Swords of Mars is a science fantasy novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the eighth book in his popular Barsoom (John Carter of Mars) series. It was first published as a six-part serial in the magazine Blue Book from November 1934 to April 1935, with the first book edition released in February 1936. In this novel, John Carter, Warlord of Mars (Barsoom), seeks to end the pervasive and powerful Assassins’ Guild. He goes undercover, infiltrating the city of Zodanga, the guild’s headquarters. His mission becomes complicated when he gets caught in the rivalry between two mad scientists, Fal Sivas and Gar Nal, who are developing advanced spacecraft. The plot escalates dramatically when his beloved wife, the incomparable Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, is abducted. Carter’s pursuit takes him off-planet for the first time, to Thuria, Barsoom’s nearer moon, to rescue her and confront the villains.
