The Chessmen of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs (best reads of all time .TXT) ๐
Description
The Chessmen of Mars, the fifth installment in the Martian series, was originally serialized in six parts in Argosy All-Story Weekly before being published as a novel in 1922. It introduces Tara, Princess of Helium, the headstrong daughter of John Carter, the Warlord of Mars. Just like the rest of the novels in the series, this one is packed with imaginative characters and locations. In true Barsoomian fashion, Burroughs regales us with an action-packed adventure: planet-shaking storms, daring swordfights, horrific dungeons, complex alien cultures, and wild escapes. While the story may be considered a standard pulp adventure, it also introduces a bit of philosophy by exploring the connection between the mind and the body.
Of special note is Jetan, or Martian chess, which holds a central place in the storyline. Burroughs includes an appendix so that interested readers may play the game themselves.
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- Author: Edgar Rice Burroughs
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Several of those who examined her felt her flesh, pinching it gently between thumb and forefinger, a familiarity that the girl resented. She struck down their hands. โDo not touch me!โ she cried, imperiously, for was she not a princess of Helium? The expression on those terrible faces did not change. She could not tell whether they were angry or amused, whether her action had filled them with respect for her, or contempt. Only one of them spoke immediately.
โShe will have to be fattened more,โ he said.
The girlโs eyes went wide with horror. She turned upon her captor. โDo these frightful creatures intend to devour me?โ she cried.
โThat is for Luud to say,โ he replied, and then he leaned closer so that his mouth was near her ear. โThat noise you made which you called song pleased me,โ he whispered, โand I will repay you by warning you not to antagonize these kaldanes. They are very powerful. Luud listens to them. Do not call them frightful. They are very handsome. Look at their wonderful trappings, their gold, their jewels.โ
โThank you,โ she said. โYou called them kaldanesโ โwhat does that mean?โ
โWe are all kaldanes,โ he replied.
โYou, too?โ and she pointed at him, her slim finger directed toward his chest.
โNo, not this,โ he explained, touching his body; โthis is a rykor; but this,โ and he touched his head, โis a kaldane. It is the brain, the intellect, the power that directs all things. The rykor,โ he indicated his body, โis nothing. It is not so much even as the jewels upon our harness; no, not so much as the harness itself. It carries us about. It is true that we would find difficulty getting along without it; but it has less value than harness or jewels because it is less difficult to reproduce.โ He turned again to the other kaldanes. โWill you notify Luud that I am here?โ he asked.
โSept has already gone to Luud. He will tell him,โ replied one. โWhere did you find this rykor with the strange kaldane that cannot detach itself?โ
The girlโs captor narrated once more the story of her capture. He stated facts just as they had occurred, without embellishment, his voice as expressionless as his face, and his story was received in the same manner that it was delivered. The creatures seemed totally lacking in emotion, or, at least, the capacity to express it. It was impossible to judge what impression the story made upon them, or even if they heard it. Their protruding eyes simply stared and occasionally the muscles of their mouths opened and closed. Familiarity did not lessen the horror the girl felt for them. The more she saw of them the more repulsive they seemed. Often her body was shaken by convulsive shudders as she looked at the kaldanes, but when her eyes wandered to the beautiful bodies and she could for a moment expunge the heads from her consciousness the effect was soothing and refreshing, though when the bodies lay, headless, upon the floor they were quite as shocking as the heads mounted on bodies. But by far the most gruesome and uncanny sight of all was that of the heads crawling about upon their spider legs. If one of these should approach and touch her Tara of Helium was positive that she should scream, while should one attempt to crawl up her personโ โugh! the very idea induced a feeling of faintness.
Sept returned to the chamber. โLuud will see you and the captive. Come!โ he said, and turned toward a door opposite that through which Tara of Helium had entered the chamber. โWhat is your name?โ His question was directed to the girlโs captor.
โI am Ghek, third foreman of the fields of Luud,โ he answered.
โAnd hers?โ
โI do not know.โ
โIt makes no difference. Come!โ
The patrician brows of Tara of Helium went high. It made no difference, indeed! She, a princess of Helium; only daughter of The Warlord of Barsoom!
โWait!โ she cried. โIt makes much difference who I am. If you are conducting me into the presence of your jed you may announce The Princess Tara of Helium, daughter of John Carter, The Warlord of Barsoom.โ
โHold your peace!โ commanded Sept. โSpeak when you are spoken to. Come with me!โ
The anger of Tara of Helium all but choked her. โCome,โ admonished Ghek, and took her by the arm, and Tara of Helium came. She was naught but a prisoner. Her rank and titles meant nothing to these inhuman monsters. They led her through a short, S-shaped passageway into a chamber entirely lined with the white, tile-like material with which the interior of the light wall was faced. Close to the base of the walls were numerous smaller apertures, circular in shape, but larger than those of similar aspect that she had noted elsewhere. The majority of these apertures were sealed. Directly opposite the entrance was one framed in gold, and above it a peculiar device was inlaid in the same precious metal.
Sept and Ghek halted just within the
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