A Princess of Mars

A Princess of Mars is a science fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Full of swordplay and daring feats, the novel is considered a classic example of 20th century pulp fiction. It is also a seminal instance of the planetary romance, a sub-genre of science fantasy that became highly popular in the decades following its publication. Its early chapters also contain elements of the Western. The story is set on Mars, imagined as a dying planet with a harsh desert environment. While the novel is often classed as science fantasy, it also belongs to the sub-genre of planetary romance, which has affinities with fantasy [16] and sword and sorcery; it is distinguished by its inclusion of scientific (or pseudo-scientific) elements. Planetary romances take place primarily on the surface of an alien world, and they often include sword-fighting and swashbuckling; monsters; supernatural elements and civilizations that echo those of Earth in pre-technological eras.