Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Master Mind of Mars" is now in Public Domain

The "Master Mind of Mars," is a phantasmagoric novel crafted by the hand of Edgar Rice Burroughs, which is the sixth installment of his "Barsoom" cycle. In the nascence of its conception, the writer bestowed upon it titles both strange and eerie, including "A Weird Adventure on Mars" and "Vad Varo of Barsoom." It first saw the light of day in Amazing Stories Annual vol. 1, published on July 15th of the 1927. Its inaugural publication in book form was handled by A. C. McClurg, and was released to the world in March of 1928.

The fate of this most curious tome may serve as a cautionary tale: Burroughs, it seems, was stymied in his attempts to land a sale with his customary high-paying markets, the Munsey magazines and the Street & Smith line. Some literary critics have posited that the book's scathing treatment of religious fundamentalism proved a stumbling block for potential publishers. Eventually, he found a buyer in the form of the esteemed Hugo Gernsback, who offered him a mere $1,250, a paltry sum when compared to the lavish payouts offered by outlets such as Argosy All-Story, where the previous work in the series had made its debut. Gernsback, a man of discernment, chose the title of the story which remained its name throughout its publication history, and he made it the star feature of his newest magazine.

In this book by the esteemed master of pulp fiction, the thread of the series is shifted for a second instance. The first, I might recount, occurred when the initial champions, John Carter and Dejah Thoris, faded into the background and their progeny took the fore. But, now the author conjured a new hero entirely, one whose fortunes are unmoored from the earlier yarns. This champion, named Ulysses Paxton, is of the same Earthly stock as Carter, and, like his predecessor, is transported to the crimson orb through the mere act of gazing upon it in the heavens above.

The tale of Paxton, who, having alighted upon the red world, found himself in the company of Ras Thavas, a dotard scientist of high repute, and the self-styled "Master Mind" of that place. Ras, as it were, had perfected the art of brain transplant, a most peculiar discipline, which he used to bestow fresh and supple bodies upon the aged and wealthy of Mars, thus fattening his coffers. The youth-starved Ras, ever mindful of betrayal, deigned to train Paxton in his craft, seeking to groom him as his acolyte, in the hopes of someday meeting his own end with a minimum of pain and degradation. But, lo and behold, Paxton was struck by love's arrow, falling for the lovely Valla Dia, one of Ras' duplicitous victims, whose comely form was traded for that of Xaxa, the loathsome empress of Phundahl. Paxton, nobler than his master, refused to operate on the dotard until a promise was made to restore the princess to her rightful flesh. And so began a journey, a quest, in which Paxton and his comrades, all subjected to Ras' experimental scalpel, sought to return the stolen body to its rightful owner. In the end, the victors were rewarded: Paxton wedded the fair Valla Dia, who in a felicitous twist of fate, was revealed to be a princess of the highest rank.

Master Mind of Mars is a middling effort in the cannon of Burroughs' Barsoom stories, which is to say it is a delightful and fast paced read. Because even Burroughs' mediocre efforts are better than the average pulp writer of his day. It does not reach the heights of the better books in the series such as the first three masterpieces, it still fares better than some of the later stories which seem to diminish in quality.

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Ulysses Paxton

Jasoomian, Human, 9th level Fighting Man
Armor Class: 6 [13]
Hit Dice: 9/52hp
Move: 120' on earth, 180’ (360’ jump) on the Red Planet
Attacks: saber, or radium pistol +10BAB
Damage: 1d10, 1d12
No. Appearing: 1 (unique)
Save: F9
Morale: 12
Treasure Type: A
Alignment: Lawful
XP Value: 7,100
Str: 15 (+1), Dex: 16 (+2), Con: 15 (+1), Wis: 13 (+1), Int: 12 (+0), Chr: 14 (+1)
Equipment: saber, pistol.

+2 STR & DEX on the Red Planet

Ulysses Paxton was a man of Earth, but his spirit was one of adventure and daring. His body was lean and wiry, with sharp features and piercing blue eyes that seemed to gaze into the very soul of a person. He was possessed of a courage that was unyielding, and a determination that was unshakable. When he first set foot upon the red soil of Barsoom, he was filled with wonder and amazement, but he was also keenly aware of the dangers that lurked around every corner.

Paxton's time on the red planet was marked by a series of harrowing adventures, and he emerged from each one with his spirit unbowed and his resolve unbroken. He was a man of action, quick to draw his sword and even quicker to use it. But he was also a man of principle, guided by a moral compass that was unerring. When he encountered the mad scientist Ras Thavas and witnessed the horrors that he had inflicted upon his victims, Paxton was filled with a sense of righteous anger that burned within him like a flame.

Despite the many trials that he faced on Barsoom, Paxton never lost sight of his ultimate goal: to return to Earth and to the woman that he loved. But even as he longed for the familiar comforts of his home planet, he was forever changed by his experiences on Barsoom. He had become a warrior, a hero, a man of legend. And though he may have returned to Earth, his spirit remained forever bound to the red planet that had captured his heart.