John Carter, a soldier from Earth, arrived on Barsoom (Mars) lost and alone. Eventually, John Carter encountered myriad cultures and wars, made friends and enemies, and became the Warlord of Mars. But the adventures were only just beginning...THUVIA, MAID OF MARS tells the story of Carthoris, son of John Carter and Deja Thoris, Princess of Mars, and his efforts to rescue Thuvia of Ptarth. Implicated in the kidnapping, Carthoris must race against time to bring Thuvia home, and clear his name before a war erupts between Helium and Ptarth.THE CHESSMEN OF MARS recounts the adventures of Tara, princess of Mars, daughter of John Carter and Deja Thoris. While on her flier, Tara is swept off-course by a storm and winds up in unfamilar Barsoomian territory. Meanwhile, Prince Gahan of Gathol, an unsuccessful suitor, sets off to find Tara, who has been captured by the Kaldanes. After freeing themselves, Tara and Gahan encounter the city of Manator, where they are forced to fight to the death against other prisoners in an arena modeled on Jetan, Martian Chess.This anthology collects books four and five in Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary BARSOOM series, rediscovered and reconstructed for 21st century readers.

エドガー・ライス・バローズの描く火星シリーズの真髄は、血脈が紡ぐ叙事詩的スケールと異文化への圧倒的想像力にあります。本作では英雄の子供たちが主役となり、頭脳生物や命を賭した盤上遊戯など、奇想天外な驚異を突き進みます。赤き惑星の乾いた風と騎士道精神が肌に迫る没入感は、まさにバローズ文学の独壇場です。 映像版ではそのパノラマが視覚的に補完されますが、テキストには文字から脳内に無限の光景を投影させる魔力があります。映像の視覚的興奮と、原作が湛える博物学的深み。この両者を往来することで、一世紀前の幻想はかつてないリアリティを伴って現代に蘇るのです。