Anatomy of A Princess of Mars

Edgar Rice Burroughs, 1912. Public domain in the UK and the US. Planetary romance; pulp pace.

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66,098 words

28 chapters

16% dialogue

28.1 words a sentence

first person

4.4 hours to read

Lessons to borrow

Show character growth through relationships: Carter transforms from a cynical loner into a devoted lover and hero through his connections with Dejah Thoris, Tars Tarkas, and others, demonstrating that love and loyalty are more powerful than physical strength alone.
Use contrast to reveal character: The stark differences between Carter's kindness and Martian brutality, between Sola's compassion and Sarkoja's cruelty, and between Earth and Mars all highlight what makes each character unique and memorable.
Plant clues early for major reveals: Sola's small size, Tars Tarkas's hidden emotion, and Sarkoja's knowledge of secrets are all established early and pay off when Sola's parentage is revealed, rewarding attentive readers and deepening the story's complexity.

All 180 lenses

The 20 lenses below are the most asked for. The full set of 180 is grouped in 12 pages:

Beat positions Both

Story and structure · lens A1 · compare across books

Beat	Where	Our reading
Inciting incident	Ch 1 (CHAPTER I), about 2% through	Carter discovers a mysterious cave in Arizona that will change his life forever.
First turning point	Ch 3 (CHAPTER III), about 8% through	Carter awakens on Mars and discovers he can jump great distances due to lower gravity.
Midpoint	Ch 14 (CHAPTER XIV), about 44% through	Carter is mortally wounded by Sarkoja and Zad but survives, deepening his commitment to Dejah Thoris.
Low point	Ch 17 (CHAPTER XVII), about 60% through	Carter is captured by Warhoons after sacrificing himself to let Dejah Thoris escape.
Climax	Ch 25 (CHAPTER XXV), about 91% through	Carter and the Tharks attack Zodanga's palace, kill Sab Than and Than Kosis, and Carter claims Dejah Thoris.
Resolution	Ch 28 (CHAPTER XXVIII), about 100% through	Carter is mysteriously transported back to Earth but senses Mars calling him to return.

from there slip prone upon the floor (Ch 1, para 39)

the effort, which on Earth would have brought me standing upright, carried me into the Martian air to the height of about three yards (Ch 3, para 5)

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)

I could have plunged it into his putrid heart before he realized that I was upon him (Ch 17, para 10)

Percent is the middle of that chapter as a share of all words. The beat labels are our AI reading of the chapter notes.

Chapter length chart Count

Pace · lens D1 · compare across books

28 chapters. Median 2,257 words, shortest 672, longest 3,770. Whole book 66,098 words, about 4.4 hours at 250 words a minute.

Each bar is one chapter in reading order. Hover for the title and count.

Dialogue share per chapter Count

Dialogue and voice · lens C1 · compare across books

16% of all words are dialogue. Speech tags: "said" is 20% of tag verbs we found.

Cast and presence map Count

Character · lens B1, B2 · compare across books

Character	Role (our reading)	Share of mentions	Chapters on page	First appears
Dejah Thoris	love interest	25%	18 of 28	Ch 10, para 19
Sola	ally	16%	18 of 28	Ch 4, para 27
Tars Tarkas	ally	12%	15 of 28	Ch 4, para 17
John Carter	lead	8%	16 of 28	Ch 1, para 5
Tal Hajus	antagonist	8%	9 of 28	Ch 9, para 14
Kantos Kan	ally	5%	8 of 28	Ch 19, para 10
Sarkoja	antagonist	5%	9 of 28	Ch 9, para 12
Woola	ally	4%	13 of 28	Ch 8, para 19
Lorquas Ptomel	minor	4%	10 of 28	Ch 7, para 7
Than Kosis	antagonist	4%	3 of 28	Ch 21, para 25
Sab Than	antagonist	3%	4 of 28	Ch 21, para 25
Tardos Mors	mentor	3%	7 of 28	Ch 10, para 19

Who is on the page, chapter by chapter

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Dejah Thoris
Sola
Tars Tarkas
John Carter
Tal Hajus
Kantos Kan
Sarkoja
Woola
Lorquas Ptomel
Than Kosis

Most shared chapters: Dejah Thoris and John Carter (15), Sola and Tars Tarkas (13), Dejah Thoris and Sola (12), Dejah Thoris and Woola (11), Dejah Thoris and Tars Tarkas (11).

Counts use the names and aliases in our cast list. A name in narration or speech counts as a mention.

Chapter ending hooks AI

Pace · lens D8 · compare across books

Chapter endings: 9 cliffhanger, 8 quiet, 7 reveal, 4 question.

Chapters end with cliffhangers, reveals, or quiet moments that shift the status quo. Early chapters use physical danger and mystery to hook readers, while later chapters use emotional stakes and romantic tension.

Every chapter ending

Ch 1: cliffhanger. Carter collapses in the cave as mysterious forces overcome him, leaving his fate uncertain
from there slip prone upon the floor (Ch 1, para 39)
Ch 2: cliffhanger. Carter stretches toward Mars and feels himself drawn through space into darkness, leaving his body behind
I closed my eyes, stretched out my arms toward the god of my vocation and felt myself drawn with the suddenness of thought through the trackless immensity of space (Ch 2, para 20)
Ch 3: quiet. The warriors ride away with Carter toward distant hills, his fate uncertain but seemingly secure for now
The entire cavalcade then turned and galloped away toward the range of hills in the distance (Ch 3, para 38)
Ch 4: quiet. Sola introduces Carter to a strange watch creature that will guard him, establishing a new routine
It waddled in on its ten short legs, and squatted down before the girl like an obedient puppy (Ch 4, para 29)
Ch 5: cliffhanger. Carter is grabbed by a colossal white ape and dragged into a room, facing imminent death
a huge hand grasped me by the neck from behind and dragged me violently into the room (Ch 5, para 17)
Ch 6: quiet. Carter returns to the plaza with Sola and his watch creature, having won the friendship of the Martians through his courage and loyalty
a dumb brute which, as I later came to know, held in its poor ugly carcass more love, more loyalty, more gratitude than could have been found in the entire five million green Martians (Ch 6, para 22)
Ch 7: quiet. Carter learns about Martian society's cold and efficient system of reproduction and child-rearing
no one could read a jot from my mind under any circumstances. At first this vexed me, but later I was very glad of it (Ch 7, para 25)
Ch 8: cliffhanger. Carter sees a beautiful red woman prisoner who makes an appeal to him before being dragged away, leaving him with a sense of purpose and connection
Just a moment we gazed upon each other, and then the look of hope and renewed courage which had glorified her face as she discovered me, faded into one of utter dejection, mingled with loathing and contempt (Ch 8, para 24)
Ch 9: question. Carter resolves to ask Sola for help escaping with the red woman, but the path forward remains uncertain
I turned among my silks and furs and slept the dreamless and refreshing sleep of Mars (Ch 9, para 21)
Ch 10: quiet. The chapter ends with Carter, Dejah Thoris, and Woola leaving the audience chamber in silence, establishing a new status quo
passed through utter silence from the audience chamber of Lorquas Ptomel, Jed among the Tharks of Barsoom. (Ch 10, para 49)
Ch 11: quiet. The chapter ends with Carter and Dejah Thoris in conversation, establishing emotional connection before a messenger summons Carter away
Ch 12: question. The chapter ends with Carter contemplating escape and the threat of Tal Hajus, leaving the reader uncertain of his fate
Finding that I must assume responsibility for these creatures, whether I would or not, I made the best of it and directed them to find quarters on the upper floors, leaving the third floor to me. (Ch 12, para 30)
Ch 13: reveal. The chapter ends with Carter's realisation and declaration of love for Dejah Thoris, a turning point in the narrative
Ch 14: cliffhanger. The chapter ends with Carter mortally wounded, his vision darkening as Zad's sword pierces his chest
I felt the steel tear into my chest, all went black before me, my head whirled in dizziness, and I felt my knees giving beneath me. (Ch 14, para 61)
Ch 15: reveal. The chapter ends with Sola's revelation that her father is Tars Tarkas, a shocking twist that recontextualises earlier events
My father’s name is Tars Tarkas. (Ch 15, para 42)
Ch 16: cliffhanger. Warriors are heard discussing Carter's expected return to meet Dejah Thoris, revealing the plan has been discovered
Ch 17: cliffhanger. Carter is overwhelmed by warriors and loses consciousness, his fate unknown
I reeled beneath their blows which fell upon me in perfect torrents; my head swam; all was black, and I went down beneath them to oblivion. (Ch 17, para 35)
Ch 18: reveal. Carter discovers gleaming eyes in the darkness belong to creatures that drag away his dead jailer and the keys
As I was groping to remove the chain from about my victim’s neck I glanced up into the darkness to see six pairs of gleaming eyes fixed, unwinking, upon me. (Ch 18, para 29)
Ch 19: quiet. Carter escapes to the hills after the amphitheater clears, having survived the games
When the amphitheater had cleared I crept stealthily to the top and as the great excavation lay far from the plaza and in an untenanted portion of the great dead city I had little trouble in reaching the hills beyond. (Ch 19, para 28)
Ch 20: reveal. The old man's thoughts reveal his plan to kill Carter, but Carter escapes and finds help among red Martians
I am sorry, but it is for the best good of Barsoom. (Ch 20, para 32)
Ch 21: reveal. Carter is promoted to the palace and given quarters there, positioning him to find Dejah Thoris
You are therefore appointed a padwar of The Guards and will be quartered in my palace hereafter. (Ch 21, para 56)
Ch 22: question. Carter leaves Dejah Thoris's chambers determined not to accept defeat, wondering if he can prevent the ceremony
I am as good as married, John Carter. No longer may you call me your princess. No longer are you my chieftain. (Ch 22, para 42)
Ch 23: cliffhanger. Carter searches for Helium but finds only unknown cities, leaving his fate uncertain
none resembling the description which Kantos Kan had given me of Helium (Ch 23, para 41)
Ch 24: reveal. Carter reveals his plan to the Thark council and they agree to march on Zodanga with overwhelming force
with his foot upon the neck of the dead monster, Tars Tarkas became jeddak among the Tharks (Ch 24, para 36)
Ch 25: reveal. Dejah Thoris accepts Carter's proposal and they embrace amid the chaos of battle
did Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, true daughter of Mars, the God of War, promise herself in marriage to John Carter, Gentleman of Virginia (Ch 25, para 33)
Ch 26: quiet. Tardos Mors welcomes Carter as his son and grants him Dejah Thoris without opposition
that you are granted, gladly, and without one word of opposition, the most precious jewel in all Helium (Ch 26, para 46)
Ch 27: cliffhanger. Carter awakens in an Arizona cave and realizes he is back on Earth, leaving the fate of Dejah Thoris and Barsoom unknown
I sank unconscious upon the ground. (Ch 27, para 49)
Ch 28: question. Carter senses Mars calling to him and believes he will soon return to his lost love
Was my Dejah Thoris alive, or did her beautiful body lie cold in death beside the tiny golden incubator (Ch 28, para 11)

Viewpoint per chapter Both

Viewpoint and narration · lens E2 · compare across books

Counted: the narration is mostly first person (first person words per 1,000 outside speech: 62.0).

The entire novel is told in first person by John Carter as an old man recounting his experiences. This creates intimacy and allows Carter to reflect on events while maintaining mystery about his current state and whether he will return to Mars.

Ch 1 to 28: John Carter

Want and need of the lead AI

Character · lens B3 · compare across books

Lead	John Carter
Wants	To return to Earth and escape the strange world of Mars.
Needs	To find love and purpose by protecting Dejah Thoris and saving Barsoom.
False belief	That he is alone and that his strength is his only value.
Arc	positive. Carter transforms from a cynical wanderer into a devoted husband and hero who sacrifices himself for others.

Scene log AI

Story and structure · lens A4 · compare across books

One line per chapter: goal, conflict, outcome

Ch	Summary	Goal	Conflict	Outcome
1	John Carter, an old man who has never aged, recounts how he died twice and lay undiscovered in an Arizona cave for ten years, then describes his pursuit of Apache raiders and discovery of a mysterious cave.	Carter wants to rescue his friend Powell from Apache attackers	Carter is outnumbered by hundreds of Apache warriors and Powell is already dead	Carter retrieves Powell's body but flees into a cave where he becomes paralysed by a strange gas
2	Carter wakes paralysed in the cave, hears terrifying sounds that frighten away Apache warriors, then mysteriously separates from his body and escapes into the Arizona night where he gazes at Mars and feels drawn toward it.	Carter wants to understand what is happening to him and escape the cave	Carter is paralysed and trapped with an unknown creature in the darkness	Carter's spirit separates from his body and he flees the cave, then is drawn toward Mars
3	Carter awakens on Mars and discovers he can jump great distances due to the lower gravity, then encounters a herd of Martian warriors on strange mounts who initially seem hostile but become fascinated by his athletic prowess.	Carter wants to explore Mars and understand his new surroundings	Carter is attacked by twenty armed Martian warriors on massive creatures	Carter's incredible jumping ability impresses the warriors, who capture him peacefully instead of killing him
4	Carter is brought to a great dead city where he meets Lorquas Ptomel, the Martian chieftain, and learns about Martian society, customs, and weapons before being assigned to Sola, a young female Martian, who feeds him and introduces him to a strange watch creature.	Carter wants to understand Martian culture and survive among these creatures	Carter is a prisoner among hostile aliens who view him as a curiosity and test subject	Carter is accepted into the community and assigned a caretaker, Sola, who shows him kindness
5	Carter attempts to escape from the city but is chased by the watch creature, which proves to be incredibly fast and loyal, forcing him to flee into a building where he encounters a white ape.	Carter wants to escape and explore Mars beyond the city	The watch creature prevents his escape and chases him with terrifying speed	Carter is cornered in a building by a white ape and must fight for his life
6	Carter fights two white apes in a desperate battle, saved by his watch creature which sacrifices itself, then Carter kills the apes and earns the respect and friendship of Tars Tarkas and Sola through his bravery and compassion.	Carter wants to survive the attack by the white apes	Carter is pinned by one ape while another prepares to kill him, then must fight both creatures	Carter defeats both apes with help from his watch creature and gains the admiration of the Martians
7	Carter witnesses the hatching ceremony at the incubator where young Martians are released and claimed by females, then learns about Martian reproduction, child-rearing practices, and population control through a harsh system of selection and elimination.	The Martians want to retrieve and hatch their young from the incubator	The young Martians must be captured and distributed among the females	All the young are successfully captured and assigned to caretakers, with Sola claiming one
8	A fleet of air ships attacks the city and is defeated by the Martian warriors, then a damaged ship crashes and is looted, revealing a beautiful red woman prisoner who makes eye contact with Carter before being dragged away.	The Martian warriors want to defend their city from the attacking fleet	The air ships attack with superior numbers and firepower	The Martians defeat the fleet through superior marksmanship and tactics, capturing one prisoner
9	Carter rapidly learns the Martian language and overhears a conversation about the red woman prisoner being taken to Thark to be executed at the games, while Sola expresses sympathy for her, revealing her own doubts about Martian brutality.	Carter wants to learn about the red woman prisoner and understand Martian attitudes toward her	Carter must hide his interest while learning the language and customs	Carter discovers the prisoner will be executed and learns that Sola has compassion for her
10	John Carter wins Woola's loyalty through kindness, witnesses Dejah Thoris being struck by a young warrior, kills him in combat, and is recognised as a Tharkian chieftain.	Carter seeks to test Woola's loyalty and explore beyond the city; later, to protect Dejah Thoris from abuse	Woola's duty to his masters versus his affection for Carter; a young warrior strikes Dejah Thoris during a council hearing	Carter befriends Woola and becomes a chieftain after killing the warrior; Dejah Thoris is protected and they leave together
11	Carter establishes new quarters, learns that Dejah Thoris is from Earth's sister planet, and they begin to develop romantic feelings while discussing Martian history and culture.	Carter seeks to protect Dejah Thoris and learn about her world; Dejah Thoris seeks to understand Carter's origins	Carter's threat to Sarkoja backfires; cultural misunderstandings between Earth and Mars customs	They find new quarters, share intimate conversation, and Carter realises he loves her
12	Lorquas Ptomel warns Carter that he and Dejah Thoris are suspected of plotting escape, and Carter must prove his worth to Tal Hajus or face execution.	Lorquas Ptomel seeks to warn Carter of the danger he poses; Carter seeks to understand his precarious position	Sarkoja's accusations threaten Carter's freedom and Dejah Thoris's safety; the custom of Thark justice demands proof or death	Carter is warned but resolves to escape with Dejah Thoris; he settles into new quarters near her
13	Carter trains the Tharkian thoats using kindness, spends time with Dejah Thoris before departure, and realises he loves her deeply.	Carter seeks to improve the thoats and spend time with Dejah Thoris; Dejah Thoris seeks to understand Carter's feelings	The Tharks keep Carter and Dejah Thoris apart; cultural misunderstandings about love and courtship	Carter's training methods are adopted by the Tharks; he and Dejah Thoris share an intimate evening and he declares his love
14	Carter restrains his declaration of love to protect Dejah Thoris, but his awkward words offend her; Sarkoja plots with Zad to kill him, and a duel ensues during which Sarkoja tries to blind Carter with a mirror.	Carter seeks to protect Dejah Thoris without declaring his love; Sarkoja seeks revenge through Zad	Carter's words offend Dejah Thoris; Sarkoja uses treachery to try to kill Carter; Sola sacrifices herself to protect Dejah Thoris	Carter defeats Zad but is wounded; Sola is also wounded protecting Dejah Thoris; the caravan continues toward Thark
15	Carter recovers from his wound, learns that Dejah Thoris mourned him, and Sola reveals the tragic story of her parents' forbidden love and her father's true identity.	Carter seeks to recover and comfort Dejah Thoris; Sola seeks to share her family's secret	Carter's wound and recovery; Sola's burden of hidden knowledge; the Tharkian custom that forbids love	Carter recovers; Sola reveals her father is Tars Tarkas; the caravan continues toward Thark
16	John Carter and the Thark horde reach the city of Thark after a long journey, and Carter plans an escape with Dejah Thoris and Sola.	Carter wants to help Dejah Thoris escape from the Tharks and reach Helium	Sarkoja has informed Tal Hajus of their plan; the escape route is dangerous and far	They decide to flee that night via a distant northern waterway instead of the closer route
17	Carter rescues Dejah Thoris from Tal Hajus but they become lost in the desert and are pursued by Thark warriors.	Carter must reach Dejah Thoris and escape with her to Helium	Warriors are waiting to capture Carter; Dejah Thoris is with Tal Hajus; they become lost and hunted	Carter saves Dejah Thoris and they flee, but are pursued and separated when Carter holds off the warriors
18	Carter wakes as a prisoner of the Warhoons and witnesses their brutal games and customs before being thrown into a dungeon.	Carter must survive captivity among the Warhoons	He is imprisoned in darkness with creatures; a new jeddak takes power through violence	Carter kills his jailer and escapes the dungeon with keys, only to have them taken by mysterious creatures
19	Carter and Kantos Kan are forced to fight in the Warhoon arena games, where they fake Carter's death to escape.	Carter and Kantos Kan must survive the arena games and escape	They are pitted against fierce warriors and beasts; they must appear to fight each other	They stage a fake death for Carter; Kantos Kan claims freedom while Carter escapes into the hills
20	Carter wanders the desert for weeks, finds Woola, discovers the atmosphere factory, and learns its secrets before escaping.	Carter must reach Helium and find Dejah Thoris; he seeks the atmosphere factory for shelter	He is starving and lost; the old man who runs the factory plans to kill him; he must escape without destroying the plant	Carter uses telepathy to open the doors and escapes with Woola; he later meets red Martians who help him
21	Carter travels to Zodanga disguised as a red Martian, reunites with Kantos Kan, and joins the air-scout squadron.	Carter must reach Zodanga and find Dejah Thoris; he joins the military to gain access to the palace	He must maintain his disguise; Dejah Thoris is rumoured dead; he must find her location	Carter saves a cousin of the jeddak in aerial combat and is promoted to the palace guard
22	John Carter discovers Dejah Thoris has promised herself to Sab Than, fights her guards to reach her, and learns the marriage ceremony is imminent.	Carter wants to stop Dejah Thoris from marrying Sab Than and claim her for himself	Dejah Thoris believes Carter is dead and has given her promise to save Helium; Martian custom makes a given promise binding	Carter finds Dejah Thoris but she refuses to break her vow, though she still loves him
23	Carter escapes the palace, retrieves an air machine, and flees Zodanga toward Helium but loses his compass and becomes lost in the Martian sky.	Carter wants to reach Helium and bring help to save Dejah Thoris	Zodangan air patrol pursues him; his compass is destroyed; he cannot locate Helium in the vast Martian landscape	Carter escapes the pursuit but is hopelessly lost, flying blind across dead sea bottoms
24	Carter's machine is shot down by green warriors; he lands among them and discovers Tars Tarkas, whom he saves in battle and reunites with Woola.	Carter wants to survive the battle and reach Helium	Green warriors and Warhoons are locked in fierce combat; Carter is surrounded by enemies	Carter saves Tars Tarkas, they fight together, and Carter convinces the Tharks to march on Zodanga
25	Carter and the Tharks attack Zodanga's palace during the wedding ceremony, kill Sab Than and Than Kosis, and Carter claims Dejah Thoris as his bride.	Carter wants to stop the wedding and win Dejah Thoris	The palace is full of Zodangan soldiers and nobles; Sab Than and Than Kosis must be defeated	Carter kills both rulers and Dejah Thoris promises to marry him
26	Carter and the Tharks defeat Zodanga's remaining forces; Helium's navy destroys the Zodangan fleet; the victors enter Helium in triumph and are honoured by Tardos Mors.	Carter wants to complete the defeat of Zodanga and secure peace for Helium	Zodangan land forces and navy still resist; the battle is fierce and costly	Zodanga is completely conquered; Carter is honoured and accepted as Dejah Thoris's husband
27	After nine years of happiness with Dejah Thoris, Carter learns the atmosphere plant has stopped; he races to restart it but is transported back to Earth, leaving his fate on Mars unknown.	Carter wants to save Barsoom by restarting the atmosphere plant	The air is running out; Carter must reach the plant before everyone dies; he must remember the secret codes	Carter opens the doors and sends a Martian to restart the engines, but is transported back to Earth
28	Carter awakens in an Arizona cave and realizes he has been transported back to Earth; he spends ten years wondering if Dejah Thoris survived and if he will return to Mars.	Carter wants to understand what happened and find a way back to Mars	Carter is stranded on Earth, forty-eight million miles from Dejah Thoris; he has no way to return	Carter waits and hopes, believing Dejah Thoris and their son are waiting for him on Mars

Setups and payoffs AI

Story and structure · lens A8 · compare across books

Planted	Pays off
Carter's strange immortality and his claim of dying twice (Ch 1)	Carter's spirit separates from his body and is transported to Mars (Ch 2)
The mysterious cave with its strange vapour and paralysing effects (Ch 1)	The cave is revealed as a gateway between Earth and Mars (Ch 27)
Carter's jumping ability earns him respect among the Martians (Ch 4)	Carter's physical prowess becomes his greatest asset in combat and survival (Ch 25)
Sola's kindness and difference from other Tharks (Ch 4)	Sola is revealed to be half-human, daughter of Tars Tarkas and a red woman (Ch 15)
Woola's rescue by Carter and his loyalty (Ch 10)	Woola saves Carter multiple times and reunites him with Dejah Thoris (Ch 24)
Sarkoja's eavesdropping and enmity toward Carter (Ch 11)	Sarkoja betrays Carter's escape plan to Tal Hajus (Ch 16)
Carter discovers the atmosphere factory and learns its secrets (Ch 20)	Carter must restart the atmosphere plant to save Barsoom (Ch 27)
Tars Tarkas's hidden capacity for love and his secret past (Ch 15)	Tars Tarkas becomes jeddak and allies with Carter to save Dejah Thoris (Ch 24)

I am a very old man; how old I do not know. Possibly I am a hundred, possibly more (Ch 1, para 2)

the strange events that befell me during the ten years that my dead body lay undiscovered in an Arizona cave (Ch 1, para 3)

it seemed to call across the unthinkable void, to lure me to it, to draw me as the lodestone attracts a particle of iron (Ch 2, para 19)

Speech fingerprints Count

Dialogue and voice · lens C3 · compare across books

Character	Share of attributed speech	Lines	Words a line	Questions per 100 lines	Exclaims per 100	Pet words
Tars Tarkas	26%	12	22.5	8.3	8.3	sarkoja, hajus, john, carter, jeddak, thark
Than Kosis	24%	13	18.5	23.1	7.7	helium, shall, people, where, name, fighting
Sola	22%	10	23.1	20.0	10.0	helium, small, miles, follow, manner, going
Dejah Thoris	19%	6	32.3	16.7	0.0	sola, better, helium, love, without, want
Tal Hajus	6%	5	11.2	0.0	20.0	thark, today, shoulder, chieftains, chief, among
Lorquas Ptomel	3%	5	6.8	40.0	0.0	hajus, name, justice, aside, customs, ages

We give a line to a speaker only when one cast name appears in the narration of that paragraph, so many lines stay unattributed. Treat the figures as a sample.

Sentence length per chapter Count

Pace · lens D2 · compare across books

Mean sentence 28.1 words, median 26. 11% of sentences are under 10 words and 39% over 30. In the last fifth of the book, chapters run at 74% and sentences at 84% of the earlier average.

Emotional arc shape Count

Pace · lens D7 · compare across books

Computed shape: Icarus (rise then fall) (fit 0.71 on a scale of 0 to 1).

We score the mood of each paragraph with a standard word list, then average across 20 equal slices of the book and smooth it. It is a rough reading of word mood, not of plot, and old styles of English can fool it. Shapes follow Reagan and others (2016).

When the lead and the first dialogue arrive Count

Openings and endings · lens F3, F4 · compare across books

First line of dialogue: after 8,480 words (Ch 4, para 24), 12.8% into the book.

The lead, John Carter, is first named after 327 words (Ch 1, para 5). In a first person book the narrator may be on the page from the first line before we learn the name.

Mystery clue list AI

Genre craft · lens G4 · compare across books

Clue	Kind	Laid	Explained
Sola's small size and kindness, unlike other Tharkian women	clue	Ch 4	Ch 15
Tars Tarkas's moments of hesitation and hidden emotion when dealing with Sola	clue	Ch 6	Ch 15
Sarkoja's particular cruelty toward Sola and her knowledge of secrets	clue	Ch 7	Ch 15
Sola's outburst about Martian cruelty suggests she may help Carter escape	clue	Ch 9	Ch 16
The old man of the atmosphere factory's telepathic thoughts betray murderous intent	clue	Ch 20	Ch 27

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)

Antagonist AI

Character · lens B7 · compare across books

Who	Tal Hajus
Goal	To maintain absolute power over the Thark horde through brutality and fear.
Methods	Executes prisoners, enslaves women, and crushes any challenge to his authority.
Shows their hand	Ch 12
Our note	Tal Hajus represents the worst of Martian cruelty and is eventually overthrown by Tars Tarkas.

Tension curve AI

Pace · lens D6 · compare across books

Tension score per chapter, 1 to 5 (our AI reading). The narrative accelerates from Carter's arrival on Mars through his integration into Thark society, then builds tension through his romance with Dejah Thoris and multiple escape attempts. The final chapters rush toward climax with battles and reunions before the abrupt return to Earth.

Subplot thread map Both

Story and structure · lens A7 · compare across books

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Carter and Dejah Thoris romance
Sarkoja's vendetta
Tars Tarkas's hidden humanity
Escape from Thark and Zodanga
Kantos Kan's friendship and alliance
Carter's mysterious transportation between worlds

Carter and Dejah Thoris romance: Carter falls in love with the red princess and sacrifices everything to protect her and win her hand.
Sarkoja's vendetta: Sarkoja plots against Carter and Dejah Thoris out of jealousy and knowledge of Sola's parentage.
Tars Tarkas's hidden humanity: Tars Tarkas reveals his capacity for love and friendship, eventually becoming jeddak and Carter's ally.
Escape from Thark and Zodanga: Carter repeatedly attempts to rescue Dejah Thoris from captivity, culminating in the fall of Zodanga.
Kantos Kan's friendship and alliance: Kantos Kan becomes Carter's trusted friend and helps him infiltrate Zodanga and rescue Dejah Thoris.
Carter's mysterious transportation between worlds: Carter is mysteriously transported from Earth to Mars and back, leaving his fate uncertain.

Motif tracker AI

Theme and motif · lens J3 · compare across books

Death and resurrection (Ch 1, 2, 14, 15, 27, 28): Carter repeatedly faces death but survives, suggesting a deeper purpose or supernatural protection.
Kindness versus cruelty (Ch 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 20, 24): Carter's compassion and kindness contrast sharply with Martian brutality and earn him loyalty and respect.
Loyalty and sacrifice (Ch 5, 6, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 24, 25, 27): Characters repeatedly sacrifice themselves for those they love, defining honour and true strength.
Hidden identity and forbidden love (Ch 11, 13, 15, 22, 26): Secret parentage and forbidden relationships drive conflict and reveal the humanity beneath Martian society.
Escape and freedom (Ch 5, 9, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 27): Characters constantly seek freedom from captivity and oppression, driving the plot forward.
Earth and Mars connection (Ch 1, 2, 11, 13, 20, 27, 28): The two worlds are linked through Carter and represent love, duty, and the mystery of existence.

From birth they know no father or mother love, they know not the meaning of the word home (Ch 7, para 14)

If you have ever seen a collie smile you may have some idea of Woola’s facial distortion. (Ch 10, para 7)

A warrior may change his metal, but not his heart,’ as the saying is upon Barsoom. (Ch 13, para 19)

She was indeed the proud daughter of a thousand jeddaks, every inch of her dear, precious little body (Ch 17, para 5)

Signature words Count

Prose style · lens H3 · compare across books

martian 109 toward 121 warriors 117 mars 67 martians 62 carter 56 city 84 warrior 47 building 61 green 105 metal 42 buildings 35 palace 44 craft 29 community 26 silks 25 battle 45 entire 33 earthly 27 quarters 34

Words this book uses far more than the other books on our shelf (log odds, at least 8 uses). Names often top the list.

Commercial facts card Research

Commercial facts · lens L1, L2, L4 · compare across books

First published	1912
Author died	1950
Copyright	Public domain in the UK (author died 1950, so life plus 70 years has passed) and in the US (first published 1912, before 1931).
Length	66,098 words in 28 chapters; about 4.4 hours to read
Genre	Science fiction
Sales and adaptations	Coming in a later phase, with sources.

Method: counts come from a clean public domain plain text, split into chapters and paragraphs with stable IDs (for example c3p12 is chapter 3, paragraph 12, in reading order). Lenses marked AI are our AI reading of each chapter, made once and stored. Every quote shown was checked word for word against the text; 17 AI quotes for this book failed that check and were dropped.

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