Queen of the Martian Catacombs

<p>“Queen of the Martian Catacombs” marks the debut of one of Leigh Brackett’s most iconic characters: Eric John Stark: orphan child raised on Mercury who becomes a mercenary fighting injustices across the solar system.<br /><br>Eric John Stark is hunted by Earth police in the Martian desert. Simon Ashton is with them and makes a deal with Stark to act as his agent in preventing a holy war.<br /><br>An unscrupulous ruler of a Martian Low-Canal city is partnering with a barbarian chief Kynon to plunder half the planet. Specialist mercenaries and criminals are coming from all over the solar system to join up.<br /><br>When Stark reaches the city of Valkis he witnesses a ritual that reveals deception at the highest levels.<br /><br>The journey to the ancient ruins of Sinharat is beset with treachery and sandstorms leading to a final confrontation with the secret masters of Mars.</p><p><em>This version of ‘Queen of the Martian Catacombs’ by Leigh Brackett was originally published in Planet Stories 1949 later expanded into ‘The Secret of Sinharat’.</em></p>