READ THE NOVEL- Chapters 1-31 - ERBzine

Tarzan on Mars
souls who had preceded them along the futile course of
escape, or to the giant reptiles which inhabited the subterranean
caverns of murderous Iss. Those who tried to escape
into the outer world of the "living" from whence they had
come were cursed as heretics and driven back into the
terrifying caverns of death once more.
"Then," said Kar Komak, " do you not agree that John
Carter was really the savior of Barsoom in overthrowing such
a hellish system of deception?"
"In a way, yes," answered Var Koros, "but in another
sense he has sown the seeds of his own destruction."
"What do you mean?"
"He has shattered a tradition of the ages. Religious belief,
tradition, faith—all these things form the basis of reason, a
knowledge of right from wrong. Whether intrinsically valid or
not, this does not matter to a man if it can provide an inner
balance, a rock upon which to place the foot of judgement.
"Now, therefore—if one is to remove the rock of reason
from under humanity, he had better replace it with another—and
quickly! But this was John Carter's great mistake.
He is the valiant hero who overthrew the false idol, for he is
first and foremost a warrior, and he has left it to men to find
themselves again, unaided. But, in providing no satisfactory
substitute for the beliefs and the traditions of the religion of
Issus he left a great hiatus into which he, himself, must fall to
destruction."
Kar Komak remained silent for a long time, deeply
troubled. Finally, he said, "Then I suppose that it is the
purpose of the so-called Holy Alliance to reestablish the old
religion. But how can they, now that the people know the
truth of what lies beyond the River?"
"Ah, but there you have the subtle genius of Tario!" cried
Var Koros. "Not only would he gain the support of such blind
fools who would embrace the old religion without any reform
at all—but also he reaches out to those more powerful
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