Chapter 1 
On The Arizona Hills
     Captain John Carter always appeared to be about thirty. Along with Capt. James K. Powell of Richmond, he sets out for the Southwest to prospect for gold. They discover a rich vein of gold in the White Mountains of Arizona. John Carter remains behind while his pardner James Powell sets out to purchase mining equipment and hire miners to work the claim. 
    Powell was attacked and killed by a band of Apaches. Carter rescues his friend's body, and was trapped in a cave. In the cave, he becomes lethargic and falls unconscious. 

 Chapter 2 
The Escape of the Dead 
     Awakened by the sound of approaching hoof beats, found that he was paralyzed. A pungent odor is in the air. The Apaches hear a low moan from the depths of the cave, and fleeing in a panic they leave Powell's body on the ledge just outside the cave mouth. 
    Unable to move, Carter hears a soft movement behind him. The strange moan was repeated, along with a sound like the rustling of dead leaves. Struggling to break the paralysis, Carter suddenly he found himself standing over his body, naked as the day he was born. He apparently has had an out-of-body experience. Stepping on the ledge, his gaze is drawn to the planet Mars in the night sky. Stretching his arms toward it, he feels himself being pulled into the cold and darkness. 

 Chapter 3 
My Advent on Mars 
     John Carter awakens on a moss-like terrain and knows he must be on Mars. Rising, he bounces high into the air due to the lower gravity and his earthly muscles being accustomed to heavier gravity on Earth. A nearby enclosure with glass roof contains several hundred eggs, some hatching olive green creatures with two arms, two legs, and an intermediary set of limbs. The creatures have slits for nostrils, protruding eyes, and snow-white tusks. 
    Twenty adults of the olive green creatures arrive. They are 15 feet tall and armed with swords, spears and strange rifles; each rides a monstrous eight-legged mount called a thoat. Threatened, John Carter jumps backwards a full 100 feet, but is eventually captured by the Martians. 

 Chapter 4 
A Prisoner 
     John Carter is carried across a dried up ancient sea bed to the plaza of an ancient, crumbling city where hundreds of green Martian children and adults Tharks are found. The Tharks, live 1,000 years but most die young in battle. Those reaching old-age take a pilgrimage down the river Iss and never return. The remaining Martians live so long putting a lot of pressure on the Martian planet's diminishing resources. 
    John Carter realizes that the furnishings are appropriate for beings his height. Tars Tarkas, the Thark second-in-command, introduces Carter to the chieftain, who demands that Carter repeat his jumping skills. Heading for the door, Carter slips and falls repeatedly, causing a green warrior to insult him, whereupon he punches the green warrior. John Carter is startled when the Tharks laugh and applaud. 
    In the plaza Carter amazes himself and his captors by leaping 150 feet and returning. Hungry and thirsty, he refuses to perform until he is fed. A female, Sola, takes him to sleeping quarters, and places a strange looking martian watch dog to watch over him. 

 Chapter 5 
I Elude My Watchdog 
 John Carter ponders the strange things he has encountered: his guardian Sola, a Martian watchdog, the large plant that provided both food and drink, and the sudden onset of nightfall on Mars. Carter tests the role of his watchdog by leaving the building. The animal stays with him to the edge of the city. Escaping his loyal, ferocious protector by jumping on a sill 30 feet above the ground, John Carter falls into the grasp of a colossal white ape-like creature. 

 Chapter 6 
A Fight That Won Friends 
 The white apes are physically similar to the six-limbed green Martians. Carter is saved from the white ape by his martian watch dog protector. John Carter uses the dropped cudgel to smash the head of the ape who was killing his watchdog. He employs earthly fighting tactics to finish off the second ape-creature, which is witnessed by the green Martians, winning their admiration. He also wins the devotion of Sola and his badly wounded Martian watchdog by saving the animal from destruction by Tars Tarkas. 

 Chapter 7 
Child-Raising on Mars 
 After breakfast, John Carter, Sola and Woola the newly named watchdog, accompany the armed mounted warriors to the hatching ceremony at the isolated tribal incubator. Every five years, 500 eggs presented by the females are selected for a five-year incubation process in the solar heated, sealed incubators. The Earthman watches as the green Martians claim their offspring. Under Sola's tutelage, both Carter and the Martian child she adopts soon learned the spoken language and the mental powers needed for the universal Martian language of telepathy. 

 Chapter 8 
A Fair Captive From the Sky 
 The green Martians are interrupted by the arrival of a fleet of airships. The warriors' deadly gunfire sends them into disastrous retreat, leaving one unmanned foundering craft. The Tharks board and plunder the craft. The looted airship is torched and set adrift. John Carter, feeling a kinship for the defeated enemy, is startled to find the green Martians have captured a naked, black-haired, copper-skinned girl of exquisite beauty. Her eyes filled with hope when she sees him. Making a hand signal he does not understand. 

 Chapter 9 
I Learn the Language 
     John Carter is awarded the rank of chieftain and is tutored by Sola. He learns the language and discovers that Sola is sympathetic for the red captive girl. 

 Chapter 10 
Champion and Chief 
     John Carter learns that Woola would prevent him from leaving. His friendship to Woola makes him devoted follower rather than guard. 
    John Carter learns that the Martian captor is Dejah Thoris, a princess of Helium, captured while on a scientific mission regarding the planet's air supply. When a young warrior knocks her to the ground, John Carter kills him. He is awarded the dead warrior's possessions but warned that he is still a prisoner. He claims Dejah Thoris as his own charge. 

 Chapter 11 
With Dejah Thoris 
     John Carter informs the Tharks that Dejah Thoris will be cared for by Sola and warns Sarkoja to stay away. John Carter is ranked 11th among chieftains. Sola explains the customs and traditionsand suggests how Carter might best Lorquas Ptomel. 
    New quarters are arranged for Dejah Thoris. The princess of Helium inquires into Carter's origin, that he was from earth, and she trusts and believes him. Surprisingly, she was familiar with earth and had seen many earthly images during her life.  
    John Carter is summoned to the presence of Lorquas Ptomel. 

 Chapter 12 
A Prisoner With Power 
     Lorquas Ptomel believes John Carter had returned from Valley Dor. John Carter deduces that only Sarkoja could be responsible for passing information to Lorquas Ptomel, and bends his efforts to escape. He intends to save Dejah Thoris from the horrible fate that awaits her. 
    Carter takes quarters with Tars Tarkus, a building next door to Deja Thoris. Several young Tharks enter bearing loads of weapons, silks, and utensils. They had been the retinue and possessions of 2 chieftains slain by Carter and were now his.  

 Chapter 13 
Love-Making On Mars 
     John Carter spends several days learning the ways of a Thark warrior and training his savage Martian mounts. He mixes kindness with discipline. Tars Tarkas has Carter explain his training methods to the other warriors. Lorquas Ptomel gives John Carter an anklet of gold in appreciation. 
    John Carter finally has a chance to speak with Dejah Thoris, and not realizing the significance of those words he calls her "my princess." Dejah Thoris appears startled. When asked to explain she refuses, except to say when he learns to remember she smiled. As they walk in the moonlight, John Carter touches Dejah Thoris and realizes he loves her and has since the first moment he saw her. 

 Chapter 14 
A Duel To The Death 
     During their continued conversation , Dejah Thoris becomes angry and refuses to speak to him, and he berates himself for being a fool in love. 
    On the encampment's journey to Thark, John Carter is outraged because Sarkoja has chained Dejah Thoris. Tar Tarkas removes the chains. Later, Carter sees Sarkoja plotting with a warrior named Zad. 
    The next day Zad challenges John Carter. During the sword duel Sarkoja flashes a light, momentarily blinding John Carter. Thinking he is about to die, Carter lunges at Zad, determined to kill him. As Zad's sword enters his chest, John Carter loses consciousness. 

 Chapter 15 
Sola Tells Me Her Story 
     John Carter recovers and retrieves his sword from the body of Zad. Applauded by the green martians, John Carter is miraculously healed with salves returning him to full health. Dejah Thoris is grieving for the apparent death of John Carter. 
     John Carter rides on thoat at Tars Tarkas' side as the vast horde makes it way across the dead sea bottoms of Barsoom. At the night camp John Carter visits Sola and the sleeping Dejah Thoris. Sola reveals that Tars Tarkas is her father. 

 Chapter 16 
We Plan Escape 
     The journey to Thark takes about 20 days. Dejah Thoris continues to ignore John Carter. They arrive at Thark, home of 30,000 green martians ruled by Tal Hajus, their Jeddak. He and Woola are joyously reunited. He meets with Dejah Thoris to discuss escape and a truce. Dejah Thoris draws a map and John Carter suggests a roundabout route to Helium. They agree to leave Thark that night by thoat. Splitting up, the women head for the city gates while John Carter sneaks through the city and obtains two thoats. Arriving at the rendezvous, John Carter realizes something has happened, so he backtracks to Dejah Thoris's quarters through abandoned courtyards. He overhears warriors planning to disarm, capture and deliver him to Tal Hajus. Dejah Thoris is already his prisoner. 

 Chapter 17 
A Costly Recapture 
     John Carter seeks the whereabouts of Dejah Thoris and Sola and finds them in an immense hall in the clutches of Tal Hajus. John Carter immediately knocks the Jeddak unconscious and together the three make good their escape from the city of Thark. 
    Without food or water, they flee toward the hills on weakened thoats. Eluding parties of Thark warriors, John Carter sends Dejah and Sola on their way and leads their party of pursuers astray to prevent their recapture. Carter is eventually captured. 

 Chapter 18 
Chained In Warhoon 
     John Carter regains consciousness and learns he was saved for the great games. He is taken before Bar Comas, Jeddak of Warhoon.  
    John Carter is taken to the city of Warhoon where he is thrown into a dungeon, chained to a wall in utter darkness. Lanquishing for days or weeks amid the terrors of slithering and crawling things, John Carter eventually overpowers and kills the jailer and loosens his chains. FONT> 

 Chapter 19 
Battling in the Arena 
     The jailer's carcass, and keys, are dragged way. Kantos Kan is imprisoned with Carter, where reveals 700 Helium warships with 2,000 lesser vessels are searching for Dejah Thoris. The martian, on one man flier, was captured exploring Warhoon. Dak Kova, green jed, orders the start of 10 days of games. At day's end, John Carter and Kantos Kan, the survivors, fight until dark, then fake Carter's death. That night Carter sneaks out of the amphitheater into the hills beyond. 

 Chapter 20 
In the Atmosphere Factory 
     John Carter waits two days in the hills east of Warhoon, but Kantos Kan does not arrive. He treks northeasterly, surviving on plant milk. His telepathic sense warns him when vicious predators are about, but he is eventually attacked and losing a battle with a hairy, multi-legged large animal when Woola saves him. Starving, a day later Carter arrives at the atmosphere plant. Carter and Woola are let into the building. Carter does not reveal he can read the old man's mind, or that he has learned the mental combination of the doors to the building. Reading the old man's mind, Carter learns he is to be killed, and he and Woola steal away during the night. The following day Carter approaches a farm and is accepted by the three brothers who own it. He is given a red dye for disguise, some Zodangan currency, and a domesticated thoat. 

 Chapter 21 
An Air Scout for Zodanga 
     As John Carter travels toward Zodanga he hears that Dejah Thoris is dead, but isn't convinced. Upon entering Zodanga he meets Kantos Kan who tells him that Dejah Thoris is the prisoner of Sab Than, prince of Zodanga, who is in love with her. His father, Than Kosis wants her to marry his son as the price of peace, but Tardos Mors rejects it. Kantos Kan and John Carter join the Zodangan navy as air scouts in hopes of infiltrating into the confidence of Sab Than and thus finding Dejah Thoris. Kantos Kan teaches Carter to fly and learn the intricacies of the 8th Barsoomian ray, or ray of propulsion. Shortly after winning promotion within the ranks, Carter saves the life of a cousin of Than Kosis, and is appointed a padwar of The Guards with quarters in the palace. 

 Chapter 22 
I Find Dejah 
     John Carter is assigned to guard Than Kosis, and is present in his apartment when Dejah Thoris is brought in. He hears her confess her love for Sab Than. She leaves, after asking that Than Kosis stop the war, and Carter deserts his post to follow. Dejah Thoris still loves him but cannot say it because she has given herself to Sab Than in order to stop the war. On Barsoom, a promise is final. He withdraws, dejected, but not defeated. He escapes from the palace grounds. 

 Chapter 23 
Lost in the Sky 
     John Carter reveals his love for Dejah Thoris to his friend, Kantos Kan. Together they formulate a plan, whereby Kantos Kan will kill the Zodangan, which John Carter may not and still wed Dejah. John Carter steals his and Kantos Kan's fliers. A patrol notices them and John Carter leads them on a chase while Kantos Kan escapes discovery in the dark sky. Although he escapes, a stray shot smashes his compass and John Carter discovers a different city. 

 Chapter 24 
Tars Tarkas Finds a Friend 
     At noon John Carter encounters a savage battle between Tharks and Warhoons where he meets Tars Tarkas, who now acknowledges there is such a thing as friendship. After the battle, John Carter is reunited with the loyal Woola, who has been waiting and watching for his master's return. 
    Following accusations by Carter, Tal Hajus' right to rule is challenged by Tars Tarkas who becomes the new Jeddak of the Tharks. Tars Tarkas suggests that Thark forms an alliance with Helium to attack and loot Zodanga. For three days 100,000 Tharks and 50,000 green warriors from other hordes march to Zodanga.  

 Chapter 25 
The Looting of Zodanga 
     John Carter and his 50 Tharks arrive at the gate of Zodanga and sees the wedding of Sab Than, the Prince of Zodanga, and Dejah Thoris! Carter bursts through the window and kills Than Kosis, the father of Sab Than. He is hard pressed in battle and realizes he needs a miracle in order to succeed. Tars Tarkas surges through the crowd. With the aid of his friend, the enemies are defeated and Sab Than is killed. Dejah Thoris promises herself to him in marriage. 

 Chapter 26 
Through Carnage to Joy 
     As the group sails off to return to Helium, they are engaged in battle and the forces of Helium are triumphant. John Carter is presented to Mors Kajak, the father of Dejah Thoris. Kajak is so choked with emotion by the rescue of his daughter that he cannot speak. 

 Chapter 27 
From Joy To Death 
     After ten days of feasting, the Tharks return to their own lands. Tars Tarkas attends the "wedding" of John Carter and Dejah Thoris. For 9 years Carter serves and fights for Helium. Word is brought that the keeper of the atmosphere plant has been incommunicado and the impregnable walls cannot be breached, the people of Barsoom accept their doom with courage and dignity. With the end near, John Carter speeds to the plant in a flier, John Carter hurls the nine thought waves at the doors and watches the Martian crawl through as he sinks to the ground, unconscious. 

 Chapter 28 
At The Arizona Cave 
    John Carter awakens in the cave on Earth where he had begun. He has returned to Arizona where his adventure began ten years ago. 
    His Arizona mine has given him great wealth, but as he sits and gazes at Mars through his window which overlooks the Hudson, He believes they are awaiting him, and that soon he will learn of their fates.