Thuvia, Maid of Mars

Thuvia, Maid of Mars is a sci-fi adventure novel set on the planet Barsoom, known as Mars. The story revolves around Carthoris, Prince of Helium and son of John Carter, Warlord of Mars, and Thuvia, Princess of Ptarth. Prince Astok of Dusar’s proposal to Thuvia is flatly rejected, leaving him consumed with resentment. Meanwhile, Carthoris confesses his long-hidden love for Thuvia, only to learn she has been betrothed to Kulan Tith, Jeddak of Kaol by her father. Seeking revenge and aiming to spark conflict among the three Martian kingdoms of Helium, Ptarth and Kaol, Astok orders his loyal confidant Vas Kor to sabotage the automatic navigation compass of Carthoris’ flier and send men to kidnap Thuvia, framing Carthoris for the entire crime.

Thuvia is abducted and taken to the ancient ruined city of Aaanthor. Carthoris intends to rush to Ptarth to clear his name, yet the tampered compass misdirects his aircraft all the way to Aaanthor. No sooner does he arrive than he witnesses Thar Ban, a green Martian warrior, seize Thuvia again. A fight breaks out between Carthoris and Astok’s henchmen; his flier sustains gunfire damage, forcing him to venture deep into perilous mountain terrain on foot to continue his pursuit.

While tracking Thuvia, Carthoris follows the trail of a massive Martian banth, a lion-like beast, through a cave into an isolated hidden valley, where he discovers the long-lost city of Lothar. The pale, auburn-haired inhabitants of Lothar possess powerful mental abilities. They can conjure thousands of phantom archers and wild beasts through collective suggestion to fend off constant raids by savage green hordes. The city’s ruler Tario belongs to the etherealist faction that believes all matter is merely a product of thought, and he is locked in bitter rivalry with Jav, a realist; the two groups constantly debate the dividing line between mind and physical substance. After entering Lothar, Thuvia and Carthoris are deemed outsiders. Tuvia, the first living woman the Lotharians have seen in thousands of years, becomes an obsession for Tario, who attempts to hypnotize her. Thuvia stabs him to break free. She, Carthoris and the disgraced Jav are trapped in a giant pit housing Komal, the sacred beast worshipped by Lothar—though Komal is just another giant banth. Gifted with an innate power over wild creatures, Thuvia easily tames the beast and leads the group out of Lothar. During their escape through the woods, Jav uses mental illusions to separate Carthoris and Thuvia, plotting to claim the princess for himself, only to be killed by Komal in the end.

While searching relentlessly for Thuvia, Carthoris meets Kar Komak, a phantom archer who gained permanent physical form after ages of sustained mental projection from Tario. Grateful for his newfound freedom, Kar Komak swears to accompany him. The pair track Thuvia’s trail yet arrive too late; she has already been transported back to Dusar aboard Astok’s warship. Nutus, Jeddak of Dusar and Astok’s father, learns of the princess’s abduction. Fearing the truth will be exposed and bring ruin to his kingdom, he orders Thuvia’s secret execution to eliminate all risks.

Disguising himself as a wandering mercenary named Turjun, Carthoris infiltrates Dusar’s royal palace alongside Kar Komak and rescues Thuvia moments before her execution. As they flee aboard an airship, they stumble upon a massive naval battle between Helium’s allied forces and the combined fleets of Dusar, Ptarth and Kaol. Kulan Tith, Thuvia’s betrothed, fights amid the chaos. He witnesses Carthoris repeatedly risk his life to protect Thuvia and recognizes the genuine mutual affection between the two men. He voluntarily dissolves their engagement, uniting the pair and putting an end to the intrigue and imminent interplanetary war masterminded by Astoris. A comprehensive glossary detailing Barsoom’s races, creatures, regions and official ranks is attached at the end of the book.