John Flint Roy (1913–1987)

This 'Fully Illustrated' first edition (October 1976), contains 27 pen and ink sketches by the artist Neal MacDonald, of which 14 of them are full page renderings.

To start with there is a brief history of pre-Carter Barsoom, followed by a geography (with basic maps of the hemispheres), an index of place names, and later on in the book there is also a dictionary of the vegetation and wealth of animal life in detail. Local measurements, including time, and numerical systems including monetary are covered in a separate chapter. You then are treated to a biography of important people, past and present, pertaining to the sagas. Towards the end of the book the author covers language, religions and customs.
To finish, we have a glossary of terms, titles, organisations, weapons, buildings, etc. Followed by a list of proverbs and expletives; then the science and various inventions on the planet are briefly covered.
The author then gives a lecture on why you can never 'travel' to Barsoom via a spacecraft to Mars as we know it; and another explaining the difference between Edgar Rice Burroughs the author and Edgar Rice Burroughs the narrator of the Barsoom stories.

I have given this edition five stars. Considering the poor paper stock and basic two-tone illustrations, some may consider my rating too generous. Would I have not preferred a lavishly bound volume (a la Folio Society) with detailed fold-out maps detailing the land regions in full colour; and glossy colour plates of the characters and places? Sure. But that edition does not exist; and if it did it would necessitate a great deal of artistic improvisation in order to turn Burroughs' textural details into fleshed out illustrations, map contours and mountain ranges. Perhaps some day that edition will exist and to critical acclaime, much in the same way as Middle Earth companions have done. When that day comes I will gladly knock a few stars off this edition; but rest assured, with all it's faults, this book is currently the one you are looking for, and I can not think of a better companion to the epic saga.
Highly recommended.

My review of the 1976 Ballantine Books edition.… (mer)