First published in 1912, "A Princess of Mars" is the debut novel in Edgar Rice Burroughs' Barsoom series. It follows the story of John Carter, a former Confederate captain, who inexplicably finds himself on the Red Planet, known to its inhabitants as Barsoom. There, he encounters strange alien races, including the Tharks, tall four-armed green beings, and the more humanoid Red Martians. John Carter is taken prisoner, proves himself in gladiatorial combat, and ultimately befriends Tars Tarkas, a Thark chieftain. As the tale unfolds, Carter meets and falls in love with Dejah Thoris, a princess of the Red Martian city of Helium. Together, they face numerous challenges in their quest for peace and unity on Barsoom.