The princess from Mars
The Princess of Mars is one of the most famous novels by the American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs and forms the first part of the John Carter vom Mars series . The novel was published for the first time from February to June 1912 under the title Under the Moons of Mars in The All-Story magazine and was a huge success. 1917 followed the first book edition with the title A Princess of Mars .
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During his escape from the Apaches, Captain John Carter finds himself in a mysterious cave, where he is seized with a strange rigidity. At some point the spirit detaches itself from its body and it is drawn to Mars by a mysterious force, where it finds itself, again as a physical person, in a strange landscape.
While exploring his surroundings, he encounters green Martians, huge creatures with four arms that take him captive. Since John Carter has enormous physical strength due to the lower gravity of the planet, he can still fight for the respect of the green Martians and is given to one of the women in care. This woman, Sola, differs from her fellow species in that she can feel love and compassion.
John Carter has to accompany the green Martians on their march to the leader of their people. This is to make the final judgment about his fate. On the way, the troop encounters an air fleet of red Martians, who except for the color of their skin resemble earthly people. Shot at by the green Martians, the red Martians have to flee. In doing so, however, the princess of Helium, Dejah Thoris, falls into the power of the green Martians. John Carter befriends her and falls in love with her. Together they dare to flee, but are separated on the way. John Carter is again captured by green Martians, who, however, belong to a different tribe than the one he fled from. Like a Roman gladiator, he has to fight for his life against all kinds of creatures in an arena.
He initiates an uprising of all prisoners, in the course of which he manages to escape. On his way he finds a strange building where he asks for food and a place to sleep. He learns that he is in the atmosphere factory where all the air we breathe for Mars is made. By chance, John Carter succeeds in reading the mind of the factory guard so that he learns how to open the gates to the factory with a certain sequence of tones. At the same time, he learns in the same way that the guard of the factory wants to murder him the following night because he has seen too much. John Carter manages to escape in time.
His further path leads him to the city of Zadonga, which is inhabited by red Martians, but who are enemies of helium. Coincidentally, John Carter learns that Dejah Thoris is being held captive in the city. There she is supposed to marry Sab Than, the prince of Zadonga. But since she refuses, his father Than Kosis has declared war on Helium and besieges the capital. In order to find out exactly where Dejah Thoris is, John Carter joins the Zodanga air combat forces. Because his skin has also turned red in the meantime, he is not noticed. During a reconnaissance flight, he succeeds in saving a cousin of Than Kosis from the green Martians. For this he is transferred to the royal bodyguard. In this way he succeeds in determining the whereabouts of Dejah Thoris. However, if he tries to free her, he has to flee in his plane. Since his compass is destroyed, John Carter can no longer orientate himself. He flies there, disoriented, and finds himself confronted with a battle of green Martians. When they see him, they shoot at his plane and he falls between the fighting parties. He quickly discovers that one of the parties belongs to the people with whom he was first caught.
These are headed by the mighty Tars Tarkas, who weighed John Carter well the first time. When John Carter saves his life during the fight, he gains even greater recognition. Since his return did not go unnoticed, Tars Tarkas must bring John Carter to his ruler, the cruel Tal Hajus. He wants John Carter's death. Since he wants to forbid John Carter to defend himself against all allegations, Tal Hajus incurs the displeasure of the other princes. Tars Tarkas challenges him to a duel and wins. That makes him the new king. He declares John Carter to be his friend and can be won over by him to draw against Zodanga.
The green Martians move against the city with a huge force and are able to conquer it. Dejah Thoris can be rescued and is now ready to marry John Carter. Together with the army of the green Martians, John Carter now moves to Helium, where it also succeeds in smashing the siege army of Zodanga. John Carter marries Dejah Thoris and becomes the Prince of Helium. They live happily together for ten years. Suddenly something unexpected happens. The guard of the atmosphere factory dies without having appointed his successor. Since nobody can enter the factory, the air you breathe on Mars is becoming increasingly scarce. Then John Carter remembers that he knows the color combination with which you can open the gates of the factory. With the last of his strength he flies to the factory and can open the gates. Then he faints. When he wakes up again, he is in the cave into which he fled from the Apaches. Desperate, he leaves the cave. He builds up a middle-class existence, but lives in the constant longing for Mars.
German publications
With three translations to date, this is the author's most published Mars novel in Germany to date.
1925
A Mars Princess
German translation by Alfred Dieck
Dieck & Co. Verlag, Stuttgart
(at least 5 editions)
1972
The Princess of Mars
German translation by Leni Sobez
Williams-Verlag GmbH, Alsdorf
1996
The Princess of Mars
German translation by Franziska Willnow
Kranichborn Verlag, Leipzig
Film adaptations
- 2009 as Princess of Mars from director Mark Atkins of The Asylum
- 2012 under the title John Carter - Between Two Worlds by director Andrew Stanton of Walt Disney's Pixar Studios