Pirates of Venus

By Edgar Rice Burroughs

Pirates of Venus is the first book in the Venus series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The novel contains elements of political satire aimed at communism. The novel's villains, the Thorists, start a revolution in the nation of Vepaja for their own good only, cheating the uneducated masses and killing or driving away those doctors and other highly educated that form the foundation of the society. Throughout the book the Thorists remain distant and unreal, and those few that the hero Carson Napier meets are often stupid or incompetent. Pirates of Venus is generally considered to be one of Edgar Rice Burroughs's best books from the 30's. Here we find everything we expect of a good Burroughsian escapade. There are fantastic creatures, amazing landscapes, picturesque kingdoms with strange customs, a resourceful hero, and, of course, a beautiful and strong-willed princess.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781105597831

Edgar Rice Burroughs

Edgar Rice Burroughs, born on September 1, 1875, in Chicago, Illinois, is best known as the creator of the iconic character Tarzan, the lord of the jungle. Burroughs' life was as adventurous as the tales he penned. Before finding literary success, he tried his hand at various professions, including a cowboy, gold miner, and even an unsuccessful businessman. These diverse experiences greatly influenced his writing, imbuing his stories with a sense of authenticity and adventure that captivated readers. Burroughs' breakthrough came in 1912 with the publication of "Tarzan of the Apes" in a pulp magazine. The novel was an instant hit, leading to a series of 24 sequels and establishing Tarzan as a cultural phenomenon. The Tarzan series not only entertained readers but also reflected contemporary fascinations with the exotic, the unknown, and the primitive. At the time, American society was grappling with rapid industrialization and urbanization, and Tarzan's jungle adventures offered an escape to a simpler, more primal world. Burroughs' work, however, was not without controversy. Critics have noted that the Tarzan stories often perpetuate colonialist and racist stereotypes, reflecting the prejudices of their time. Despite this, Burroughs' influence on the adventure genre is undeniable. His vivid storytelling and imaginative worlds inspired countless writers and filmmakers, cementing his legacy in popular culture. The author's personal life was equally colorful. He married twice and had three children, with his family life often mirroring the tumult of his professional endeavors. During World War II, Burroughs, then in his late 60s, served as a war correspondent in the Pacific, showcasing his enduring sense of adventure. Understanding Burroughs' significance requires situating him within the broader historical and cultural trends of the early 20th century. This was a period marked by a fascination with exploration and a growing interest in psychology and the human psyche, themes that Burroughs deftly wove into his narratives. Moreover, his work prefigured the rise of the modern superhero, with Tarzan's superhuman abilities and moral code laying the groundwork for characters like Superman and Batman. In today's context, Burroughs' work can be seen through a critical lens that acknowledges both its imaginative appeal and its problematic aspects. Modern readers might find value in exploring how his stories reflect the complexities of their time while also considering how these narratives can be reinterpreted to resonate with contemporary values of diversity and inclusivity. The enduring popularity of Tarzan attests to the timeless allure of adventure and the human fascination with the natural world. In sum, Edgar Rice Burroughs was a man of his era whose works continue to captivate and provoke thought. His life and literature offer a lens through which to explore early 20th-century American culture, the evolution of the adventure genre, and the enduring human quest for meaning and heroism in an ever-changing world.

Reviews for Pirates of Venus

[bnielsen_30 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jorden og Venus, ca 1935Forfatteren bliver ringet op af sin ven Jason Gridley, der lige har modtaget et radiobudskab fra Pellucidar, (Jordens indre verden) om at løjtnant von Horst vistnok er fundet. Jason var med i en ekspedition til Pellucidar sammen med Tarzan, David Innes og kaptajn Zuppner med luftskibet O-220. Detet har dog ingenting med denne historie at gøre. Men samtidigt har forfatteren fået et brev fra en Carson Napier, der laver et forsøg med ham. Det viser at de to er i psykologisk harmoni og Carson kan nu sende beskeder til forfatteren ad telepatisk vej.Senere dukker Carson selv op og fortæller lidt om sig selv. Han er hovedrig og i slutningen af 20'erne. Som barn oplært af en hindulærer, Chand Kabi, og forældreløs i en ret ung alder. Han har besluttet sig for at rejse til Mars med en raket, han selv har financieret. Han regner med at det er en envejstur, men måske kan andre føle sig fristet til at gentage turen, hvis han selv når sikkert frem, og så vil nogen sikkert også finde ud af hvordan man arrangerer returrejser.Carson holder forfatteren underrettet undervejs, men det er tilsyneladende ren envejs kommunikation, hvilket er lidt pudsigt. Det er også mærkeligt at forfatterens tjener godt kan se den telepatisk fremsendte 3d-projektion, men det glider bogen let hen over.Carson tager afsted mod Mars og har lavet omhyggelige beregninger og kontroleret dem med hjælp af en astronom, men de er begge kommet til at glemme Månen, hvilket kommer til at koste Carson en del kvaler. Efter nogle gange rundt om Månen fortsætter han men i den gale retning, så han lander i stedet på Venus (eller Amtor, som de indfødte kalder den). Her bliver han i bedste Gulliver stil indkvarteret hos kongen (kaldet Jong) og med en lærer tilknyttet som hurtigt lærer ham det lokale sprog. De charmerende og smukke og længelevende og kloge og ... Vepajanere er i fare for at blive overmandet af de slette og dumme og onde og grimme og kluntede Thorister. Men Carson får øje på en prinsesse på en balkon og bliver forelsket.Kongen har holdt Carson som fange af frygt for at han var en thoristisk spion, men læreren siger god for Carson omend de ikke kan tro helt på hans beretning. Men han får sin frihed og kan ernære sig frit på Amtor. Hans ven, Kamlot, tager ham med på jagt efter edderkoppesilke, men Kamlot bliver dræbt af en edderkop undervejs. Han er dog kun skindød og liver op igen efter en tid. Kort efter bliver de taget til fange af Klanganere, der fra nogle store fugle sænker fangløkker ned.Carson lærer snart at Klanganerne også har taget en pige, Duare, til fange og at deres skibe drives af atomspaltning af element 105, kaldet Yor-san vha element 93, kaldet vik-ro. Carson bliver overført til skibet Sofal og Duare er fanget på SovongCarson allierer sig med nogle andre af Klanganernes fanger og laver mytteri. Mytteriet lykkes, Carson bliver anerkendt som leder og overtager kommandoen. De entrer Sovong og befrier Duare, der selvfølgelig er prinsessen fra ærten, nå nej balkonen. De kommer tæt på et andet skib, Yan, og Carson beslutter også at ville erobre det. Det går dog galt, for nok erobrer de Yan, men ombord er en forræder Vilor, og en slags adelsmand, en Ongyan ved navn Moosko. Så om natten flygter Vilor og Moosko og tager Duare med sig.Oveni rammer en storm skibet og Carson bliver skyllet over bord. Han svømmer i land og går en lang tid, inden han støder på flygtningene og Duare, der nu er ved at blive angrebet af indfødte. Han redder hende og vinder hendes evige og rene kærlighed til tidernes ende, men desværre bliver de igen angrebet.Han får hende frelst i sikkerhed, men bliver selv taget til fange og ført til landet Noobol. Men han skal nok sejre i næste afsnit af denne serie.Sikke en gang sludder og vrøvl. Bogen har stort set intet plot og Carson Napier er en ret dum og klumset udgave af Tarzan. Desuden sker der næsten ingenting i den første halvdel af bogen.

[darthdeverell · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It is hard not to compare Carson Napier with Edgar Rice Burroughs's other interplanetary adventurer, John Carter of Mars, though the two have very little in common. While Carter and Barsoom represent an American audience looking back on the conquering of the frontier, Napier and Amtor very much represent the social concerns of the 1930s. The John Carter books feature a self-assured hero and a pervading sense of nostalgia for a world near its end. Pirates of Venus lacks a cohesive plot and, though Carson Napier is a more realistic protagonist than John Carter, he feels less interesting and exciting for this. The world of Amtor is jumbled and so is the story of Pirates of Venus.Here again, Burroughs creates a unique world. His Venus is Amtor, not the Cosoom of the John Carter series. The inhabitants are geographically separated with little linking them physically or culturally. And they are completely unaware of their planet's spherical shape! The series requires the same suspension of disbelief as Burroughs earlier John Carter books since the modern reader will know that Venus could never have supported life except possibly very shortly after its formation and that its day, rather than the 26 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds of earth time that Burroughs ascribes to it, is actually 116 days and 18 hours in earth time. The ray-based weaponry and ever-present swords will remind readers of the weapons of Barsoom, though the description of its function uses a more up-to-date understanding of radiation. Finally, Burroughs spends an inordinate amount of time interrupting what plot there is to explain the language of Amtor, whereas in the John Carter books he briefly described any necessary terms so the reader could picture the subject or left it up to context to define the terms.Carson Napier, rather than a poor knock-off of John Carter, is Burroughs's attempt at an autobiographical character. Readers and Burroughs himself would like to be John Carter or Tarzan, but most are actually more like Napier. For the fan of Burroughs, Pirates of Venus is interesting, but it is unlikely to appeal to the casual reader, especially as it ends like a serial film without a proper resolution.

[rosenectur · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I decided to bite the bullet and read through Edgar Rice Burroughs “Venus” series in 2012. Pirate is the first book and recounts how a man named Carson travel from earth to Venus, and gets stranded there. He is able to communicate his adventure back to earth via telephathy. Chief among those adventures is, batteling giant spider-like ape creatures, falling in love with Duare the forbidden daughter of the King, being kidnapped and taken as a slave, then finally leading a mutainy and becoming a pirate.

[thesmellofbooks · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Despite the various trodden and untrue tropes, not so old at time of writing, I was surprised by the level of the prose in this book. The bits of wry humour sparingly sprinkled improve the quality of the read still more. Even the female lead, though familiar to readers of fainting-women-burly-men fiction, has more chutzpah (and fighting skill) than you might expect for the 1930s.