Who Wrote John Carter Of Mars And When?

'John Carter of Mars' is one of those series that just sticks with you. The original author is Edgar Rice Burroughs, the same genius who created 'Tarzan'. He started the series back in 1912 with 'A Princess of Mars', and it's wild how fresh it still feels. Burroughs had this knack for blending sci-fi and fantasy before those genres were even properly defined. His writing transports you to Barsoom with such vivid detail, you can almost smell the Martian air. The guy was way ahead of his time, crafting a universe that inspired everything from 'Star Wars' to modern pulp adventures.

Ever stumbled into a story that feels like a wild mix of adventure, romance, and sheer cosmic chaos? That's 'John Carter of Mars' for you. It starts with this ex-soldier, John Carter, who mysteriously gets transported to Mars (called Barsoom by the locals). The place is a mess—warring factions, dying civilizations, and these towering green warriors called Tharks. Carter, thanks to Earth's gravity making him super strong and agile there, becomes a powerhouse. He gets tangled in the conflicts, falls for a princess (Dejah Thoris, because of course), and ends up trying to save the planet from total collapse. What I love is how pulpy it feels—sword fights, political schemes, and ancient tech. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote it over a century ago, but the energy is timeless. The way Carter navigates Barsoom’s weirdness, from flying ships to alien customs, makes it a blast. It’s not deep philosophy, but who cares? It’s pure, unapologetic fun with a hero who punches his way through problems and wins a princess’s heart. Classic escapism at its finest.

Library archives are great for this. You can often find scanned copies of the original 'All-Story' magazines with the first serialized installments. That's the true first publication, before the books. It's a deep dive, but seeing the stories alongside ads for soap and cars from 1912 is a trip. The book order is a simplification of that messier, more exciting serial publication history. So when we talk about 'publication order', we usually mean books. But the truest order is the magazine release, which is almost the same but with multi-year gaps within a single story's publication.

John Carter's journey to Mars in 'A Princess of Mars' starts with a mix of chance and destiny, which feels like Edgar Rice Burroughs tossed him into the adventure almost whimsically. After fleeing Apache pursuers in an Arizona cave, he’s mysteriously transported to Barsoom (Mars) through some unexplained astral projection. But beyond the mechanics, it’s his character that really drives the why—he’s a Confederate veteran, a man out of place in post-war America, craving purpose and action. Barsoom gives him that: a world where his Earth-given strength and skills make him a legend. The Martian landscape isn’t just a setting; it’s a blank slate for Carter to redefine himself, away from the scars of war. What’s fascinating is how Mars reflects Carter’s inner restlessness. The planet’s dying civilizations, warring factions, and exotic customs mirror the chaos he left behind, but with higher stakes and grander rewards. And then there’s Dejah Thoris—love at first sight, sure, but also a catalyst. She’s not just a damsel; she’s the heart of a civilization he grows to fight for. Carter’s leap to Mars isn’t just escapism; it’s about finding a place where he can matter in a way Earth never allowed.

Ever since I stumbled upon the John Carter of Mars series, I've been completely hooked. Edgar Rice Burroughs crafted this incredible world that blends science fiction and adventure in such a unique way. The series consists of 11 books in total, starting with 'A Princess of Mars' in 1912 and ending with 'John Carter of Mars' in 1964. It's wild to think how the story evolved over decades, with Burroughs returning to the characters even after long gaps. What fascinates me most is how each book builds on the last, yet they can stand alone too. I accidentally read 'The Gods of Mars' before the first book, and it still blew me away. The later entries, like 'Llana of Gathol,' feel slightly different in tone but keep that pulpy charm. It's a series I revisit every few years—always discovering something new.

Think of it like a TV series. 'A Princess of Mars' is the pilot episode. It introduces the main character, the love interest, the key allies, and the core conflict. Subsequent books are like new seasons, expanding the world and raising the stakes. But you wouldn't start a show on season two. The pilot is essential for character motivations and establishing the rules. The same logic applies here. Pilot episode first.

I just checked three different sources to be sure. Consensus says: A Princess of Mars (1917), The Gods of Mars (1918), The Warlord of Mars (1919), Thuvia, Maid of Mars (1920), The Chessmen of Mars (1922), The Master Mind of Mars (1928), A Fighting Man of Mars (1931), Swords of Mars (1936), Synthetic Men of Mars (1940), Llana of Gathol (1948), John Carter of Mars (1964). The last two are technically story collections, but they're considered the 10th and 11th volumes in the series. Some omnibus editions might combine them differently, but as originally released, those are the eleven books. It's a long series, but surprisingly breezy to read. The chapters are short and the action is non-stop.

I love digging into classic sci-fi like 'John Carter of Mars'—it’s such a wild ride! Finding it as a PDF isn’t too hard since it’s public domain now. Sites like Project Gutenberg or Internet Archive usually have it for free. But I’d also recommend checking out modern editions with cool annotations or illustrations—they add so much depth to Burroughs’ world. If you’re into physical copies, some vintage editions have gorgeous cover art that PDFs just can’t capture. Either way, diving into Barsoom feels like stepping into a time capsule of early 20th-century imagination. The prose is dated but charming, and the action still holds up!

I picked up 'A Princess of Mars' on a whim after hearing it was one of the granddaddies of sci-fi, and wow, it did not disappoint. The way Edgar Rice Burroughs throws you headfirst into Barsoom—his version of Mars—is just exhilarating. John Carter's adventures feel like a pulpy, old-school rollercoaster, complete with sword fights, alien cultures, and a romance that’s straight out of a classic adventure tale. The prose is dated, sure, but there’s a charm to its earnestness. It’s like listening to your granddad tell a wild story—you can’t help but get swept up. What really got me was the world-building. Burroughs didn’t just imagine Mars; he populated it. From the green Tharks to the red Martians, every faction feels distinct, and the politics are surprisingly nuanced for something written in 1912. If you’re into foundational works that inspired everything from 'Star Wars' to 'Avatar,' this is a must-read. Just go in expecting fun, not hard sci-fi.

Ever since I first cracked open 'A Princess of Mars', I was hooked by the sheer escapism of John Carter’s journey. The guy’s a Civil War veteran, disillusioned and exhausted by the brutality of Earth, and suddenly he’s whisked away to Barsoom—this wild, vibrant world where gravity’s different, colors are brighter, and he’s got superhuman strength. It’s not just about adventure; it’s a rebirth. Carter stumbles into that cave, gets mysteriously transported, and boom—he’s no longer a broken soldier but a hero among warring Martian tribes. The novel frames Mars as this blank slate where he can redefine himself, away from Earth’s scars. Plus, let’s be real, who wouldn’t trade post-war Reconstruction for sword fights with four-armed Tharks and a romance with Dejah Thoris? Burroughs paints Mars as this romanticized frontier, a place where Carter’s archaic Southern chivalry somehow fits. It’s fascinating how the story leans into the 'man out of time' trope before it was even a trope. The Martian setting lets Carter’s anachronistic ideals—honor, bravery, love-at-first-sight—feel heroic instead of outdated. And honestly, the sheer weirdness of Barsoom’s ecology (dying oceans, air factories, egg-laying humans) makes Earth seem dull by comparison. Carter doesn’t just go to Mars; he belongs there in a way he never did on Earth.