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The book tells the story of John Carter, a hero who embarks on a perilous journey to rescue his beloved wife, Dejah Thoris, from the clutches of the evil Matai Shang and Thurid. The story begins with John Carter waiting for 340 Martian days for the cell door to open again, allowing him to rescue Dejah Thoris from the Temple of the Sun. He follows Thurid and Matai Shang to the River Iss, where he discovers their plan to exact vengeance on him and capture Dejah Thoris. John Carter then navigates through the underground tunnels and rivers of Mars, facing numerous dangers and challenges along the way. He eventually infiltrates the Temple of the Sun, disguising himself as a thern, and reaches the prison cells where Dejah Thoris is being held. However, he is discovered and forced to flee, leading to a series of intense battles and narrow escapes. John Carter forms alliances with other characters, including Thuvan Dihn and Talu, and together they devise a plan to rescue Dejah Thoris and defeat their enemies. The story takes a dramatic turn when John Carter is captured and put on trial, but he is eventually able to escape and join forces with his friends and allies to launch a final attack on the city of Kadabra. In the end, John Carter emerges victorious, rescuing Dejah Thoris and defeating his enemies. The book concludes with John Carter being declared the Jeddak of Jeddaks, Warlord of Barsoom, and being reunited with his wife and family. Throughout the book, John Carter faces numerous challenges and dangers, but his bravery, cunning, and determination ultimately lead him to triumph over his enemies and achieve his goal of rescuing his beloved wife.
The narrator is on a mission to find his lost love, Dejah Thoris, who is imprisoned in the Temple of the Sun. He has been waiting for 340 Martian days for the cell door to open again, and with half of the waiting time passed, he is getting anxious. Meanwhile, he has been keeping an eye on Thurid, a black dator of the First Born, who seems to be involved in some sort of intrigue. The narrator follows Thurid to the River Iss, where he meets Matai Shang, the Father of Therns. They discuss a plan to exact vengeance on the narrator, John Carter, and to capture Dejah Thoris. Thurid reveals that he has discovered a secret way to access the cells of the Temple of the Sun, and he agrees to lead Matai Shang to Dejah Thoris' prison in exchange for power and riches. The narrator decides to follow them, hoping to learn more about their plan and potentially find a way to rescue his beloved.
The narrator continues his pursuit of Thurid and the therns, navigating through the underground tunnels and rivers of Mars. He follows the river, which leads him to a large lake, and then through a narrow aperture into a dark and winding channel. After encountering a series of rapids and waterfalls, he discovers a boat that had been used by Thurid's party and finds a sorapus nutshell that suggests they are on the right track. With the help of his companion Woola, a large and fierce Martian beast, the narrator tracks the party through the tunnels, eventually coming upon two therns who are guarding a doorway. The narrator attempts to pass by them peacefully, revealing his identity as John Carter, but the therns are initially hostile. However, their leader, Lakor, suggests that they let him pass, hoping that he will kill Thurid and then be killed himself on his return journey. The narrator is skeptical of Lakor's intentions but decides to proceed, following Woola through the tunnels. They soon discover that Lakor and his companion are actually following them, intent on killing the narrator, and that they had tried to trick him into taking a deadly path. The narrator and Woola evade their pursuers and continue on their quest to find Thurid and rescue Dejah Thoris.
The narrator engages in a fierce battle with two therns, Lakor and his companion, who are trying to kill him. With the help of his loyal Martian calot, Woola, he defeats them and discovers that Lakor is a Holy Thern. The narrator then decides to disguise himself in Lakor's trappings, including his yellow wig and harness, in order to infiltrate the Temple of the Sun. As they proceed, they come across a Chamber of Reptiles, filled with venomous snakes and loathsome reptiles, but manage to navigate through it by using a gallery above the chamber. The narrator then reaches the base of the Temple of the Sun and finds a small door with a pinhole, which he believes is the entrance used by Thurid and Matai Shang. After deciphering a code on a radium flash torch, he uses the torch to unlock the door by applying different intensities of light to the pinhole. Once inside, they find a spiral stairway leading up to the prison cells, but Woola's keen instinct leads them to a different corridor, where they discover a labyrinth of crystal glass partitioned passages. There, they catch a glimpse of Dejah Thoris and her captors, including Thurid and Matai Shang, and the narrator is heartened to see that Dejah Thoris has recognized him despite his disguise.
The narrator and Woola continue their pursuit of Thurid and Matai Shang, following them to the secret hiding place of the Father of Therns, a mighty fortress buried beneath the side of an overhanging cliff. The narrator, disguised as a thern, infiltrates the fortress and makes his way to the inner court, where he finds Dejah Thoris, Thurid, and Matai Shang. Matai Shang reveals his plan to make Dejah Thoris his wife for a Martian year and then discard her, and the narrator is met with a dozen ferocious banths. However, Thuvia of Ptarth intervenes, using her unique ability to control the banths, and they retreat. The narrator then fights off several thern guards and pursues Matai Shang and Thurid, who have taken Dejah Thoris and Thuvia. He follows them to a secret exit, but it is locked, and he must climb the outside of the tower to reach the roof, where a flier is waiting to take off. Just as he reaches the roof, Thurid spots him and kicks him, sending him tumbling backward over the tower's side.
The narrator, John Carter, narrowly escapes death after falling from a tower and being shot at by Thurid. He and his companion Woola commandeer another flier and pursue their enemies, who are heading towards the land of Kaol. As they fly over the Kaolian forest, they spot the flier carrying Dejah Thoris and their enemies. John Carter's flier is damaged, and they are forced to make an emergency landing. They then journey on foot through the treacherous forest, encountering various dangers, including ferocious beasts. Along the way, they meet a red warrior named Torkar Bar, who is a Captain of the Kaolian Road. Despite being enemies, Torkar Bar helps John Carter and Woola, and they form a tentative alliance. Torkar Bar asks John Carter to promise that he will not harm the nation of Kaol or its jeddak, and John Carter agrees. Torkar Bar then departs, and John Carter and Woola continue on their way, attempting to enter the city of Kaol surreptitiously. However, they find that the city walls are impassable, and they are forced to retreat and come up with a new plan.
The narrator, still disguised as Dotar Sojat, awakens to find a group of green warriors hiding in the jungle, waiting to ambush the red troops of Kaol. He decides to warn the Kaolians and, with the help of his companion Woola, fights off the green warriors in a fierce battle. The Kaolians are grateful for his bravery, and the jeddak, Kulan Tith, thanks him personally and invites him to accompany him to meet a visiting jeddak. During the meeting, the narrator is introduced to his arch-enemies, Matai Shang and Thurid, who do not recognize him in his disguise. After the meeting, the narrator joins the Kaolian column and participates in a grand procession to meet the visiting jeddak. Later that night, he suspects that he is being spied upon and catches a glimpse of a figure that resembles a white face with yellow hair, leading him to wonder if Matai Shang and Thurid have discovered his true identity. The narrator is then awakened in the middle of the night by an unknown presence and, after a brief struggle, the person disappears. Soon after, a group of Kaolian guardsmen arrives to summons him to appear before Kulan Tith, leaving the narrator to wonder what new challenges or dangers lie ahead.
The narrator, John Carter, is led back to the audience chamber in the palace of Kulan Tith, Jeddak of Kaol, where he is confronted by Thurid, who reveals his true identity. The Jeddak of Kaol sentences John Carter to death, but Thuvan Dihn, Jeddak of Ptarth, intervenes, revealing that John Carter had rescued his daughter, Thuvia, and vouches for his honor. Thuvan Dihn demands to see his daughter and John Carter's wife, Dejah Thoris, who are being held captive by Matai Shang. However, Matai Shang and his party have escaped, and a search is initiated to find them. The young officer responsible for the escape comes forward, explaining that he was deceived by Matai Shang, and Kulan Tith spares his life. Thuvan Dihn and John Carter plan to pursue Matai Shang, and Kulan Tith offers the resources of his nation to aid in the pursuit. John Carter suggests repairing a damaged flier to chase after Matai Shang, and with the help of Kulan Tith's men, he is able to repair it in two days. As they prepare to depart, Thuvan Dihn decides to accompany John Carter on the pursuit, leaving his retinue to return to Ptarth.
The narrator and Thuvan Dihn continue their pursuit of Matai Shang, following the destination compass that leads them towards the north pole. As they approach the ice-barrier, they notice the air growing colder and encounter fierce, fur-bearing creatures. After crashing their flier, they are forced to traverse the ice-barrier on foot, eventually stumbling upon the entrance to the Carrion Caves, a fabled passage to the land of the yellow men. The caves are filled with the bodies of dead men and ferocious apts, but the duo presses on, using stealth and strategy to evade the beasts. Along the way, they discover a domesticated apt with a golden collar, hinting at the existence of a previously unknown human settlement. As they near the end of the caves, they encounter a group of yellow men, who are engaged in a fierce battle. The narrator joins the fight, siding with the lone warrior, and together they manage to hold off the attackers. The yellow men are revealed to be skilled fighters, using unique swords and shields to defend themselves. The narrator and Thuvan Dihn emerge from the caves and find themselves in a desolate, snow-covered landscape, where they observe the yellow men from a distance, marveling at their existence and prowess.
The narrator and Thuvan Dihn continue their pursuit of Matai Shang, and with the help of Talu, Prince of Marentina, they disguise themselves as yellow men to infiltrate the city of Kadabra. Talu provides them with a detailed plan and gives the narrator a ring that will help him identify friends in the city. They set out towards Kadabra, and after a few days, they come across a group of yellow men who are on an orluk hunt. The narrator and Thuvan Dihn join the group, pretending to be from a distant city, and are able to gain their trust. As they approach the city, they notice a large black shaft in the distance, which they later learn is a powerful magnet that attracts and destroys any flier that comes too close. They witness a flier crash into the shaft, and the yellow men capture the survivors, taking them prisoner. The narrator and Thuvan Dihn are able to slip into the city unnoticed, where they plan to continue their search for Dejah Thoris and the others.
The narrator and Thuvan Dihn, disguised as yellow men, infiltrate the city of Kadabra and attempt to join the palace guard. They are successful in their initial interview with Sorav, the commander of the palace forces, and are assigned to quarters in a semi-detached tower. However, they soon discover that they are effectively prisoners, locked away from the rest of the palace. From their window, they spot Dejah Thoris and Thuvia of Ptarth in the garden below, but their attempts to communicate with them are met with contempt and indifference. The situation escalates when Thurid, the black dator of the First Born, appears and attempts to coerce Dejah Thoris into accepting his advances. The narrator intervenes, fighting off Thurid, and attracts the attention of Salensus Oll, the Jeddak of Jeddaks. Despite Dejah Thoris's earlier rejection, she and Thuvia corroborate the narrator's story, and Thurid is put on the defensive. However, in a surprising twist, Thurid accuses the narrator of being a spy and an enemy, and Salensus Oll orders him to be confined in chains. As the narrator is dragged away, he realizes that Salensus Oll has developed a sudden and powerful interest in Dejah Thoris, making him an even more formidable foe.
The narrator, John Carter, is put on trial by Salensus Oll, the Jeddak of Jeddaks, after being revealed as the true John Carter by Thurid. Dejah Thoris, who had previously denied knowing him due to his disguise, is overjoyed to be reunited with her husband. However, Salensus Oll is furious and sentences John Carter to death in the Pit of Plenty, a torture chamber where the prisoner is tantalized with food and water that they cannot reach. John Carter is thrown into the pit and must use his willpower to resist the temptation of the food and water. After several days, a package of food tablets is dropped into the pit, and John Carter eats them, believing they may be poisoned. However, the package also contains a message from a friendly guardsman, written in the script of Marentina, which reads "Courage! Follow the rope." This gives John Carter hope and a potential means of escape.
The narrator, John Carter, follows a rope that has been left for him as a guide, leading him through a tunnel and into a chamber where he overhears a conversation between Thurid and a yellow man named Solan. Thurid is planning to escape with Dejah Thoris, and Solan agrees to help him in exchange for a large sum of money. However, Solan reveals that he has no intention of keeping his end of the bargain and plans to trap Thurid and Dejah Thoris. John Carter must then navigate the palace corridors, avoiding danger and trying to find a way to stop Thurid's plan. He encounters a friend who wears a ring that matches his own, and together they devise a plan to throw off their pursuers. John Carter makes his way to an armory where he finds a group of red slaves, including Tardos Mors and Mors Kajak, who are being held captive. He decides to free them and lead a rebellion against the yellow men, hoping to create a diversion that will aid in his rescue of Dejah Thoris.
The narrator, John Carter, continues to fight against the yellow men in the armory, eventually freeing all the red prisoners. They then retreat to the upper chambers, where they defend themselves against the relentless attacks of the Okarian guard. Meanwhile, John Carter sees the army of Helium, led by his son Carthoris, approaching the city, and soon the green allies of Helium, led by Tars Tarkas, join the battle. However, a new threat emerges as a fleet of fliers approaches the city, drawn to the deadly Guardian of the North shaft. John Carter remembers a switch in a buried chamber that controls the shaft and decides to act quickly to save the fleet. He fights his way down to the chamber, facing numerous guards, and finally confronts the old man, Solan, who is determined to stop him. After a fierce duel, John Carter manages to throw the switch, releasing the magnetic force that would have destroyed the fleet, and kills Solan in the process.
The narrator, John Carter, continues his fight against the yellow men in the palace of Salensus Oll, the Jeddak of Jeddaks. He interrupts the mock marriage ceremony between Salensus Oll and his beloved, Dejah Thoris, and kills the Jeddak. The nobles of Okar attack him, but he fights them off with the help of his own bravery and the battle anthem of Helium sung by Dejah Thoris. Just as the tide of battle turns in his favor, a messenger announces that the city has fallen to the hordes from beyond the barrier, and the palace is being overrun. The yellow men flee, and John Carter joins forces with his friend Kantos Kan and his warriors, who have fought their way into the palace. Together, they defeat the remaining yellow men, but not before Matai Shang and his daughter Phaidor appear, revealing their rage and pleasure at the turn of events. In the end, John Carter emerges victorious but is left devastated when he discovers that Dejah Thoris is gone, and he is left to wonder what has become of her.
The narrator, John Carter, is grief-stricken to discover that Dejah Thoris is no longer in the throne room. He recalls a dark face he saw earlier and realizes that Thurid, the black dator, must have taken her. John Carter follows a rope left for him, navigating through tunnels and corridors, and eventually finds himself in the harsh arctic environment outside the city of Kadabra. He discovers a dressing room where Thurid and Dejah Thoris had stopped to acquire warm clothing and follows their tracks in the snow. As he closes in on them, he sees Thurid, Matai Shang, Phaidor, and Dejah Thoris near a flier, and a fierce battle ensues. In a shocking turn of events, Phaidor kills Thurid and then assists John Carter onto the deck, revealing that she has undergone a change of heart and now truly loves him, but in a selfless way, wanting him to be with Dejah Thoris. Phaidor then leaps to her death, and John Carter is finally reunited with Dejah Thoris, freeing her from her bonds and embracing her.
The chapter begins with John Carter and Dejah Thoris standing on a useless flier above the arctic ice, after their long separation. They make their way back to the city of Kadabra, where they are greeted as heroes. John Carter then takes a bold step and declares Talu, the rebel prince of Marentina, as the new Jeddak of Jeddaks of the North, citing that a yellow man should rule over the yellow men. The declaration is met with approval and celebration from the crowd. The story then jumps to John Carter's return to Helium, where he is reunited with his family and friends. However, he soon receives a summons to the Temple of Reward, where he is put on trial by a tribunal of judges, including his friends and allies. Despite the initial severity of the trial, the judges ultimately declare John Carter as the Jeddak of Jeddaks, Warlord of Barsoom, in a surprise twist. The chapter ends with John Carter being congratulated by the nobles and his wife, Dejah Thoris, being brought to his side to share in the honor.