Kane of Old Mars

Kane of Old Mars collects Michael Moorcock's trilogy of planetary romance novels featuring Michael Kane, a physicist transported from Earth to an ancient Mars. The series consists of City of the Beast, Lord of the Spiders, and Masters of the Pit, originally published in the 1960s under the pseudonym Edward P. Bradbury. Set on a Mars that never was, the books follow Kane's adventures across a planet of red deserts, lost cities, and warrior tribes. Kane must navigate the complex politics and dangers of this alternate Mars while searching for a way home, encountering both allies and enemies among the planet's varied inhabitants. The series pays direct homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars stories, adopting many of the classic planetary romance conventions. Moorcock incorporates swordplay, ancient technology, and complex civilizations into his vision of Mars, while adding his own distinct elements to the genre. Through Kane's journey, Moorcock explores themes of belonging, heroism, and the tension between scientific rationality and romantic adventure. The trilogy stands as both tribute to and reinvention of the planetary romance tradition.

Readers describe Kane of Old Mars as a straightforward homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Mars series, with many noting its pulp adventure style. Readers appreciated: - Fast-paced action sequences - The sword-fighting scenes - Simple, escapist entertainment - World-building details of ancient Mars - References to classic planetary romance tropes Common criticisms: - Predictable plot - One-dimensional characters - Derivative of Burroughs' work - Writing feels dated by modern standards - Limited character development Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (167 ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (23 reviews) Review quotes: "Fun but forgettable sword & planet adventure" - Goodreads reviewer "Captures the spirit of old pulp sci-fi" - Amazon reviewer "Too similar to John Carter without adding anything new" - SF Book Reviews user The book resonates most with fans of classic planetary romance and pulp sci-fi who enjoy homages to the genre's early works.

A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs A Civil War veteran finds himself transported to Mars where he battles alien creatures and falls in love with a Martian princess in this foundational planetary romance that inspired many later works.

Space Captain Smith by Toby Frost A British space captain explores strange worlds and encounters alien civilizations in an adventure that combines Victorian sensibilities with space opera elements.

Radiance by Catherynne M. Valente An alternate history space adventure unfolds across a solar system where each planet houses its own culture and film industry in the style of 1920s cinema.

Under the Moons of Mars by John Joseph Adams This anthology collects stories from different authors set in Burroughs' Barsoom universe, expanding on the sword-and-planet tradition.

Lords of the Starship by Mark S. Geston A far-future tale follows the construction of a massive starship on a dying world, mixing medieval elements with science fiction concepts.

🔴 Michael Moorcock wrote Kane of Old Mars as an homage to Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series, deliberately using a similar romantic adventure style popular in the early 20th century. 🔴 The book was originally published as three separate novellas: City of the Beast (1965), Lord of the Spiders (1965), and Masters of the Pit (1965), before being collected into a single volume. 🔴 The protagonist, Michael Kane, is a physicist who accidentally transports himself to an ancient Mars populated by civilizations that existed millions of years ago. 🔴 Unlike many of Moorcock's other works, which feature morally ambiguous characters, Kane of Old Mars presents a more traditional heroic figure in the style of classic planetary romance stories. 🔴 The Mars depicted in the book is a scientifically impossible but romantically appealing version with breathable air, ancient civilizations, and sword-wielding warriors - a popular conception of Mars in fiction before space exploration revealed the planet's true nature.