The Queue

John Carter of Mars is composed of two entirely unrelated short stories: "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" & "Skeleton Men of Jupiter." Compare this to Llana of Gathol, which is episodically composed of four interrelated parts, which with minimal modification could suffice as independent short stories: "The Ancient Dead," "The Black Pirates of Barsoom, "Escape on Mars," & "Invisible Men of Mars." I am dubious of the notion that "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" is even the fruit of E.R.B.'s labor. The introduction, cited in the previous episode of "The Queue," says that "Giant" was written "in collaboration" with son John Coleman Burroughs, to the strict formula of the Big Little Book series (Big Little-link); 'twas later expanded & "adapted… 'upward' for adult readership." I am dubious of E.R.B.'s hand being behind "Giant." The radical differences in sentence & paragraph structure might be explained away as Big Little dictates, but what of the inconsistencies regarding Martian geography, flora & fauna, & technology? The Barsoom of "Giant" is markedly different than the Barsoom of anything from A Princess of Mars through Llana of Gathol. Worse yet, the diction. A substantially different vocabulary is used. E.R.B. is incredibly consistent in describing Barsoomian flying craft as "fliers," "airships," or "ships." My eyes boggled when saw the words "planes" used in "Giant." Big Little's editorial influence? Mayhap Big Little's, mayhap the younger Burroughs's. In either event, "John Carter and the Giant of Mars" reads like something out of an entirely different, entirely inferior canon.

"Skeleton Men of Jupiter" is pure E.R.B. I am interested in reading more of the Tarzan books, & my father opines that Burroughs's Venus series (four & a half books) is even better than the longer Mars series (eleven books). Pellucidar, the stand-alones, yes, I look forward to many more sojourns into the imagination of Mr. Edgar Rice Burroughs. "Kaor!"

Recently
Thomas J. Craughwell, Saints Behaving Badly: The Cutthroats, Crooks, Trollops, Con Men, and Devil Worshippers Who Became Saints
Edgar Rice Burroughs, Llana of Gathol
Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter of Mars

Currently
Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel)

Presently
Pope Francis, The Church of Mercy: A Vision for the Church
Rice Broocks, God's Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty
Richard Price, Clockers
Sir Richard Francis Burton, translator, "Sinbad the Sailor" from The Arabian Nights
Sir Ernest Shackleton, South: A Memoir of the Endurance Voyage
Norman Davies, Vanished Kingdoms: The Rise and Fall of States and Nations
Norman Stone, The Atlantic and Its Enemies: A Personal History of the Cold War
Ted Morgan, Valley of Death: The Tragedy at Dien Bien Phu That Led America into the Vietnam War

The Rebel Black Dot Song of the Day
Barenaked Ladies, "Call and Answer" from Stunt (T.L.A.M.)

Commentary:

"But I'm warning you: Don't ever do
Those crazy, messed-up things that you do.
If you ever do, I promise you
I'll be the first to crucify you…"