# Prelude explained — The Chessmen of Mars

> Chapter companion for The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

## What happens

John Carter visits Earth, appearing in his Martian attire, and recounts his ability to transport objects between worlds. He mentions his daughter Tara of Helium and the Martian game of Jetan, setting the stage for her story.

## Themes in this chapter

### The Game of Life and Death

The chapter introduces Jetan, a Martian chess-like game played with men and naked swords, foreshadowing life-or-death stakes.

## Character check-ins

### John Carter

Narrates the prelude, visiting Earth in full Martian regalia.

### Tara of Helium

Mentioned as John Carter's beautiful daughter, whose story is about to be told.

### Dejah Thoris

Referenced as Tara's mother and the only one more beautiful than Tara.

### Carthoris

Mentioned as John Carter's son, slightly older than Tara.

## Key lines

> only a little younger than Carthoris, and, barring one, the fairest thing that ever breathed the thin air of dying Mars. Only Dejah Thoris, her mother, could be more beautiful than Tara of Helium.

Tara of Helium is nearly as young as Carthoris and is the second most beautiful being on Mars, surpassed only by her mother Dejah Thoris.

_John Carter describes his daughter's beauty and age relative to his son._

> We have a game on Mars similar to chess," he said, "very similar. And there is a race there that plays it grimly with men and naked swords. We call the game jetan.

Mars has a game like chess called Jetan, but it is played with real men and swords in a deadly manner.

_John Carter explains the Martian game Jetan, which is central to the upcoming tale._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_chessmen_of_mars_se/chapters/prelude
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_chessmen_of_mars_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_chessmen_of_mars_se/chapters