuvia of Ptarth, both of whom we first met in The Gods of Mars). More hideous monsters (although none, I think, that we haven't seen before) and lost cities. This is also the first book to be written from the point of view of native Martians, and to give a glimpse of their day-to-day life when they're not out slaying white apes and fending off green men. I'd probably have gone closer to a 4.5 did GR allow partial ratings.
Update: Oh, and this is the first book -- actually, the only one up until John Carter of Mars -- not to have a framing device explaining how these events came into the hands of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the narrator (not to be confused with ERB the actual author).
Update: Oh, and this is the first book -- actually, the only one up until John Carter of Mars -- not to have a framing device explaining how these events came into the hands of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the narrator (not to be confused with ERB the actual author).
December 5, 2020
As is true for most series that continues on for several books, the weight of worldbuilding often takes on much more significance than the outright plot of the tale before us. To be clear, I don't think that's a bad thing. It showcases the author's imagination and the depth to which he can take it.
By this point, Mars feels like a very fleshed-out character in its own right. Its kingdoms vivid, its battles, the weight of its history is bright and shiny in my mind. Little of it is old history. All the epic battles and drastic measures of the first three books showcase the highest ideal, indeed. Bravery! Conquest! War! And of course, Women!
This next book moves away from John Carter and illustrates how his son can take over the page. Again, this isn't a bad thing. The old lions ought to step away for the young blood. Interestingly enough, the oft-spurned Thuvia finally gets her own pride of lions fighting for her.
We'll ignore, just for a moment, how much blood is spilled for her sake.
All told, the adventure is quite excellent. Every time the fighting starts, I'm always in the thick of it. The worldbuilding lends a lot of weight to everything, so much so that I am hard-pressed not to compare this old, old SF series with so many that have come later by well-respected writers... only to find the later types lacking.
Consider me surprised. Burroughs, even though it totally lacks modern feminist sentiments, has staying power. And, believe it or not, it actually feels REFRESHING. Men can be real men again, folks! And yes, I laugh, but none of this is a bad thing. :)
By this point, Mars feels like a very fleshed-out character in its own right. Its kingdoms vivid, its battles, the weight of its history is bright and shiny in my mind. Little of it is old history. All the epic battles and drastic measures of the first three books showcase the highest ideal, indeed. Bravery! Conquest! War! And of course, Women!
This next book moves away from John Carter and illustrates how his son can take over the page. Again, this isn't a bad thing. The old lions ought to step away for the young blood. Interestingly enough, the oft-spurned Thuvia finally gets her own pride of lions fighting for her.
We'll ignore, just for a moment, how much blood is spilled for her sake.
All told, the adventure is quite excellent. Every time the fighting starts, I'm always in the thick of it. The worldbuilding lends a lot of weight to everything, so much so that I am hard-pressed not to compare this old, old SF series with so many that have come later by well-respected writers... only to find the later types lacking.
Consider me surprised. Burroughs, even though it totally lacks modern feminist sentiments, has staying power. And, believe it or not, it actually feels REFRESHING. Men can be real men again, folks! And yes, I laugh, but none of this is a bad thing. :)
May 23, 2012
Highly formulaic. I begin to see a pattern in these books. Carter's (or now his son, Carthoris) loved one is kidnapped by some cruel person. He pursues, despite being outgunned, outnumbered, and hopelessly behind. Via a series of improbable coincidences, our hero catches up, faces certain death as he dukes it out with the bad guy's army, and survives just to find that the villain has slipped away with his prize. Repeat ad nauseum. Sorry, Mario, Princess Peach is not in this castle. Our hero discovers yet another new race (a seemingly inexhaustible resource on Barsoom), and by luck manages to join up with the sole malcontent of the entire race. Said malcontent pledges life and limb to help him. More battling ensues; world war is imminent. Hero's heroic acts averts said war. Accolades all round, and the hero gets his girl.
They're all the same, so far, but I'm quite determined to keep reading the series until I reach the end, in hopes Burroughs will change it up a bit. But if we discover one more race- perhaps this one a bold purple or blue, just for variety- I think I'll throw in the towel. How on earth could Barsoom be so completely unexplored by its own inhabitants that Carter and Carthoris can't hardly go for a stroll without discovering entire lost civilizations? Wait, don't tell me- plot contrivances. :P
They're all the same, so far, but I'm quite determined to keep reading the series until I reach the end, in hopes Burroughs will change it up a bit. But if we discover one more race- perhaps this one a bold purple or blue, just for variety- I think I'll throw in the towel. How on earth could Barsoom be so completely unexplored by its own inhabitants that Carter and Carthoris can't hardly go for a stroll without discovering entire lost civilizations? Wait, don't tell me- plot contrivances. :P
February 15, 2024
The fourth book of the Barsoom saga is a study in contrasts. Here, Burroughs breaths new life into the series with new concepts and fresh imagination, but it is also where he starts to phone it in.
So let's get the complaints out of the way first. And prepare for spoilers, because I've got a bit of a rant in me that needs release.
For two previous books in the series, Thuvia and John Carter's wife, Dejah Thoris, served as damsels in distress, getting kidnapped here and stolen away there. And when we first met Thuvia, we learned she had been a prisoner for 10 years prior to that! Fortunately, Martians live a hell of a long time, and good ol' John Carter was around to save the day and return her safely to her father. But not for long.
Near the beginning of this book, Thuvia is wandering around at night outside in her palace courtyard. An unauthorized and suspicious ship flies overhead and shines a spotlight on her, then comes in for a landing, and strangers come rushing out towards her. What does she do?
She stands there. There are guards nearby, and she doesn't call out in alarm. Nope. She stands there and let's herself get--you guessed it--kidnapped. Even Burroughs recognizes how stupid this plot point has become, and you know how he attempts to explain Thuvia's behavior here? He has the narrator essentially say, "Well, you know how women are! Ha ha! Can't figure out what's going on in their little heads! Ha ha ha! She just decided to do nothing and allow herself to be kidnapped again because... well, just BECAUSE! Ha ha ha ha!"
Because. Right. So her father, a mighty warrior king in command of legions of armies, who had been grieving the loss of his daughter for ten whole years, let's her wander around like a toddler in a treacherous land where women are kidnapped and enslaved and manhandled daily. Because. And Thuvia herself, who likely should have her own self-preservation instincts heightened due to her trauma of a decade of enslavement, does not feel the need to arm herself or have a company of soldier chaperones when she walks around exposed. Because. And she just stands there picking her nose while a bunch of strange guys fly into her palace courtyard. Because! That's the best Burroughs can give us.
That opening was so insulting that I immediately could have cared less about the stakes or reading how she gets out of the situation, because the conflict was clearly artificial and contrived.
So naturally I had to see what happened next.
And "praise be to our first ancestors," I'm glad I was patient. This time, it's not John Carter who comes to the rescue, but his son, Cathoris. Honestly, there's not much to differentiate him from his dad, but he does have more personality for which I am thankful. And Thuvia actually does turn out to be a great character. She doesn't just stay off screen as some macguffin that the bad guys and the good guys must fight over. This is primarily due to two differences between this book and the original trilogy.
The narrative is told in the third person, so we are able to get multiple points of view rather than just the perspective of the square-jawed hero. And thus this allows us to follow Thuvia wherever she is and discover her own personality. She truly is a cool character, and I can see how she could have been an inspiration for Princess Leia. She even has her own version of the Force, being able to control a kind of Martian lion called the banth to do her bidding, which comes in handy throughout the plot.
We are introduced to yet another lost race on Mars, but this one is the most interesting of the bunch. Burroughs clearly had read up on his philosophy when he dreamt up this fresh new lore. I won't go into details here, but it's quite compelling and tragic. And we get much more world-building, with glimpses of Martian politics as well as every day life of the citizenry of Helium, a civilization much more technologically advanced than it at first seemed in the first three books. But I think Burroughs was running out of nomenclature for all his new cities and tribes. I couldn't help but laugh at "The Thurds! The Thurds are upon us!"
So after a very rough start, this one still managed to keep me happy. If you enjoy grandiose adventure on alien worlds, check this one out. Because.
SCORE: 3 banths and a small wild calot, rounded to 4/5
So let's get the complaints out of the way first. And prepare for spoilers, because I've got a bit of a rant in me that needs release.
For two previous books in the series, Thuvia and John Carter's wife, Dejah Thoris, served as damsels in distress, getting kidnapped here and stolen away there. And when we first met Thuvia, we learned she had been a prisoner for 10 years prior to that! Fortunately, Martians live a hell of a long time, and good ol' John Carter was around to save the day and return her safely to her father. But not for long.
Near the beginning of this book, Thuvia is wandering around at night outside in her palace courtyard. An unauthorized and suspicious ship flies overhead and shines a spotlight on her, then comes in for a landing, and strangers come rushing out towards her. What does she do?
She stands there. There are guards nearby, and she doesn't call out in alarm. Nope. She stands there and let's herself get--you guessed it--kidnapped. Even Burroughs recognizes how stupid this plot point has become, and you know how he attempts to explain Thuvia's behavior here? He has the narrator essentially say, "Well, you know how women are! Ha ha! Can't figure out what's going on in their little heads! Ha ha ha! She just decided to do nothing and allow herself to be kidnapped again because... well, just BECAUSE! Ha ha ha ha!"
Because. Right. So her father, a mighty warrior king in command of legions of armies, who had been grieving the loss of his daughter for ten whole years, let's her wander around like a toddler in a treacherous land where women are kidnapped and enslaved and manhandled daily. Because. And Thuvia herself, who likely should have her own self-preservation instincts heightened due to her trauma of a decade of enslavement, does not feel the need to arm herself or have a company of soldier chaperones when she walks around exposed. Because. And she just stands there picking her nose while a bunch of strange guys fly into her palace courtyard. Because! That's the best Burroughs can give us.
That opening was so insulting that I immediately could have cared less about the stakes or reading how she gets out of the situation, because the conflict was clearly artificial and contrived.
So naturally I had to see what happened next.
And "praise be to our first ancestors," I'm glad I was patient. This time, it's not John Carter who comes to the rescue, but his son, Cathoris. Honestly, there's not much to differentiate him from his dad, but he does have more personality for which I am thankful. And Thuvia actually does turn out to be a great character. She doesn't just stay off screen as some macguffin that the bad guys and the good guys must fight over. This is primarily due to two differences between this book and the original trilogy.
The narrative is told in the third person, so we are able to get multiple points of view rather than just the perspective of the square-jawed hero. And thus this allows us to follow Thuvia wherever she is and discover her own personality. She truly is a cool character, and I can see how she could have been an inspiration for Princess Leia. She even has her own version of the Force, being able to control a kind of Martian lion called the banth to do her bidding, which comes in handy throughout the plot.
We are introduced to yet another lost race on Mars, but this one is the most interesting of the bunch. Burroughs clearly had read up on his philosophy when he dreamt up this fresh new lore. I won't go into details here, but it's quite compelling and tragic. And we get much more world-building, with glimpses of Martian politics as well as every day life of the citizenry of Helium, a civilization much more technologically advanced than it at first seemed in the first three books. But I think Burroughs was running out of nomenclature for all his new cities and tribes. I couldn't help but laugh at "The Thurds! The Thurds are upon us!"
So after a very rough start, this one still managed to keep me happy. If you enjoy grandiose adventure on alien worlds, check this one out. Because.
SCORE: 3 banths and a small wild calot, rounded to 4/5
September 13, 2023
In Thuvia, Maid of Mars, John Carter's son Carthoris and the love of his life, Thuvia, Princess of Ptarth, take the center stage. After rejecting, Carthoris' offer of live, Thuvia is abducted by his enemies. Carthoris travels all overs Mars to find her and Thuvia herself holds her ground.
This was an alright addition to the Barsoom series. It's a fun little adventure that's a bit repetitive of John and Dejah Thoris' past journey, but Carthoris and Thuvia were fun characters. Nothing majorly exciting here, but it was fun. It was nice to see Thuvia have a little more mettle than Dejah.
Still a fun read.
This was an alright addition to the Barsoom series. It's a fun little adventure that's a bit repetitive of John and Dejah Thoris' past journey, but Carthoris and Thuvia were fun characters. Nothing majorly exciting here, but it was fun. It was nice to see Thuvia have a little more mettle than Dejah.
Still a fun read.
September 20, 2022
The action packed work of Barsoom (Mars to us common folk) is a great place for adventure no matter who ya are. John Carter takes a backseat to his son in this book but the fast pace and thrills are the same Very recommended
June 15, 2025
Extended ERB Mars series read May 2025
Another great book in the series. In this book, the son of the great John Carter, Cathoris is madly in love with Thuvia , the daughter of a friend of his Dad’s and a princess as well.
However he is not the only one, and to make Thuvia think less of Cathoris, his rival, sets up a kidnapping attempt to frame him.
Everything starts to go wrong when a saboteur messes with Cathoris flyer to make it look like Cathoris has done a runner, and from there, Cathoris must spend the whole book rescuing Thuvia from his evil rival, proving to her he is worthy as well as clearing his name with the ruling houses of Mars.
Phew, can any man do all that ? Well the son of John Carter is a chip of the old block and he gives it his all.
Classic early SFF with a bit of Flash Gordon thrown in for luck. Great fun.
Another great book in the series. In this book, the son of the great John Carter, Cathoris is madly in love with Thuvia , the daughter of a friend of his Dad’s and a princess as well.
However he is not the only one, and to make Thuvia think less of Cathoris, his rival, sets up a kidnapping attempt to frame him.
Everything starts to go wrong when a saboteur messes with Cathoris flyer to make it look like Cathoris has done a runner, and from there, Cathoris must spend the whole book rescuing Thuvia from his evil rival, proving to her he is worthy as well as clearing his name with the ruling houses of Mars.
Phew, can any man do all that ? Well the son of John Carter is a chip of the old block and he gives it his all.
Classic early SFF with a bit of Flash Gordon thrown in for luck. Great fun.
June 3, 2016
After the pummeling my nerves received from John Carter’s ego in Warlord of Mars, I approached this book with trepidation. Fortunately, I enjoyed it a lot more than the previous installment. Firstly, the focus isn’t on John Carter, but on the eponymous Thuvia of Ptarth and John Carter’s son, Carthoris. They come across as more rounded, likeable individuals. The villainous Drusar, learning from the mistakes of others, try something more subtle than kidnapping Dejah Thoris and inviting John Carter to slaughter them. Thuvia, destined to be married to one of her father��s allies, is kidnapped and, in trying to help find her, Carthoris becomes the number one suspect for her disappearance.
Of course, yet again, there’s another region that nobody ever leaves: the ghostly city of Lothar. The inhabitants are an archetype I’ve come across in later novels, and their intriguing nature is never fully resolved.
While there’s a big war brewing, the focus is firmly focused on Thuvia and Carthoris. As soon as their story comes to a close, the novel comes to an abrupt stop. Even if you found A Princess of Mars a bit off-putting, you might still enjoy this novel.
Of course, yet again, there’s another region that nobody ever leaves: the ghostly city of Lothar. The inhabitants are an archetype I’ve come across in later novels, and their intriguing nature is never fully resolved.
While there’s a big war brewing, the focus is firmly focused on Thuvia and Carthoris. As soon as their story comes to a close, the novel comes to an abrupt stop. Even if you found A Princess of Mars a bit off-putting, you might still enjoy this novel.
November 21, 2013
I agree with many people that this book is formulaic as are most of Burroughs books. The problem is most people look at this book as well as the rest of the John Carter series and compare it to modern fantasy which is a mistake. People please remember that most of Burroughs works are from the early twentieth century this book was published in 1920 which was 93 years ago. It was a different time. Also these stories started out as serials in pulp magazines they were actioney and fast paced. I enjoy the novelty and simplicity of these types of books from time to time. They tell a very simple and direct story. I enjoyed this one because it's about the son assuming his role in life and defining himself. So before being too critical of Burroughs works please consider that these stories were written at a period where the scifi genre was just being developed and this book is in fact pulp fiction before making any judgements about it.
May 20, 2010
Burroughs is at his best when he combines the impetus of pulp adventures with the unselfconsciously far flung. When he gets too tied down to an idea or progression, it tends to hinder his imagination somewhat.
The alien setting of the Mars books then proves a great boon to Burroughs, since it is unfettered by much need for suspension of disbelief. The series has its highs, but it also has lows, like this book.
In it, he explores many of the same things he has in the previous books, casting John Carter's son in his father's image, and giving him the same class of adventure. He fights an endless succession of monsters and soldiers, rescuing a standoffish princess, navigating war and politics, facing a sex-starved sadist, befriending a noble local warrior, and uncovering an ancient, mysterious culture.
Unfortunately, the story doesn't have quite the same punch the second time through, even if there is some enjoyable variance in the details. Carter had more character than his son, and Burroughs once again gets in the same trouble he did in Tarzan: trying to explain the main character's unusual powers.
John Carter was a mighty warrior on Mars because its lower gravity gave him the ability to leap further, hit harder, and carry more. Why his son has the same powers, Burroughs seems less sure, suggesting that Earthlings are merely mightier, despite the fact that all the creatures on Mars are huge and massively muscled.
Just as in Tarzan, his notion that 'blood will out' is poorly contrived, even by the scientific notions of the time. This book is a romp, but lacks the verve of the first book and the bizarre pseudospiritual metaphysics of the second.
The alien setting of the Mars books then proves a great boon to Burroughs, since it is unfettered by much need for suspension of disbelief. The series has its highs, but it also has lows, like this book.
In it, he explores many of the same things he has in the previous books, casting John Carter's son in his father's image, and giving him the same class of adventure. He fights an endless succession of monsters and soldiers, rescuing a standoffish princess, navigating war and politics, facing a sex-starved sadist, befriending a noble local warrior, and uncovering an ancient, mysterious culture.
Unfortunately, the story doesn't have quite the same punch the second time through, even if there is some enjoyable variance in the details. Carter had more character than his son, and Burroughs once again gets in the same trouble he did in Tarzan: trying to explain the main character's unusual powers.
John Carter was a mighty warrior on Mars because its lower gravity gave him the ability to leap further, hit harder, and carry more. Why his son has the same powers, Burroughs seems less sure, suggesting that Earthlings are merely mightier, despite the fact that all the creatures on Mars are huge and massively muscled.
Just as in Tarzan, his notion that 'blood will out' is poorly contrived, even by the scientific notions of the time. This book is a romp, but lacks the verve of the first book and the bizarre pseudospiritual metaphysics of the second.
August 22, 2011
"Thuvia, Maid of Mars" is the 4th of 11 John Carter novels from the pen of Edgar Rice Burroughs. It first appeared in April 1916, as a three-part serial in the magazine "All Story Weekly." This is the first Carter novel that does not feature John Carter himself as the central character; he only makes a brief cameo appearance early on. Instead, the action mantle is taken up by Carthoris, Carter's son, but fortunately, Carter Junior turns out to be just as good a swashbuckler as the old man. In this installment, Princess Thuvia of Ptarth has been kidnapped by the spineless Prince Astok of Dusar, which abduction almost causes a world war on Barsoom (Mars). Young Carthoris, in his quest to free his beloved princess, runs across deserted cities, a forgotten kingdom, banths (10-legged Barsoomian lions), ethereal warriors, mucho swordplay, giant white apes, and on and on. As is usual for these books, the amount of action that Burroughs packs into a small compass is quite surprising. Whereas previous Carter books seem to read more like fantasy/fairy tales than science fiction, this installment veers even more to the fantastic, mainly in the use of those phantom warriors just mentioned. These bowmen are called up from the minds of the remaining members of the lost city of Lothar, and have no "real" concrete existence. However, their arrows can still kill. In this book we also get, for the first time, a nice, detailed look at life in Helium; what the people do, how they live and the like. We also receive a biological explanation of how Carthoris, who was 10 years old but a seeming adult in the previous books, got to be that way. The worldwide peace that apparently prevails at the end of book 3, "The Warlord of Mars," is shown in this volume to be not as widespread as was inferred, which makes for some nice tense situations. So this is a good, fast-moving, detailed entry in the series.
There are some minor problems of inconsistency and fuzzy writing, however, although not as prevalent as in previous entries. For example, in one scene, Carthoris is said to be fighting a force of a dozen Dusarians; three of these are killed, and so three are left. Huh? Carthoris seems to know exactly where to find water in the dead city of Aaanthor, despite the fact that he has never been there before. Wha? Vas Kor, one of Carthoris' chief enemies, fails to recognize him merely because Carthoris is dirty, tired and covered with blood; this is just a bit hard to swallow. Perhaps worst of all, the book ends extremely abruptly, just as all of Barsoom is about to be plunged into that world war. We never learn the fate of several of the main villains, nor do we see the end of hostilities as the realization of the true facts becomes known. This is a short book, and would not have suffered by the addition of such scenes to make it more satisfying. Still, this is a fun entry in the John Carter series, one that all lovers of fast-moving fantasy should enjoy.
There are some minor problems of inconsistency and fuzzy writing, however, although not as prevalent as in previous entries. For example, in one scene, Carthoris is said to be fighting a force of a dozen Dusarians; three of these are killed, and so three are left. Huh? Carthoris seems to know exactly where to find water in the dead city of Aaanthor, despite the fact that he has never been there before. Wha? Vas Kor, one of Carthoris' chief enemies, fails to recognize him merely because Carthoris is dirty, tired and covered with blood; this is just a bit hard to swallow. Perhaps worst of all, the book ends extremely abruptly, just as all of Barsoom is about to be plunged into that world war. We never learn the fate of several of the main villains, nor do we see the end of hostilities as the realization of the true facts becomes known. This is a short book, and would not have suffered by the addition of such scenes to make it more satisfying. Still, this is a fun entry in the John Carter series, one that all lovers of fast-moving fantasy should enjoy.
October 23, 2015
Eventually every good series needs to be put to bed. Drawn to a close. Wound up. Killed. In spite of that Burroughs is soldiering on with his stories from Barsoom. The first three books focussed on John Carter and his beloved Dejah Thoris as she repeatedly got into scrapes and he repeatedly had to rescue her. The fourth book completely changes everything and instead focusses on their son, Carthoris, and the woman he has fallen for: the titular Thuvia of Ptarth. This time it's Thuvia's opportunity to get kidnapped and Carthoris's opportunity to run around Mars to rescue her (and clear his name as the assumed kidnapper). Only the names have been changed to make it seem like a brand new book.
It does feel very derivative of the previous three novels. Thuvia is an unobtainable beauty, promised to somebody else. She is kidnapped by a jealous Jeddak and taken to a new area of Mars that we've never been to before. Our hero, Carthoris, is both blamed and also the only one actually capable of finding and rescuing her. The odds are as insane as ever as he goes up against two full clans of barsoomians and a whole new race. Oh yes, of course there's a new race. Every book has to introduce at least one new race of barsoomians to us. This time an even older race who believe they are the only surviving barsoomians. They have the power to create mental projections of their own kind and over time these are able to take on physical form.
Eventually, of course, no matter how insurmountable the odds they will be beaten; no matter how convincing the charges they will be proven false; and no matter how unobtainable the damsel, she will be unable to resist the charms of the son of John Carter. And no matter how contrived and repeatable the story, it does still have something of a "boy's own adventure" charm to it.
It does feel very derivative of the previous three novels. Thuvia is an unobtainable beauty, promised to somebody else. She is kidnapped by a jealous Jeddak and taken to a new area of Mars that we've never been to before. Our hero, Carthoris, is both blamed and also the only one actually capable of finding and rescuing her. The odds are as insane as ever as he goes up against two full clans of barsoomians and a whole new race. Oh yes, of course there's a new race. Every book has to introduce at least one new race of barsoomians to us. This time an even older race who believe they are the only surviving barsoomians. They have the power to create mental projections of their own kind and over time these are able to take on physical form.
Eventually, of course, no matter how insurmountable the odds they will be beaten; no matter how convincing the charges they will be proven false; and no matter how unobtainable the damsel, she will be unable to resist the charms of the son of John Carter. And no matter how contrived and repeatable the story, it does still have something of a "boy's own adventure" charm to it.
February 13, 2009
“Thuvia, Maid of Mars” by Edgar Rice Burroughs is the fourth book in the Barsoom series, and it is quite a bit different than the previous books. The first three books focused on John Carter, and his love of Dejah Thoris, but they are barely mentioned in this book. Instead, the focus switches to focus on John Carter’s son, Cathoris, prince of Helium, and the title character Thuvia, princess of Ptarth, both of which were introduced in the second book of the series “The Gods of Mars”, but were fairly minor characters in both that and the third book of the series. This book was originally published in three parts in “All-Story Weekly” on April 8, 15, and 22 of 1916. It was later published in book form in October of 1920.
Most of the book deals with things with which the readers of the series are already familiar, such as the different kingdoms of Red Martians, and the warlike Green Martians, but there is one very interesting new development and that is in the ancient city of Lothar, and in particular the phantom bowmen who defend that city. The entire Lothar sequence is certainly the highlight of the book, with the unusual Jav, who is the first Lotharian they meet, and Tario, Jeddak of Lothar. Also, the character Kar Komak who is one of the phantom bowmen is a good addition to the cast of characters.
The story is rather simple. Cathoris is in love with Thuvia, as is Astok, Prince of Dusar, but Thuvia herself is already promised to Kulan Tith, the Jeddak of Kaol. Who Thuvia favors is kept somewhat secret, though the reader can pretty much guess. Astok is determined to have her, and so he kidnaps her and frames Cathoris in the process, hoping to start a war and prevent the truth from being learned. Cathoris falls into their trap, and he and Thuvia disappear from the known world. Cathoris does his best to protect Thuvia as she gets passed from captor to captor, while the circumstances of what is going on in their kingdoms is unknown to them.
This book falls short of the first books of the series for a number of reasons. Many of the devices used here were used before. One would think that so many plots and deceptions had taken place in the past, that it would not automatically work so easily in making people believe that Cathoris was a kidnapper. The fact is, though, that these hokey devices worked in the earlier books, because Burroughs did a much better job of keeping the action going and telling a complete story. This book is much shorter than any of the prior three, and the ending feels like it is cut at least a chapter short as only some of the issues raised during the story end up being resolved. One never really gets to know Kulan Tith, and so his actions in the end feel empty of significance, a mistake which Burroughs did not make in the earlier books.
For those who were content with the first three books, there isn’t enough here to justify coming back to it, but for those who want more, it does add something to the series. I am only going to rate this one two stars, because I feel it is significantly weaker than its predecessors, but for those who are big fans of the series, you probably will still get something out of it.
Most of the book deals with things with which the readers of the series are already familiar, such as the different kingdoms of Red Martians, and the warlike Green Martians, but there is one very interesting new development and that is in the ancient city of Lothar, and in particular the phantom bowmen who defend that city. The entire Lothar sequence is certainly the highlight of the book, with the unusual Jav, who is the first Lotharian they meet, and Tario, Jeddak of Lothar. Also, the character Kar Komak who is one of the phantom bowmen is a good addition to the cast of characters.
The story is rather simple. Cathoris is in love with Thuvia, as is Astok, Prince of Dusar, but Thuvia herself is already promised to Kulan Tith, the Jeddak of Kaol. Who Thuvia favors is kept somewhat secret, though the reader can pretty much guess. Astok is determined to have her, and so he kidnaps her and frames Cathoris in the process, hoping to start a war and prevent the truth from being learned. Cathoris falls into their trap, and he and Thuvia disappear from the known world. Cathoris does his best to protect Thuvia as she gets passed from captor to captor, while the circumstances of what is going on in their kingdoms is unknown to them.
This book falls short of the first books of the series for a number of reasons. Many of the devices used here were used before. One would think that so many plots and deceptions had taken place in the past, that it would not automatically work so easily in making people believe that Cathoris was a kidnapper. The fact is, though, that these hokey devices worked in the earlier books, because Burroughs did a much better job of keeping the action going and telling a complete story. This book is much shorter than any of the prior three, and the ending feels like it is cut at least a chapter short as only some of the issues raised during the story end up being resolved. One never really gets to know Kulan Tith, and so his actions in the end feel empty of significance, a mistake which Burroughs did not make in the earlier books.
For those who were content with the first three books, there isn’t enough here to justify coming back to it, but for those who want more, it does add something to the series. I am only going to rate this one two stars, because I feel it is significantly weaker than its predecessors, but for those who are big fans of the series, you probably will still get something out of it.
August 1, 2012
I was talking to my dad about Edgar Rice Burroughs the other day. My dad discovered Burroughs through comic book adaptations of A Princess of Mars and Tarzan, and then he moved on to the novels.
He said that Burroughs is "One of the best authors who gets absolutely no respect."
Here's what I think: Edgar Rice Burroughs may not have written anything salient on, say, the American Dream or man's inhumanity to man, but dammit, I don't care. I've never felt unsatisfied after a Burroughs novel.
Thuvia isn't quite as good as the first three books in the series. It starts kind of slow, but once it picks up, you'll find all of the good ol' stuff you expect in your Barsoomian stories. I missed John Carter a little bit (he shows up, but not for very long), but Carthoris is a competent protagonist that does John proud.
But for real, more people should read these books. They're free on the internet (legally!). If you like stories about heroes, science-fiction, and romance (this falls under the "still a better love story than Twilight" category) that aren't afraid to be a little cheesy (they were pulp-fiction stories, after all), give Burroughs a try. Start with A Princess of Mars.
He said that Burroughs is "One of the best authors who gets absolutely no respect."
Here's what I think: Edgar Rice Burroughs may not have written anything salient on, say, the American Dream or man's inhumanity to man, but dammit, I don't care. I've never felt unsatisfied after a Burroughs novel.
Thuvia isn't quite as good as the first three books in the series. It starts kind of slow, but once it picks up, you'll find all of the good ol' stuff you expect in your Barsoomian stories. I missed John Carter a little bit (he shows up, but not for very long), but Carthoris is a competent protagonist that does John proud.
But for real, more people should read these books. They're free on the internet (legally!). If you like stories about heroes, science-fiction, and romance (this falls under the "still a better love story than Twilight" category) that aren't afraid to be a little cheesy (they were pulp-fiction stories, after all), give Burroughs a try. Start with A Princess of Mars.
March 17, 2012
Burroughs must have written this one to make a few bucks (or because his contract required it). Little imagination, improbable plot and more-than-usual coincidences (both good and bad) to make it work. But at least it was short. Normally, I want a book to be as long as possible; not this time.
Like father, like son: Carthoris is as clueless as his father.
Why does everyone always choose the new slave (in almost all cases a spy or one of the Carters) to accompany them on a critical, secret mission? ;-)
How can so much of Barsoom (Mars) be "unexplored" when their aviation was better than earth's at that time? Not the "huge guns" of the green men: too many miles of wasteland. (And where how ddi the primitive green men get all this fancy hardware?)
Poor naming: the heroine is Thuvia and an airship used by the bad guys is Thuria.
Don't waste your time.
Like father, like son: Carthoris is as clueless as his father.
Why does everyone always choose the new slave (in almost all cases a spy or one of the Carters) to accompany them on a critical, secret mission? ;-)
How can so much of Barsoom (Mars) be "unexplored" when their aviation was better than earth's at that time? Not the "huge guns" of the green men: too many miles of wasteland. (And where how ddi the primitive green men get all this fancy hardware?)
Poor naming: the heroine is Thuvia and an airship used by the bad guys is Thuria.
Don't waste your time.
February 7, 2012
In this book our focus shifts from john Carter to his son Carthoris and his quest to rescue the beauteous Barsoomian princess, Thuvia. These stories are not high art, or even good sci-fi/fantasy; but they are terrific yarns with exotic Barsoomian locales, fantastic beasts, flamboyant princesses, dastardly villains, and cliff-hanging adventures in which the hero gets the girl and the bad guy meets his (or her) just deserts.
I've read and re-read these stories over the years, and even recorded them onto DVD for the local radio station for blind and reading-impaired listeners.
I've read and re-read these stories over the years, and even recorded them onto DVD for the local radio station for blind and reading-impaired listeners.
May 30, 2015
The epitome of high adventure. The best I've ready by Burroughs so far. An incredible arrangement of the ways in which people might react to the passions of the love within them.
May 30, 2020
Che bello, tornare a casa! Finalmente, in questo quarto episodio, ho ritrovato lo stesso piacere provato nel leggere John Carter e la principessa di Marte. Soprattutto perché mi sono liberata di John Carter (che è stato il vero motivo per cui Barsoom #2 e #3 mi avevano stancata, vedi sfogo ampiamente espresso nella mia review a Il signore della guerra di Marte) e della sua insopportabile fortuna (sempre l'arma giusta al momento giusto, l'idea giusta al momento giusto, etc etc...).
Carthoris, se non fosse che non capisce niente delle donne e della loro psicologia, è un'eroe molto più amabile di suo padre, e in qualche modo più "umano" pur essendo "marziano" (passatemi il gioco di parole!).
Sulla parte descrittivo-narrativa, niente da dire: Burroughs è, come sempre, meraviglioso. Ero a bocca aperta all'apparire delle mura di Lothar e di fronte alla scoperta di una nuova civiltà, ancora diversa e totalmente nuova rispetto alle altre. Da questo punto di vista, Burroughs è un maestro.
Molto bella anche la scena finale.
Le 4-stelle-e-non-5 sono per Thuvia e Carthoris che, come innamorati, evidentemente non sono mai arrivati alla C di "comunicazione" quando hanno studiato il dizionario della lingua marziana. Bellissimi quando affrontano il pericolo, ma da prendere a badilate in testa quando parlano tra loro.
Carthoris, se non fosse che non capisce niente delle donne e della loro psicologia, è un'eroe molto più amabile di suo padre, e in qualche modo più "umano" pur essendo "marziano" (passatemi il gioco di parole!).
Sulla parte descrittivo-narrativa, niente da dire: Burroughs è, come sempre, meraviglioso. Ero a bocca aperta all'apparire delle mura di Lothar e di fronte alla scoperta di una nuova civiltà, ancora diversa e totalmente nuova rispetto alle altre. Da questo punto di vista, Burroughs è un maestro.
Molto bella anche la scena finale.
Le 4-stelle-e-non-5 sono per Thuvia e Carthoris che, come innamorati, evidentemente non sono mai arrivati alla C di "comunicazione" quando hanno studiato il dizionario della lingua marziana. Bellissimi quando affrontano il pericolo, ma da prendere a badilate in testa quando parlano tra loro.
May 9, 2014
Sometimes, as someone who enjoys writing, I find it entertaining to go back and read things I wrote years ago. On one hand, it’s completely embarrassing to see my first attempts at being a novelist, but, at the same time, it’s encouraging. I can see how I’ve developed as a writer.
Reading the Barsoom series kind of feels the same way.
Edgar Rice Burroughs plunged into the world of writing pulp fiction (“rot” as he called it) because he saw that people actually got paid to write such things. Admitting to absolutely no experience as a writer, he set out to do the same and accomplished it with the same wild success that has come to more modern writers of questionable ability (Twilight...50 Shades…). Literature this is not. But, a damned fine yarn it certainly is. It’s a fast-paced set of stories that’s all just plain good fun. The reader doesn’t need to think, doesn’t need to put forth any effort, and it all makes for a very good break for a burnt-out brain in today’s multitasking, non-stop society.
I enjoy this series. The first three stories are told expressly from John Carter’s perspective (first person, the general default to new writers). Thuvia, Maid of Mars, is ERB’s first foray in his Barsoom novels to attempt a more omniscient third-person that is even bold and daring enough to trade off and put us in the minds of both protagonists in turn, Carthoris and Thuvia. Instead of watching our intrepid hero traipse across the vastly unknown expanse of Mars to find his captured love where all we know of Dejah Thoris is what John decides to tell us, we actually get to see both sides of the line this time. It threw me off, at first, but I jumped into reading this book immediately after finishing The Warlord of Mars. However, I appreciated that the shift to third-person slowed down the narrative enough that a few more details could be thrown in to flesh out the scenery (something that develops even further in The Chessmen of Mars...ERB’s paragraphs grow steadily larger). It still has an undeniably amateur quality...but I’m reading pulp fiction, not War and Peace. I glance over the sentences that ring of nonsense and move on.
I won’t hash over any more of the quality, the formula plot, the logic gaps, or dropped plot threads. There are plenty of other reviews here that will spout off about that ad nauseam. I’ve also been reading back through these stories to see them through the eyes of an adult rather than a child with an overactive imagination. The hero still rescues his princess and “gets the girl” as it were, but something actually managed to impress me with Thuvia, Maid of Mars. Considering that this story was in the works between 1912 and 1916, Thuvia is actually given the opportunity to be more than the damsel in distress. By comparison of all we’re allowed to see of Dejah Thoris, Thuvia is a heroine in her own right thanks to her mysterious ability to control banths and her strength of will.
No, she’s not what modern women want to see by way of a heroine. She’s not out there in armor, sword blazing, fighting her own way out of the horde of green men that captured her (though Gods of Mars hinted that she’s quite capable). The readers of ERB’s world, where women in the US still didn’t even have the right to vote, would have balked at the notion. Pulps, like comics, were written with a male audience in mind, and this was still before the World Wars where women showed how much of a bastion they could be to society. But for all this, there are few things in this story more satisfying than the first scene outside of Lothar. The scavenging banths have turned their attentions upon Carthoris and Thuvia. Carthoris moves to protect her, but then:
“You may return your sword,” [Thuvia] said. “I told you that the banths would not harm us. Look!” and as she spoke she stepped quickly toward the nearest animal.
Carthoris would have leaped after her to protect her, but with a gesture she motioned him back. He heard her calling to the banths in a low, singsong voice that was half purr.
Instantly the great heads went up and all the wicked eyes were riveted upon the figure of the girl. Then, stealthily, they commenced moving toward her. She stopped now and was standing waiting them.
One, closer to her than the others, hesitated. She spoke to him imperiously, as a master might speak to a refractory hound.
The great carnivore let its head droop, and with tail between its legs came slinking to the girl’s feet, and after it came the others until she was entirely surrounded by the savage maneaters.
Between that and the similar event John Carter witnessed in Gods of Mars, Thuvia has been cemented as my favorite character in the series. Warlord of Mars has Carter telling us that the women of Barsoom do not fight as men fight, though it is not for a lack of knowing how. If ERB had let Thuvia keep her small pack of banths, the remaining chapters of Maid of Mars could have gone quite differently...but that would have made Carthoris less of the hero that we’re meant to picture him as. Instead, Thuvia is separated from her most powerful weapon, captured, imprisoned, and fought over by five different men. And at least six armies/navies.
I still wasn’t entirely disappointed by ERB falling back into his usual trope (which, I have to admit, is not as horrible as the more dangerous Women in Refrigerators). Thuvia was captured by the original Lustful Villain of the story and imprisoned in the royal palace. But, here, we got to see Thuvia facing down the spineless prince--not for the first time--even though death was the only other apparent option. What we see of Thuvia is what we should have seen of Dejah Thoris in the first three books when we were too busy following John Carter around because of that meddling first-person perspective. As expected, however, Carthoris rescues Thuvia from certain death (and I say “certain” only because Astok was a spineless nit and made sure she was outnumbered and out-muscled). The trope ends there, though. Carthoris isn’t the one to kill his own nemesis, which was refreshing. Kar Komak, a new supporting character from the newly introduced Lotharians, gets the glory kills usually reserved for the primary hero, and Thuvia, in her own feminine way, frees Carthoris from a prison of his own. It’s not the most satisfying twist, but I found it amusing.
In all, the book definitely has its flaws, not the least of which being its abrupt ending. However, I definitely appreciated what was there.
Reading the Barsoom series kind of feels the same way.
Edgar Rice Burroughs plunged into the world of writing pulp fiction (“rot” as he called it) because he saw that people actually got paid to write such things. Admitting to absolutely no experience as a writer, he set out to do the same and accomplished it with the same wild success that has come to more modern writers of questionable ability (Twilight...50 Shades…). Literature this is not. But, a damned fine yarn it certainly is. It’s a fast-paced set of stories that’s all just plain good fun. The reader doesn’t need to think, doesn’t need to put forth any effort, and it all makes for a very good break for a burnt-out brain in today’s multitasking, non-stop society.
I enjoy this series. The first three stories are told expressly from John Carter’s perspective (first person, the general default to new writers). Thuvia, Maid of Mars, is ERB’s first foray in his Barsoom novels to attempt a more omniscient third-person that is even bold and daring enough to trade off and put us in the minds of both protagonists in turn, Carthoris and Thuvia. Instead of watching our intrepid hero traipse across the vastly unknown expanse of Mars to find his captured love where all we know of Dejah Thoris is what John decides to tell us, we actually get to see both sides of the line this time. It threw me off, at first, but I jumped into reading this book immediately after finishing The Warlord of Mars. However, I appreciated that the shift to third-person slowed down the narrative enough that a few more details could be thrown in to flesh out the scenery (something that develops even further in The Chessmen of Mars...ERB’s paragraphs grow steadily larger). It still has an undeniably amateur quality...but I’m reading pulp fiction, not War and Peace. I glance over the sentences that ring of nonsense and move on.
I won’t hash over any more of the quality, the formula plot, the logic gaps, or dropped plot threads. There are plenty of other reviews here that will spout off about that ad nauseam. I’ve also been reading back through these stories to see them through the eyes of an adult rather than a child with an overactive imagination. The hero still rescues his princess and “gets the girl” as it were, but something actually managed to impress me with Thuvia, Maid of Mars. Considering that this story was in the works between 1912 and 1916, Thuvia is actually given the opportunity to be more than the damsel in distress. By comparison of all we’re allowed to see of Dejah Thoris, Thuvia is a heroine in her own right thanks to her mysterious ability to control banths and her strength of will.
No, she’s not what modern women want to see by way of a heroine. She’s not out there in armor, sword blazing, fighting her own way out of the horde of green men that captured her (though Gods of Mars hinted that she’s quite capable). The readers of ERB’s world, where women in the US still didn’t even have the right to vote, would have balked at the notion. Pulps, like comics, were written with a male audience in mind, and this was still before the World Wars where women showed how much of a bastion they could be to society. But for all this, there are few things in this story more satisfying than the first scene outside of Lothar. The scavenging banths have turned their attentions upon Carthoris and Thuvia. Carthoris moves to protect her, but then:
“You may return your sword,” [Thuvia] said. “I told you that the banths would not harm us. Look!” and as she spoke she stepped quickly toward the nearest animal.
Carthoris would have leaped after her to protect her, but with a gesture she motioned him back. He heard her calling to the banths in a low, singsong voice that was half purr.
Instantly the great heads went up and all the wicked eyes were riveted upon the figure of the girl. Then, stealthily, they commenced moving toward her. She stopped now and was standing waiting them.
One, closer to her than the others, hesitated. She spoke to him imperiously, as a master might speak to a refractory hound.
The great carnivore let its head droop, and with tail between its legs came slinking to the girl’s feet, and after it came the others until she was entirely surrounded by the savage maneaters.
Between that and the similar event John Carter witnessed in Gods of Mars, Thuvia has been cemented as my favorite character in the series. Warlord of Mars has Carter telling us that the women of Barsoom do not fight as men fight, though it is not for a lack of knowing how. If ERB had let Thuvia keep her small pack of banths, the remaining chapters of Maid of Mars could have gone quite differently...but that would have made Carthoris less of the hero that we’re meant to picture him as. Instead, Thuvia is separated from her most powerful weapon, captured, imprisoned, and fought over by five different men. And at least six armies/navies.
I still wasn’t entirely disappointed by ERB falling back into his usual trope (which, I have to admit, is not as horrible as the more dangerous Women in Refrigerators). Thuvia was captured by the original Lustful Villain of the story and imprisoned in the royal palace. But, here, we got to see Thuvia facing down the spineless prince--not for the first time--even though death was the only other apparent option. What we see of Thuvia is what we should have seen of Dejah Thoris in the first three books when we were too busy following John Carter around because of that meddling first-person perspective. As expected, however, Carthoris rescues Thuvia from certain death (and I say “certain” only because Astok was a spineless nit and made sure she was outnumbered and out-muscled). The trope ends there, though. Carthoris isn’t the one to kill his own nemesis, which was refreshing. Kar Komak, a new supporting character from the newly introduced Lotharians, gets the glory kills usually reserved for the primary hero, and Thuvia, in her own feminine way, frees Carthoris from a prison of his own. It’s not the most satisfying twist, but I found it amusing.
In all, the book definitely has its flaws, not the least of which being its abrupt ending. However, I definitely appreciated what was there.
February 3, 2024
Weakest of the Barsoom series, so far.
October 21, 2011
This book was difficult to find - the entire library system didn't have it, nor did the used bookstores. It made me feel that perhaps it was not going to be a good one in the series, if it had dropped off the radar so completely. However, once I did manage to get a copy, it proved to be a fantastic book. The pace is slower than the previous three - which is not to say that it is slow, or that it's a bad thing. The second and third books were almost literally non-stop action, so it was nice to slow down and hear a little bit more about life on Barsoom. There's even a section that describes traffic patterns in city limits for their flying vehicles! There is also more description of the palaces and etiquette of Martian nobility, setting a mood other than pure momentum.
The best thing about the book is the titular hero - Thuvia is one of my favorite characters in the series so far. A woman who can call banths around her to do her bidding, and take up air gunning Tharks, is clearly a character to be reckoned with.
The realm of Lothar is also well imagined (as, I suppose, are most of it's inhabitants, but see the book for that). It had almost a dreamlike quality, in that some things seemed patently surreal (to the participants) but nevertheless took place.
The only downside to the book - the reason why I only gave it four stars instead of five - was to very abrupt ending. The story dropped off so quickly, leaving large subplots dangling, that I thought my copy was defective. I even looked up other editions to make sure they all ended at the same chapter! Not that the ending is unsatisfying, it would just have been nice to see how a literal world war would have wrapped up.
Despite the ending, however, it was a very enjoyable book, one that I would recommend to anyone interested in the series.
The best thing about the book is the titular hero - Thuvia is one of my favorite characters in the series so far. A woman who can call banths around her to do her bidding, and take up air gunning Tharks, is clearly a character to be reckoned with.
The realm of Lothar is also well imagined (as, I suppose, are most of it's inhabitants, but see the book for that). It had almost a dreamlike quality, in that some things seemed patently surreal (to the participants) but nevertheless took place.
The only downside to the book - the reason why I only gave it four stars instead of five - was to very abrupt ending. The story dropped off so quickly, leaving large subplots dangling, that I thought my copy was defective. I even looked up other editions to make sure they all ended at the same chapter! Not that the ending is unsatisfying, it would just have been nice to see how a literal world war would have wrapped up.
Despite the ending, however, it was a very enjoyable book, one that I would recommend to anyone interested in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 24, 2019
Differs from earlier Barsoom books in two respects: 1) It stars John Carter's son, and J.C. himself is reduced to a mere cameo. 2) It's written in third- rather than first-person.
The first of these differences makes virtually no impact on the story, since there is almost no difference between John Carter and his son, apart from their names. In fact, I think the primary reason Burroughs switched characters was so he could recycle plot points from the previous books without being too obvious about it. But I liked the switch to third-person narrative, because it stopped making you feel like the main character was bragging about himself all the time. Of course, John Carter never intended to boast; but rather to simply inform you of the cold, hard fact of his incredible awesomeness.
One other interesting thing about this book is that it's the first Burroughs novel I've read that doesn't get worse as it progresses. I actually found THUVIA, MAID OF MARS to be most intriguing during the middle section, when readers are introduced to the competing factions of "realists" and "etherealists." For a Barsoom novel, that's as deep as you're likely to get.
The first of these differences makes virtually no impact on the story, since there is almost no difference between John Carter and his son, apart from their names. In fact, I think the primary reason Burroughs switched characters was so he could recycle plot points from the previous books without being too obvious about it. But I liked the switch to third-person narrative, because it stopped making you feel like the main character was bragging about himself all the time. Of course, John Carter never intended to boast; but rather to simply inform you of the cold, hard fact of his incredible awesomeness.
One other interesting thing about this book is that it's the first Burroughs novel I've read that doesn't get worse as it progresses. I actually found THUVIA, MAID OF MARS to be most intriguing during the middle section, when readers are introduced to the competing factions of "realists" and "etherealists." For a Barsoom novel, that's as deep as you're likely to get.
July 3, 2013
Thuvia Maid of Mars is an interesting if old-fashioned story. She’s a bit prissy as the princess of Ptarth and is betrothed to a character Tith, whom we do not meet until the end of the story. The story is mostly about a couple of men who have the hots for her and the length they go through to get her, even risking interplanetary war for her hand.
As with a lot of Mars books, we have interesting subplots – a lost city of Lothar that has men who can imagine so strongly that others can see their thoughts come to life. They usually disappear except for one guy��. but I digress.
Burroughs really gets more into the animal life on Mars – the lion-like banth the most prominent.
Overall, and enjoyable story for John Carter fans, but without John Carter.
Kindle edition was clear, no massive misspellings or errors as I’ve seen in other editions.
As with a lot of Mars books, we have interesting subplots – a lost city of Lothar that has men who can imagine so strongly that others can see their thoughts come to life. They usually disappear except for one guy��. but I digress.
Burroughs really gets more into the animal life on Mars – the lion-like banth the most prominent.
Overall, and enjoyable story for John Carter fans, but without John Carter.
Kindle edition was clear, no massive misspellings or errors as I’ve seen in other editions.
March 19, 2018
I first read this one after reading "A Princess of Mars", back when I was in 5th or 6th grade(approximately), since the 2 intervening novels in the series (Gods of Mars & Warlord of Mars) were not available to me at the time. Carthoris, son of John Carter and Dejah Thoris, takes up the swashbuckling of his father in his pursuit for Thuvia , a princess of Ptarth. But he has a rival who has kidnapped her.
December 13, 2014
Another excellent addition to the Barroom series. I read this book in high school, so it was all new to me reading it again after 40+ years. Great pace on the story telling. The characters are not very believable, but who cares? It's ERB fantasy. Loved it!
January 8, 2021
While I'm not a big fan of gratuitous violence, warrior cultures are very much part of human history to modern times. I enjoyed the author's imaginative forays in this story. The discovery of an ancient and unknown city that used mind control to battle its enemies was especially fun.
August 7, 2018
I think Thuvia is my favorite character so far in this series.
March 12, 2020
7/10 en 2007. Media de los 8 libros leídos del autor: 8/10
Cuarto libro de la saga de John Carter de Marte. Y ya me cansó un poco porque es más de lo mismo, con su virtudes y sus defectos.
A ver, este señor, Edgar Rice Burroughs no os dice nada a los jóvenes lectores de CF, pero a ver si os suena esto.¿Os suena "Tarzán"?. Pues lo inventó este señor, que murió ya en 1950.
Y aparte de su serie de Tarzán tiene otras muy famosas en la CF "viejuna". Su serie de Marte (con su héroe John Carter), la de Venus (con su héroe Carson Napier), de la Luna, de aventuras, del Oeste...
Todas son novelas de aventuras (CF o no CF) donde, por una u otra razón, el protagonista aparece en esos planetas y pelea contra razas alienígenas (pero mas o menos humanoides, de tal forma que sus hembras están "buenorras" y todo) y es guapo, alto, cachas y valiente.
Tambien tiene novelas independientes de las sagas, sobre todo de aventuras.
En todas de imaginación desbordante para su época, me descubro ante este señor.
Eso sí, su obra no ha envejecido demasiado bien, sobre todo si atendemos a los roles del hombre y la mujer. Pero claro, siempre es un error juzgar las novelas pasadas en base a valores actuales. Supongo.
Cuarto libro de la saga de John Carter de Marte. Y ya me cansó un poco porque es más de lo mismo, con su virtudes y sus defectos.
A ver, este señor, Edgar Rice Burroughs no os dice nada a los jóvenes lectores de CF, pero a ver si os suena esto.¿Os suena "Tarzán"?. Pues lo inventó este señor, que murió ya en 1950.
Y aparte de su serie de Tarzán tiene otras muy famosas en la CF "viejuna". Su serie de Marte (con su héroe John Carter), la de Venus (con su héroe Carson Napier), de la Luna, de aventuras, del Oeste...
Todas son novelas de aventuras (CF o no CF) donde, por una u otra razón, el protagonista aparece en esos planetas y pelea contra razas alienígenas (pero mas o menos humanoides, de tal forma que sus hembras están "buenorras" y todo) y es guapo, alto, cachas y valiente.
Tambien tiene novelas independientes de las sagas, sobre todo de aventuras.
En todas de imaginación desbordante para su época, me descubro ante este señor.
Eso sí, su obra no ha envejecido demasiado bien, sobre todo si atendemos a los roles del hombre y la mujer. Pero claro, siempre es un error juzgar las novelas pasadas en base a valores actuales. Supongo.
December 17, 2022
More wacky Martian hijinks from Burroughs, who, with this volume, moves away from John Carter and Dejah Thoris and focuses on a minor character from the previous book, the titular, titillating Thuvia of Ptarth. Now, sure, on every level this is the usual fare: beautiful naked Martian girl moves through the paws of various kidnappers and would-be molesters while being pursued by her lover, Carthoris, son of Carter and Thoris. Too bad Thuvia is betrothed to another Martian warlord! But Carthoris doesn't just think with his dick, he genuinely loves Thuvia and goes to great ends to rescue her from all sorts of dire, hilarious perils.
There's something else going on here, though, much more salient than the gentle if carefully hidden jabs at Burroughs' contemporary world that he peppers these books with. In fact, the blatant social commentary here is way more applicable to us than the 1910s when this was written. I won't spoil too much but Thuvia ends up in the vile clutches of a near-extinct race of white Martians who no longer can distinguish between reality and unreality and can actually hypnosuggest themselves and others into false facts like illusory armies, and hallucinations of women and other desires. Their entire culture is steeped in the production of these illusions which they can also force on others. Holy crap! Burroughs was a century ahead of his time!
There's something else going on here, though, much more salient than the gentle if carefully hidden jabs at Burroughs' contemporary world that he peppers these books with. In fact, the blatant social commentary here is way more applicable to us than the 1910s when this was written. I won't spoil too much but Thuvia ends up in the vile clutches of a near-extinct race of white Martians who no longer can distinguish between reality and unreality and can actually hypnosuggest themselves and others into false facts like illusory armies, and hallucinations of women and other desires. Their entire culture is steeped in the production of these illusions which they can also force on others. Holy crap! Burroughs was a century ahead of his time!
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