Synthetic Men of Mars

The Barsoom series takes place on the planet Mars (Barsoom) where John Carter a Confederate veteran from Earth finds himself transported through astral projection. On Mars Carter discovers a dying civilization of various humanoid races including Red Martians Green Martians and other exotic creatures. In Synthetic Men of Mars the story follows John Carters son Carthoris as he embarks on his own adventure on the planet. Carthoris becomes entangled in a conflict involving the creation of synthetic beings known as hormads. These hormads are manufactured humanoids created by the mad scientist Ras Thavas. Carthoris finds himself caught between two factions: the city of Zodanga which seeks to use the hormads as a weapon against the other Martian races and the city of Helium which opposes their creation. As the story progresses Carthoris must navigate political intrigue battles with savage creatures and rescue missions to protect Mars from the dangerous consequences of the hormads existence. Synthetic Men of Mars explores themes such as the ethical implications of creating artificial life the nature of identity and humanity and the consequences of playing god. Burroughs weaves elements of action adventure romance and imaginative world-building into the narrative transporting readers to the exotic and dangerous landscapes of Barsoom.