Book Anatomy · A Princess of Mars
A Princess of Mars: Pace
16 lenses on pace for A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 D8 D9 D10 D11 D12 D13 D14 D15 D16
D1. Chapter length in words, as a chart. Count
28 chapters, median 2,257 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D2. Mean sentence length per chapter. Count
Mean 28.1 words. See the full lens on the book page.
D3. Paragraph length per chapter. Count
Paragraphs average 62 words.
Mean paragraph words, chapter by chapter
D4. Scene against summary: how much is shown live? AI
Most of the book is shown live in scenes. Chapters 1 to 2 use summary for Carter's past, but from chapter 3 onward nearly all action unfolds in real time with dialogue and immediate events.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5
the strange events that befell me during the ten years that my dead body lay undiscovered in an Arizona cave (Ch 1, para 3)
I knew that I was on Mars; not once did I question either my sanity or my wakefulness (Ch 3, para 2)
D5. Action against reflection, per chapter. AI
Action dominates most chapters. Quiet reflection appears in chapters 11, 13, 15, 20 and 28, but even these contain physical events. The book maintains high action throughout.
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 13, Ch 15, Ch 20, Ch 28
I turned among my silks and furs and slept the dreamless and refreshing sleep of Mars (Ch 9, para 21)
The chill of the Martian night was upon us, and removing my silks I threw them across the shoulders of Dejah Thoris. (Ch 13, para 39)
D6. Tension score per chapter (1 to 5) as a curve. AI
Peak 5 of 5, mean 3.6. See the full lens on the book page.
D7. Emotional arc of the whole book, matched to the six shapes. Count
Icarus (rise then fall). See the full lens on the book page.
D8. Chapter endings: cliffhanger, question, reveal or quiet close. AI
20 of 28 chapters end on a hook. See the full lens on the book page.
D9. Chapter openings: in scene, in summary, or after a time jump. AI
Most chapters open in scene with immediate action or dialogue. Chapters 1 to 2 open in summary. Chapter 27 opens in scene after a time jump of nine years, signalled by narrative statement.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 27
D10. Do chapters and sentences get shorter near the climax? Count
In the last fifth, chapters run at 0.74 times the length of earlier ones, and sentences at 0.84 times. So things speed up near the end.
D11. Dialogue density against pace. Count
Link between dialogue share and chapter length: 0.45 (1 is a perfect match, 0 none). Between dialogue share and tension: -0.09.
Dialogue % per chapter, chapter by chapter
D12. Time jumps and how they are signalled. Both
11 time jump phrases in the narration, such as 'next morning' or 'years later'.
| Where | Phrase |
|---|---|
| c1p21 | the following day |
| c2p5 | years later |
| c10p2 | next morning |
| c14p38 | next day |
| c14p46 | next day |
| c17p18 | the following day |
| c17p18 | the following day |
| c18p21 | Three days later |
Time jump phrases, chapter by chapter
Ch 1, para 21: The little stretch of level land was white with Indian tepees, and there were probably half a thousand red warriors clustered around some object near the center of …
Ch 2, para 5: The fellow, instead of approaching, merely stood and stared; his eyes bulging and his jaw dropped. And then another savage face appeared, and a third and fourth and …
Ch 10, para 2: Early the next morning I was astir. Considerable freedom was allowed me, as Sola had informed me that so long as I did not attempt to leave the …
Ch 14, para 38: As Sarkoja talked with Zad he cast occasional glances in my direction, while she seemed to be urging him very strongly to some action. I paid little attention …
Ch 14, para 46: We broke camp the next day at an early hour and marched with only a single halt until just before dark. Two incidents broke the tediousness of the …
Ch 17, para 18: We rode all night and all the following day with only a few short rests. On the second night both we and our animals were completely fagged, and …
Time jumps are signalled by explicit narrative statement. Chapter 7 mentions five year incubation periods. Chapter 27 jumps nine years with direct statement. Chapter 28 jumps ten years with direct statement.
Chapters: Ch 7, Ch 27, Ch 28
Coming from eggs in which they have lain for five years, the period of incubation, they step forth into the world perfectly developed except in size (Ch 7, para 13)
D13. Info dump spots: long runs with no action or speech. Both
15 stretches of 900 words or more with no speech at all. These are where description, summary or backstory pile up.
| Starts at | Words | Paragraphs |
|---|---|---|
| c1p1 | 8480 | 120 |
| c4p26 | 4089 | 52 |
| c7p11 | 4086 | 51 |
| c19p10 | 2154 | 29 |
| c24p41 | 1540 | 23 |
| c14p52 | 1392 | 16 |
| c12p19 | 1390 | 19 |
| c10p4 | 1312 | 14 |
Chapter 11 contains extended dialogue about Martian history with little action. Chapter 20 has a long passage about the atmosphere factory with minimal dialogue. Most chapters avoid long info dumps.
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 20
Why, every school boy on Barsoom knows the geography, and much concerning the fauna and flora, as well as the history of your planet fully as well as of his own. (Ch 11, para 26)
The building in which I found myself contained the machinery which produces that artificial atmosphere which sustains life on Mars. (Ch 20, para 21)
D14. Reading time per chapter. Count
About 4.4 hours to read at 250 words a minute. The longest chapter takes 15.1 minutes.
Minutes per chapter, chapter by chapter
D15. Micro tension in quiet scenes. AI
Quiet scenes use emotional stakes and romantic tension. Chapter 11 builds tension through Carter's unspoken love. Chapter 13 creates tension through cultural misunderstanding. Chapter 15 uses revelation of Sola's parentage.
Chapters: Ch 11, Ch 13, Ch 15
A warrior may change his metal, but not his heart,’ as the saying is upon Barsoom. (Ch 13, para 19)
The chill of the Martian night was upon us, and removing my silks I threw them across the shoulders of Dejah Thoris. (Ch 13, para 39)
I could not chance causing her additional pain or sorrow by declaring a love which, in all probability she did not return. (Ch 14, para 2)
D16. Section breaks per chapter. Count
0 section breaks marked in the text, in 0 of 28 chapters.
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