Review Tuesday: THUVIA, MAID OF MARS by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Book four of Burroughs' Barsoom Series, THUVIA, MAID OF MARS, is the first book in the series that John Carter is NOT the central character. The focus shifted in this book to the adventures of the son of John Carter and Deja Thoris, Carthoris and the object of his affections, Thuvia of Ptarth (both first appeared in The Gods of Mars).

The story starts with a suitor who wants Thuvia for himself and is turned away. A conspiracy is concocted to kidnap Thuvia and make it seem like it was Carthoris behind the misdeed, creating a war between ally nations. The adventure begins. Carthoris and Thuvia are sent  by evil forces to a remote location in Barsoom where they encounters a new tribe of green martians, and a ancient breed of auburn haired humans who have enormous powers of mind control.

It's usual path of chivalry and swashbuckling adventure we see in the books about Martian life by Burroughs. What makes it different are the allies and foes encountered. It's funny how a people who have the capability of air travel have left so much of the planet unexplored and still manage to find strange new creatures to baffle the mind.

It's a typically fast read, as the adventure draws you in and forces you to keep turning the pages. Additionally, you really want to see who Thuvia will choose in the end, the man who loves her, or the man she's betrothed to.

The ending is pretty much as expected, and neatly closed up, which doesn't happen too often with Burroughs in this series of books. A few things are left up in the air, but it's assumed that everything will sort itself out in the end.

Fun. Exciting. Worth reading, also, for the insight into generations of science fiction to come, as this was written in 1920!

I read mine in Amazon Kindle Fire format, FREE!