I call these posts “Initial Thoughts” because sometimes after class discussion, my opinions and perceptions of the books change.  I’ll usually do a follow-up post after class with my final opinion of the book (changed or not).

Summary:
John Carter is a cowboy running from violent indians when he discovers a cave and has a sort of “out-of-body experience” that takes him to Mars.  He becomes a great warrior on Mars, falls in love with a Martian princess, and brings peace to the alien planet.

Positives:
Despite the total cheesiness, I found myself smiling and enjoying the book once I got into it.  But hey, I like the original Star Trek series.  You can’t get more cheesy than that.  Burroughs does some great world building and his messages about love, friendship, and kindness are strong.

Criticism:
Lots of plausibility issues.  The first third of the book is very heavy on description with little plot or character development.  The language of the book is too formal and would not survive in the current YA market.