John Carter of Mars...

...the "John Carter of Mars" series is my favorite book series from Edgar Rice Burroughs. I know, I know--"Tarzan" was Burroughs most famous creation and the one the rest of the world loves. And I do too. But John Carter was his first success and came before he wrote the first Tarzan novel. And Burroughs came back to Mars between Tarzan books over the years, writing 9 in total. It's the sci-fi mix in the Mars books I enjoyed...

...the Mars series also had Burroughs usual elements of romance, adventure, beasts, violence, beauty, and bare skin. Written in a very poetic, thoughtful style of that era, which transformed common events into grand spectacles. Not to mention a mostly naked hero, John Carter, a former soldier transported to Mars, where he finds himself alone among giant green martians until he meets the Princess--and the adventure to win her heart by returning her to her people begins. Lots of horror and sword fights and red martian men in jeweled harness and not much else. Although Disney I read, has acquired the rights to the series for a feature film. I doubt there will be naked sword fights in their version, sigh. But hopefully, they'll at least stick to the spirit of the books and have epic adventure.