Khan of Mars

For a planet that's never had a human being step foot on it, Mars is an incredibly well-trod planet.

Khan of Mars acknowledges that history, especially the ERB, John Carter side of it, as you would expect a pulp novel set in the early part of the 20th century to. It goes beyond that, though, to tell an interesting and fairly original story that remains thrilling and enjoyable throughout. Professor Khan's evolution from a bookishly intellectual giant talking ape into a swashbuckling adventurer is a fun one, and Blackmoore elevates the story out of being just a John Carter pastiche, or a DInocalypse spinoff, and turns it into something that stands on its own

Note: I got to read this book early as a reward for a Kickstarter project I backed; the book won't be out until August or later of this year.