The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs


I finished reading The Chessmen of Mars (1922) by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the fifth novel in his Barsoom series.

This story focuses on Tara, the daughter of John Carter, Warlord of Mars. I enjoyed this novel more than the one or two that precede it. I found myself getting pleasantly wrapped up in the characters and plot in a manner that reminded me of reading as a child.

Perhaps the most compelling element of the book are the friendships that develop between unlikely companions. The imagination of Burroughs is on full display, especially in the character of Ghek and the trappings of alien cultures.

“Was well balanced imperfection more to be sought after then, than the high development of a single characteristic?