Foreward 
     Captain John Carter reappears to his nephew after TWELVE years of being physically dead and buried in a carefully constructed mosoleum tomb, that locks and unlocks....ONLY FROM THE INSIDE. More amaingly, he still appears to be the same age, having seemingly discovered the fountain of youth. There he relates his story of his return to Mars, after dying for the thrid time on the bluff in front of his cottage overlooking the Hudson. There Also he relays his final goodbyes, never to be seen again. 

 Chapter 1 
The Plant Men
     John Carter seemingly has discovered how to have out-of-body experiences as he longs to return to the red planet. With arms outstretched, his spirit is immediately deposited on the surface of the distant planet. At first, he feels he may have overshot his mark, because of his strange surroundings. He has been deposited on the shores of a large sea, on a planet whose oceans had dried up centuries before. This soon dissipates however, when he runs into plant men attacking a band of green martians and decides that the odds are too one sided against his one time friends and original captors. Imagine his surprise when he runs into his great and good friend, Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of Thark 

 Chapter 2 
The Forest Battle 
     John Carter and Tars Tarkas, Jeddak of Thark, realizing their dire predicament against the over swelling numbers of plant men. Racing ahead of their tormentors, they reach a cliff face bejeweled in quartz and gold, seemingly unable to be scaled, and are presumably trapped. Quickly deciding to climb a tree to reach caves in the face of the cliff, John Carter tells Tars Tarkas to climb first because of his unwieldly frame and difficulty in climbing, while he held off the first of the attackers. While in the clutches of the first plant man, John Carter realizes that his attckers have been joined by a group of Great White Martian Apes. Returning to help, Tars Tarkas and John Carter stand back to back and fight valiantly against the base of one of the giant trees. Finding shelter inside the hollow of the tree, the two eventually fight off their attackers.
    After escaping their attackers of plant men and white apes, John Carter and Tars Tarkas explore their tree sanctuary and realize that the hollow tree rises 500 feet above them and can be accessed with a ladder. They eventually reach an opening outside to a well worn limb that reached precariously out to the cliffs. Entering a well carved tunnel, they are eventually trapped in a chamber located at the end of the tunnel, and are mocked by a cruel laughter. 

 Chapter 3 
The Chamber of Mystery 
     Tars Tarkas, assuming that they have reached the end of their pilgrimage down the river Iss to the Valey of Dor and are, in effect, in heaven. Tars Tarkas recounts the events leading up to his pilgrimage and assure John Carter, that his mate, Dejah Thoris, did indeed still live, and they had searched for him valiantly after he had disappeared 10 years ago at the atmospheric plant. This is interrupted by a strange voice which says, "There is no hope, there is no hope; the dead return not, the dead return not; nor is there any resurrection. Hope not, for there is no hope." Apparently, the voice came from a spokesperson of Issus, Goddess of Death. Tars Tarkas's superstitions are aroused, by John Carter will not believe they have come to the end of the road. . 
    After fighting off numerous Banths, or Martian lions, seemingly appearing out of thin air, John Carter realizes the mechanism which brings them into the chamber, and recoginizes his first white martian, with yellow flowing hair. Adopting a plan of action, and timing his moves, John Carter finally faces his white martian antagonist, blade to blade. After dispatching the first white martian, John Carter is faced by another more deviant antagonist, who manages to almost wear him out and kill him, but is saved by the screams of a red martian woman chained up behind the walls of the chamber. However, he is knocked unconcious in the process. 

 Chapter 4 
Thuvia 
     John Carter finally regains conciousness, and with the aid of the Martian woman after he releases her, is able to return to the chamber and save Tars Tarkas from six more Banths. Having nearly goring Tars Tarkas, John Carter prepares to plunge in and try to help his green buddy, when the martian woman stops him and approaches the banths. After speaking to them in soft tones, the banths become docile, and were led away. Once again were the two trapped, but Thuvia, as they came to know her name, returned and told her story of her capture by the Holy Therns. The Holy Therns worshipped the Temple of Issus as did the martians the Valley of Dor, a heaven within a heaven. The Therns lived to be 1000 years old, and those who did not took their own pilgrimage, and believed that their souls inhabited the bodies of the plant men and eventually the white ape. 
    Together they planned their escape, but begrudgingly by Thuvia and Tars Tarkas, since their superstitions and beliefs in the power of the Holy Therns and that if they were ever to escape, they would eventually die anyway when they got home, because none were supposed to return from the pilgrimage down the river Iss. They freed the balance of the prisoners who had been chained with Thuvia and set out on their escape plan. They ran into Sator Throg, a Holy Thern of the Tenth Cycle, from whom they confiscated his blond wig and emblems of his rank, and placed them on John Carter. 

 Chapter 5 
Corridors of Peril 
 While resting, the trio and their former captive companions were ambushed by more lesser Therns, only to be outwitted by the disguised John Carter. Suspecting that one of the lesser Therns had seen through his disguise and their story that they had already captured, the sped up their escape attempt would be reported the Father of Therns, old Matai Shang, before they could successfully escape. Awaiting darkness and sunset, they noticed a canoe of pilgrims emerging from the cliff face on the river Iss, who were instantly set upon by the plant men, who drank their blood, and the white apes, who ate their flesh. This indeed marked the end of the pilgrimage for those red martians. After dark, they made their way through slave quarters and the outer ramparts, surrounded by banths, where they encountered 1000 Therns, guarding against the Black Pirates. 

 Chapter 6 
The Black Pirates of Barsoom 
 While they were watching, the Black Pirates of Barsoom attacked the Thern stronghold with airships. As the fighting increased, the 100 or so banths accompanying Thuvia plunged into the fray, and the fighting turned to face a new enemy. While thus occupied, the Black Pirates left their airships unguarded, leaving an escape vehicle available to the trio. As the attempted to escape, they were discovered by the black pirates, and unable to lift off because of their combined weight, John Carter leapt amongst the approaching black pirates, and the small ship made off with Thuvia and Tars Tarkas. A bloody battle ensued, where John Carter successfully defended himself, and managed to escape from the dragging anchor of a ten man flier 

 Chapter 7 
A Fair Goddess 
    Successfully climbing up the anchor rope over the lost sea of Korus, John Carter confronted a black pirate who tried to shoot him, but failed. A stuggle ensued, and John Carter's strength finally forced the black pirate to succumb and he was hurled into the sea. Climbing silently aboard, he encounters Phaidor, daughter of Matai Shang, who had been captured and bound. They slowly and with great difficulty dispatch all but one of the remaining black pirates, Xodar. John Carter turned the ship towards the north and sped there with Xodar and Phaidor. During the journey, Xodar tells of how he is Dator of the First Born of Barsoom, and of a superior race. As it turned out, it was only a ruse to distract John Carter long enough for a great warship of the Black Pirates to catch up to them. 

 Chapter 8 
The Depths of Omean 
    Ramming the propellors of the great airship, John Carter is eventually captured by a horde of Black Pirates. However, he and Phaidor are spared because they had shown mercy to Xodar. Captured, they return back to the Valley of Dor towards the Temple of Issus and the land of the First Born. Eventually, past the Village of Lost Souls the arrive over the land of the First Born and drop into the bowels of Mars to a huge cavern with an underground sea, a virtual Pellucidar like world on Mars. The subterranean ocean was dotted with warships and islands, some no more than one acre in size. Upon reaching the largest island, they were escorted to a submarine and were taken to the Temple of Issus. On the way, Phaidor professed her love to John Carter.  

 Chapter 9 
Issus, the Goddess of Life Eternal 
     Gently rebuking her love, John Carter explains of his love for Dejah Thoris. Hearing this, Phaidor jealously lashes out a him and threatens him after he has spurned her. Eventually, they rise and arrive in a small subterranean vault and an elevator takes them to the surface. The arrived in a most beautiful garden filled with Black men and women, being served by red and white martian slaves, and were escorted to an audience with Issus. There they were forced to crawl backwards towards the throne, where Phaidor was kept and John Carter ordered back to the Isle of Shador. 
     Upon leaving, Phaidor tells Issus of John Carter's prowess and he is resummoned and forced to repeat the approach to the throne. This time, he was told to turn and look upon Issus with the admonishment that once looked upon, a person would only have one year to live, and then become food for the Black Pirates, being considered a lower order of animals. What he on the throne was a female black. She was evidently very old. Not a hair remained upon her wrinkled skull. With the exception of two yellow fangs she was entirely toothless. On either side of her thin, hawk-like nose her eyes burned from the depths of horribly sunken sockets. The skin of her face was seamed and creased with a million deepcut furrows. Her body was as wrinkled as her face, and as repulsive. Emaciated arms and legs attached to a torso which seemed to be mostly distorted belly. Quite a lovely visage to die for.
     Dator Xodar is disgraced and stripped of his title and made a slave because of his defeat at the hands of John Carter. John Carter is returned to the Isle of Shador, where Xodar will serve as a slave, but not before Phaidor makes one last attempt of winning his love, of which she is unsuccessful.

 Chapter 10 
The Prison Isle of Shador 
     On their way out, Xodar is reviled by the Black men and women and he and John Carter have a run in with Thurid, the champion of the Blacks. Aiming cowardly blows at Xotar, John Carter defeats Thurid, to the amazement of all the blacks. Finally, transported to the Isle of Shador, John Carter is incarcerated in a jail cell, with Xodar, who was sullen and dejected. Looking around the jail, he found a young red martian, who, as it turns out and unbeknown to John Carter, turns out be someone he knows and looks quite familiar. Returning to Xodar, he attempts to raise him out of his dispair, but Xodar is superstitious and afraid of Issus. While Xodar is deep in thought, the young red martian starts a conversation with John Carter, and almost reveals his identity, but is taken away to another cell. John Carter is ordered to use Xotar as his slave as punishment to Xotar, but consoles his companion. Together, they plan their escape. 

 Chapter 11 
When Hell Broke Loose 
     After a much needed nights rest, the two map out their escape route. Xodar is reluctant, because he cannot understand how they will escape from the prison they are in, but John Carter is confident. Just as he is exploring outside of his jail window thirty feet from the floor, when a guard walks in and finds him missing. He escapes detection buy dropping into the rooom next door, since the cells are roofless. After a fruitless search, the guard comes back after John Carter returns, and confused, he escorts him back to be taken to Issus, and the arena, along with the young red martian,leaving Xodar behind. While awaiting to battle in the arena, the young martian tantalizingly almost divulges his identity to John Carter, but you begin to suspect who he is, since once again, they are interrupted. 
     The arena was filled with Issus and her guards and retinue, and the First Born noblemen and women and their slaves. The first even was the death of those who had looked upon Issus exactly one year before. Four young women were inspected, and one was selected to be the next meal for Issus. Great white apes were set upon the remainder, but John Carter, unable to stand by and watch the carnage, overcame his guard and jumped into the arena with a long sword, followed by his still unknown young martian companion. The handsome young red martian's speed, agility, fighting ability and prowess impressed John Carter and made him proud. Goading the other prisoners into the ring to face the Black guards of Issus, they make short work of the countless guards assailing them in the arena. However, the numbers are too much, and the audience nobles enter the fighting, and John Carter and the young red martian decide to attack Issus herself. An insurrection ensued, until John Carter and the youth fought to reach her, she disappeared into a secret passageway and escaped.

 Chapter 12 
Doomed to Die 
     Accidently, John Carter and his companion fell into the secret passageway, which turned out to be an escape chute, and ended up in a barred cell. Thinking all was lost, his companion tells him of the secret passageways they had worked on for a year, which included where they were. Feeling around in the dark, his companion found a secret exit from their prison, and they dropped through. As they groped thorugh the darkness, John Carter contemplated the various races, superstions, history and the events which had led them to this point. In addition to the green men there had been three principal races upon Barsoom. The blacks, the whites, and a race of yellow men. The various races had made war upon one another for ages, and the three higher types had easily bested the green savages of the water places of the world, but now that the receding seas necessitated constant abandonment of their fortified cities and forced upon them a more or less nomadic life in which they became separated into smaller communities they soon fell prey to the fierce hordes of green men. The result was a partial amalgamation of the blacks, whites and yellows, the result of which is shown in the present splendid race of red men.. 
     Eventually, they emerge upon the ledge surrounding the pool where the submarine was moored. Gaining access to the submarine, they discover that it is deserted because Zithad, Dator of the guards, has been summoned to put down the slave insurrection, leaving the submarine unattended. Submerging, John Carter hits upon a plan to get by the guards which surround the island in Omean. This involved turning themselves in, unarmed, to Torith, commander of the guards, and pretend that they were ordered back to Shador, where they planned to rescue Xodar, and complete their escape plan.  

 Chapter 13 
A Break for Liberty 
     Separated again in their respective jail cells, John Carter and Xodar plan their escape, and include the red martian, who has fought so valiantly side by side with John Carter. As they scheme, a large warship enters the harbor. John Carter realizes how lax the guards are on the vessel. Recovering the young red martian, they await a time when all are asleep to make an attempt for Xodar's own airship. As the wait, John Carter announces that he will head to Helium, explaining that he is Prince of Helium, which startles the lad. As they escaped to the water, John Carter is lured to the armory and the swords, while the other two await in the water. Finding swords and a revolver, he encounters a guard making his rounds and they have a shoot-out. John Carter was missed by the bullet, and he dove into the water through a small window, not knowing if his shot had hit the guard. All three swam out to the boat and were discovered by the battleship. Hurriedly, their airship leapt into the air and was soon out of gunfire. Only one cruiser barred their flight, and with slick maneuvering, they were able to flip her over and escape through the dome above Omean. It is here that the young martian realizes that John Carter, his father, was piloting the airship. 
     

 Chapter 14 
The Eyes in the Dark 
     After a brief and tearful reunion with his newly found son, their conversation turns again to John Carter's wife, and Carthoris's mother, Dejah Thoris. During their conversation, the airship they were riding in, due to damage sustained earlier, eventually drifted down to the surface. Upon resting, they were discovered by Thuvia, who had escaped a horde of green martians who had captured Tars Tarkas, in a city just beyond the hills where they landed. John Carter plotted to enter and rescue his friend after darkness. He arrives just in time to see Tan Gama of the Warhoons take the Thark before Kab Kadja. He quickly becomes lost in a series of caves while trying to follow them, and is just as quickly surrounded by several banths in the darkness, and all appears to be lost. 

 Chapter 15 
Flight and Pursuit 
     The returning torches of the Warhoons and their prisoner Tars Tarkas saves John Carter, and the Thark is returned to his jail cell, where John Carter slays them and frees Tars Tarkas. Dressed in the garments of Tan Gama, they attemnpt their escape, but their ruse is soon discovered. Stealing five thoats, they make their way back to Carthoris, Thuvia and Xodar. Going around the city, they eventually head north again, but are eventually pursued. Nearing defeat and being recaptured, they are rescued by a great airship. 

 Chapter 16 
Under Arrest 
     Greeted by Hor Vastus, who was quite elated, came the realization that John Carter had returned from the pilgrimage down the River Iss, but he swore his allegiance to his prince. An immediate search was initiated for Thuvia who had been sent away from the impending capture, as the party was brought to Kantos Kan aboard the Xavarian. It was then they discovered that Dejah Thoris had disappeared within a few short days of having met with Zat Arras, Jed of Zodanga. They are brought before Zat Arras and accused of being blasphemers. They flew uneventfully back to Helium, where, because of age-old superstitions, they faced death, because of their heretical sacrilege. Housed in the temple, they were informed that they would be tried.  

 Chapter 17 
The Death Sentence 
     Escorted under guard to the Temple, they faced their judges, mostly Zodangans who hated John Carter. The death sentence is, unsurprisingly, pronounced on him. He is encouraged to speak, however, as he tells the men of Helium what awaits them in the Valley of Dor and Temple of Issus. Finally being condemned by the hated Zat Arras, the men of helium turn upon the Zodangans. John Carter quickly buys a year's delay in the hopes of averting a civil war. They triumphantly march away from the Temple and back to their royal quarters, temporarily thwarting Zat Arras. As they mourn the loss of Princess Dejah, they get word from Sola that she has been kidnapped by the Black Pirates of Barsoom and is presumed headed for one of Barsoom's moons. 

 Chapter 18 
Sola's Story 
     Sola narrates her story of how Dejah Thoris was escaping Zat Arras's advances, and was captured by the Black Pirates seeking John Carter. The also captured Thuvia, and as they headed south and away from Helium, they threw Sola overboard, but she survived. Upon hearing her story, John Carter and followers plan a rescue mission to Omean. As they were planning, a spy was discovered, but escaped. Later that night, while sleeping, John Carter was gagged and kidnapped. 
     

 Chapter 19 
Black Despair 
     Standing before Zat Arras, his allegiance is demanded for his life. Refusing, he was sent to the pits. there he remained for months, and eventually befriended his young jailor. There he bribed the young guard into delivering a note to Carthoris. Thirty days passed, and with only thirty days remaining for the year of Dejah Thoris's captivity to be up, John Carter desparately tries an escape, and in the process almost kills his son, who had come to rescue him. As they plan to continue with their rescue, another spy is slain, and upon further examination, turns out to be a white Martian Holy Thern. Further search reveals that over half of the guards were Therns, and the plans appear to be in jeopardy. They quickly race to Hastor. 

 Chapter 20 
The Air Battle 
     Upon reaching Hastor, they gather their forces and speed towards Issus and revenge, knowing that the time had expired and more than likely Dejah Thoris was already dead. A large armada approaches the opening to Omean, only to be encountered by thousands of Holy Thern airships. A battle plan is formed, and executed. Nearing defeating the Therns, they are set upon by Zat Arras's fleet of airships, and are almost defeated. Facing the fleet of the First Born, Zat Arras's troops mutiny and rally around John Carter. Conquering Zat Arras, the battle became a three way war between the forces of Helium, the Therns and the First Born. Taking advantage of this, the Heliumite forces turned Thern against First Born, and John Carter was freed to continue on to Omean. 
     Upon landing on the surface of the underground sea of Omean, the Heliumite forces make short work of the First Born fleet. It is from the captured submarine commander, Yersted, that John Carter realizes that he has miscalculated and that Dejah Thoris still lived. However, he learns of her fate in the Temple of the Sun if he attempts to rescue her. 

 Chapter 21 
Through Flood and Flame 
     Suddenly, attempts are made to drown John Carter's forces with sea water from the pumps of the sea of Omean. Rushing to escape the rising waters, an alternate escape route is discovered and quickly taken. Unfortunately, the tunnel was set on fire and another escape route was sought, but John Carter remained trapped. Barely escaping drowning from the winding caverns, John Carter is deposited in the chambers of Issus. There he finds none other than Dejah Thoris herself! 

 Chapter 22 
Victory and Defeat 
     A tearful but quick reunion follows. Dejah Thoris relates here endless days of captivity. Leaving her safely, John Carter joins the fray, and witnesses the Green Martians pushing back the ranks of the black Martians. Close to victory, they return to search for Dejah Thoris only to find her missing. After quick pursuit they overtake Issus. It was then that Issus became insane, and bragged how Dejah Thoris and Thuvia would die in the Temple of the Sun, which only allowed entrance and exit once a year.m After tossing Issus to the vengeful masses, they hastily make their way to the Temple of the Sun, where the Blacks have torched the temple. Upon reaching Dejah Thoris and Thuvia, their way is barred, and little time is left. Returning with food and water to last a year, but no keys, Xodar throws it in, with little space left. The last view John Carter had was Phaidor attempting to stab Dejah Thoris, before they went out of site. He would now have to wait a Martian year to determine if his Princess still lived.