The Gods of Mars · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs.
Chapter 1
The Gods of Mars
John Carter, having escaped the Temple of the Sun, finds himself in a strange and perilous part of Mars. He encounters the Plant Men and the White Apes, and is eventually captured and taken before the Holy Therns, where he learns more about the false gods of Mars and the oppressive religious hierarchy that controls the planet.
Chapter 2
The Plant Men
John Carter, standing on a bluff by the Hudson River in March 1886, feels the irresistible call of Mars and is transported across space once more. He awakens in a strange, beautiful forest on Mars, near an open sea. Exploring, he encounters grotesque plant men—tall, blue, single-eyed creatures with tentacle-like arms—who attack a small group of green Martians. John Carter witnesses the plant men's deadly tactics and realizes he is indeed on Mars, though in an unfamiliar region.
Chapter 3
A Forest Battle
John Carter and Tars Tarkas fight for their lives against a horde of plant men and great white apes in an unknown valley. After a desperate battle, they take refuge inside a hollow tree, but are besieged by their enemies. Carter explores the tree's interior and later discovers that the cliff face, when struck by sunlight, reveals veins of gold and precious gems, along with dark openings that may offer a path of escape.
Chapter 4
The Chamber of Mystery
John Carter and Tars Tarkas find themselves in a mysterious chamber after escaping the plant men. They discuss the shocking revelation that the Valley Dor, long believed to be a heavenly afterlife, is actually a place of horror and death. Tars Tarkas explains his pilgrimage down the River Iss, expecting to find peace but instead discovering the brutal truth. The two are then attacked by invisible foes and later by banths that appear from hidden doors. Using a mirror on Tars Tarkas's harness, John Carter spots a secret revolving section of the wall and floor, revealing the mechanism behind the attacks.
Chapter 5
Thuvia
John Carter awakens to the sounds of conflict and finds himself in a chamber with prisoners and savage beasts. After freeing a young red Martian woman, she helps him re-enter a horror chamber where Tars Tarkas is fighting for his life against banths. The woman, Thuvia, reveals she is a prisoner of the Holy Therns, who plan to feed her to plant men. She explains the therns' beliefs about the afterlife and the Temple of Issus. John Carter convinces Thuvia and Tars Tarkas to attempt an escape, arguing that the Valley Dor is a deception and that they have a duty to reveal the truth. They gather other prisoners and prepare to flee.
Chapter 6
Corridors of Peril
John Carter, Thuvia, and Tars Tarkas navigate the dangerous subterranean corridors of the therns' underworld, guided by Thuvia's ability to command the fearsome banths. They witness the brutal feeding of plant men and white apes on lost souls from the outer world, and plan their escape through the heavily guarded gardens, temples, and ramparts above. Their presence is eventually detected, triggering a widespread alarm.
Chapter 7
The Black Pirates of Barsoom
John Carter, Thuvia, and Tars Tarkas witness a fierce raid by the black pirates of Barsoom upon the therns. Amid the chaos, they attempt to escape using a flier, but Tars Tarkas's weight prevents it from lifting. John Carter sacrifices himself by leaping off to fight the pursuing black pirates, ensuring Thuvia and Tars Tarkas can escape.
Chapter 8
A Fair Goddess
John Carter, having boarded a pirate cruiser, frees a captive white girl named Phaidor and battles the black pirates. He spares the life of Xodar, a Dator of the First Born, and learns about the ancient origins of the black race. Steering north toward Helium, he challenges the religious beliefs of the therns and the First Born.
Chapter 9
The Depths of Omean
John Carter and Phaidor are taken by Xodar into the subterranean world of Omean, a hidden sea beneath Barsoom's surface. They witness the secret naval base of the First Born and learn of the deception that has led countless Martians to their doom. Xodar reveals the existence of the Temple of Issus, and Phaidor's faith in the therns begins to waver as they descend into the depths.
Chapter 10
IX: Issus, Goddess of Life Eternal
John Carter is brought before Issus, the ancient and hideous deity of the First Born, who degrades Xodar for his defeat. Phaidor confesses her love for Carter, but he gently rejects her, revealing his love for Dejah Thoris. Enraged, Phaidor vows revenge. Carter is then taken to a subterranean vault and later returned to Shador, witnessing the cruelty and power of Issus.
Chapter 11
The Prison Isle of Shador
John Carter and the degraded Dator Xodar are imprisoned on the Isle of Shador. John Carter challenges the divine authority of Issus, arguing for self-determination and freedom. He demonstrates his fighting prowess by defeating the noble Thurid, earning the grudging respect of their captors. The chapter explores themes of defiance against tyranny and the power of individual agency.
Chapter 12
When Hell Broke Loose
John Carter and a young red warrior lead a desperate assault on the throne of Issus during the bloody rites, aided by a slave uprising. Phaidor warns them to flee, but Carter presses on. Issus flees through a trap door as Carter and the youth pursue, though the youth is wounded.
Chapter 13
Doomed to Die
John Carter and a young companion fall into a pit beneath the arena after a confrontation with Issus. They discover ancient subterranean corridors leading to the submarine shaft, escape in a deserted craft, and are recaptured and returned to Shador.
Chapter 14
A Break for Liberty
John Carter and Xodar plan an escape from the prison island on Omean, discussing the false divinity of Issus and the oppressive system of the First Born. They retrieve a red youth, steal swords, and swim to a fast flier, making a break for freedom.
Chapter 15
The Eyes in the Dark
John Carter discovers that the handsome youth he has been traveling with is his son, Carthoris, whom he fathered with Dejah Thoris before being transported to Earth. After a heartfelt reunion, the damaged flier forces them to land in a desolate region. They encounter Thuvia, who professes her love for John Carter, but he gently rebuffs her. Later, John Carter becomes lost in dark underground passages beneath a dead city, pursued by silent, unseen creatures with glowing eyes.
Chapter 16
Flight and Pursuit
John Carter, Tars Tarkas, and their companions escape from the dead city of the Warhoons, steal thoats, and flee across a dead sea bottom. They are pursued by a large force of green Martian warriors. Thuvia sacrifices herself to lighten John Carter's mount, but Carthoris rescues her. Just as the Warhoons close in, a battleship arrives and scatters the pursuers with shellfire. The chapter also includes a flashback to John Carter's earlier rescue of Tars Tarkas from the pits, where he impersonates a Warhoon jailer.
Chapter 17
Under Arrest
John Carter and his companions are brought before Zat Arras, who treats them as prisoners despite their heroic return. Tensions escalate when Zat Arras insults John Carter, leading to a confrontation. Kantos Kan intervenes to prevent mutiny. They are taken to the Temple of Reward in Helium, where they await trial. John Carter learns of Dejah Thoris's disappearance and the search for Thuvia.
Chapter 18
The Death Sentence
John Carter is put on trial before a tribunal of Zodangan judges in the Temple of Reward. He speaks not for mercy but to warn the people of Helium about the horrors of the Valley Dor and the Temple of Issus. Kantos Kan and many Heliumites defy the verdict, throwing their swords at Carter's feet in a show of support. Meanwhile, a feast at Carter's palace is interrupted by news that Dejah Thoris has been kidnapped by the black pirates of Barsoom.
Chapter 19
Sola's Story
Sola recounts the story of Dejah Thoris's pilgrimage and capture by the black pirates, including the meeting with Thuvia. John Carter and his allies begin planning a rescue mission and a secret fleet to invade Omean and the Temple of Issus.
Chapter 20
Black Despair
John Carter is brought before Zat Arras, who offers him freedom in exchange for supporting his claim to become Jeddak of Helium, but Carter refuses, condemning him as a traitor. He is thrown into the pits beneath Helium, chained among skeletons. Later, Carthoris rescues him after a scheme involving Hor Vastus and Parthak reveals his location. They escape and reunite with allies, learning of thern spies among the guards and preparing to move toward Hastor to save Dejah Thoris.
Chapter 21
The Air Battle
John Carter learns from the captured commander Yersted that Dejah Thoris is still alive and that the Martian calendar has given him more time than he thought. He discovers Issus's plan to imprison her in the Temple of the Sun if he approaches. Carter's fleet executes a daring plan to enter Omean through the shaft, block the passage with captured ships, and prepare for an assault on Issus via the subterranean passages.
Chapter 22
Through Flood and Flame
John Carter leads his forces through a submerged passage to the Temple of Issus, but they face a rising flood from Omean and a fire in the pits. After splitting his men to escape the flood, he ventures alone through a submerged corridor, emerging into a chamber where he finds Dejah Thoris.
Chapter 23
Victory and Defeat
John Carter and his allies storm the temple of Issus, capturing the false goddess and learning that Dejah Thoris, Thuvia, and Phaidor have been condemned to the Temple of the Sun. Despite a desperate race to reach them, the chamber's mechanism cannot be stopped in time, and Carter is forced to hide Dejah Thoris in the pits before rejoining the battle against the First Born.
Chapter 24
Endnotes
The author explains the translation of Martian measurements into Earth values for clarity, noting that the original manuscript contains extensive scientific data currently being studied by the International Astronomic Society. A brief description of the Martian day and time divisions is provided, along with a partial table of Barsoomian time units.
