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blockonthenewkid's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Not quite as bad as its predecessor. The return of Ras Thavas sees some great horror sci-fi elements dreamt up and left on the floor in favour of the usual 'love' story. The culture vats, the hormads and the creature of vat room #4 all made for interesting hooks - to be left for later writers in the genre to capitlise and expand upon. Also saw the return of the more interesting Green Men who have been missing from previous books, a nice little plus.
kb_208's review
3.0
This might be my least favorite in the series so far, but it is still a fun little story. John Carter plays a larger role in this one, but the story is told by or Daj. The story tells of John Carter and Daj searching for Ras Thavas, the mastermind of mars, so that they might help Dejah Thoris, who has sustained horrible injuries. It's a nice little adventure book and good for a quick read.
saidahgilbert's review against another edition
2.0
Getting a bit repetitive now. I will finish the rest of the series when I can sufficiently forget the story.
feralbookwife's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Fast paced installment of this series. Why Ras Thavas isn’t in jail tho is beyond me.
loki728's review
adventurous
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
valhecka's review against another edition
2.0
Johncarterus ex machina like nobody's biz; the pacing is like Burroughs got sick of writing about the privations of a Noble White-I-Mean-Red Martian dude stuck in a (functional, efficient, healthy) fug body but he didn't want to work out a plot mechanism to get out of it so he just threw good ol' J-Car on the page and had him fix everything.
The theme/subject matter had simultaneously the most potential and the least utility of any of the Barsoom books so far. The degree of disgust Burroughs (through Carter, Vor Daj, Thavas) shows for "imperfect" people - whether ill, deformed, physically weak, physically asymmetrical (??????), scarred, or just plain ugly - was stomach-turning.
I'm reading from here in the 21st century with a growing handful of diagnoses and both visible and invisible disabilities and illnesses, watching bioengineering and tissue-genesis research like a hawk because synthetic organs are preferable to dying ones. That's not Burroughs' intended audience - I don't think he gave a second of thought to the concept of disabled or partially abled readers - and, TO AN EXTENT, the book gets a pass because it's from Martian perspective, but otherwise... this kind of idealism and veiled bigotry is NAGL for Burroughs.
The theme/subject matter had simultaneously the most potential and the least utility of any of the Barsoom books so far. The degree of disgust Burroughs (through Carter, Vor Daj, Thavas) shows for "imperfect" people - whether ill, deformed, physically weak, physically asymmetrical (??????), scarred, or just plain ugly - was stomach-turning.
I'm reading from here in the 21st century with a growing handful of diagnoses and both visible and invisible disabilities and illnesses, watching bioengineering and tissue-genesis research like a hawk because synthetic organs are preferable to dying ones. That's not Burroughs' intended audience - I don't think he gave a second of thought to the concept of disabled or partially abled readers - and, TO AN EXTENT, the book gets a pass because it's from Martian perspective, but otherwise... this kind of idealism and veiled bigotry is NAGL for Burroughs.
souljaleonn's review against another edition
adventurous
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
jvan's review
4.0
This is maybe the best of the series so far. It's a delightful read, with mutants, body swapping, secret lovers, swamp monsters, rebellions, super scientists and so much more. After #8's low, low value, I feel better about continuing.
michaeldrakich's review
4.0
For the first time in the series, the author returns to a theme introduced in a previous novel, The Mastermind Of Mars, the transfer of brains from one body to another. But unlike that first novel where the brain switching was by the damsel in distress, this time he goes all in by using the protagonist of the story.
Once more, the same formula is used. New places, new people, and a damsel in distress. Granted, the introduction of the synthetic men was fun, but it also stretched the level of incredulity to the thinnest of lines.
Don't let the science bother you. Go for the fun.
Once more, the same formula is used. New places, new people, and a damsel in distress. Granted, the introduction of the synthetic men was fun, but it also stretched the level of incredulity to the thinnest of lines.
Don't let the science bother you. Go for the fun.
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