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heathengray's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
The pulp adventure is all here:
- Beautiful women all falling for the very faithful hero
- Slightly too convenient coincidences. We always meet old friends, and the nefarious schemes are always by the same two or three clearly evil guys
- We have people of all hues: ghoulish blue plant men, savage green sexapeds, noble red skins (wait... uh...), and strangely beautiful black skins (Ed... you ok?)
- Passing out or knocked unconscious to find the action over with or just the perfect time to start.
- Cliffhangers, oh, my!
And so goes the second in the John Carter of Mars series. The action is terrific, even if the plot does stall somewhat in the second act, and the plot is quite predictable, hilarious even: come on John, who else do you know might be close to 20 years old after you spent 10 years on Mars, then 10 years on Earth, with the same strength as you, and looks like you? Too many hits on the head I suppose.
Better than the first in some places, and adds a nice layer to the geography of Mars.
- Beautiful women all falling for the very faithful hero
- Slightly too convenient coincidences. We always meet old friends, and the nefarious schemes are always by the same two or three clearly evil guys
- We have people of all hues: ghoulish blue plant men, savage green sexapeds, noble red skins (wait... uh...), and strangely beautiful black skins (Ed... you ok?)
- Passing out or knocked unconscious to find the action over with or just the perfect time to start.
- Cliffhangers, oh, my!
And so goes the second in the John Carter of Mars series. The action is terrific, even if the plot does stall somewhat in the second act, and the plot is quite predictable, hilarious even: come on John, who else do you know might be close to 20 years old after you spent 10 years on Mars, then 10 years on Earth, with the same strength as you, and looks like you? Too many hits on the head I suppose.
Better than the first in some places, and adds a nice layer to the geography of Mars.
Content Warnings
Minor: Racism
There's a smattering of 'usual racism for its time', but I don't think it's done to offend, merely just written in a colloquial manner. And there's nothing explicit. The Black Pirates being the most troublesome, though here they are pure onyx-like beings being known as The First Born, but mainly as black or blacks throughout the text. Other races are identified with their native Mars monikers, so it does stand out, but Edgar does seem to show a true respect for them all.
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