The Chessmen of Mars, the fifth novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs's Barsoom series, follows Tara, Princess of Helium and daughter of John Carter, who becomes stranded in the eerie domain of Bantoom after a Martian storm. There she encounters the Kaldanes—grotesque, disembodied brains who rule over mindless bodied slaves called Rykors. Gahan, the daring Prince of Gathol, pursues her across dangerous lands and infiltrates the sinister city of Manator, where he must play Jetan, a lethal version of Martian chess fought with living human pieces who die on the board. Blending sword-and-planet adventure with horror and ingenuity, the novel chronicles love, courage, and strategy.
