Carthoris of Mars, prince of Helium, has inherited the strength and heroism of his Earth-born father, John Carter. Though he has fallen in love with Thuvia, princess of Ptarth, she has already been promised to Kulan Tith, Jeddak of Kaol. And on the planet of Barsoom—known to humans as Mars—only death can break an engagement. When Thuvia is kidnapped, Carthoris is blamed. But while rising tensions bring the red planet to the brink of war, it is Carthoris who flies to her rescue.
In the untamed south of Barsoom, Carthoris pursues Thuvia’s captors into the ancient land of Lothar, home to a mysterious race of aliens with the ability to conjure phantom armies with their minds. Now Carthoris must fight a seemingly infinite number of enemies to save Barsoom from planetary war and win the love of Thuvia.