The Gods of Mars (John Carter of Mars)

After a long exile on Earth, John Carter finally returned to his beloved Mars. But beautiful Dejah Thoris, the woman he loved, had vanished. Now he was trapped in the legendary Eden of Mars—an Eden from which none ever escaped alive.

Three monstrous white apes sprang into the arena. On her throne, Issus, the living goddess of the First Born, leaned forward in keen anticipation. At length the apes spied the huddled knot of terror-stricken maidens and, with demoniacal shrieks of bestial frenzy, charged upon them.

A wave of mad fury surged over me. A single blow sent my guard unconscious to the ground. Snatching up his long-sword, I leaped into tthe arena. The sword whirled and a great ape sprawled headless at the feet of the fainting girls.

The other apes were upon me now—but my act had heartened the prisoners, and the cages vomited forth their inmates hot with the lust to kill—doomed men dedicated to revenge upon Issus!

But against each of us were a thousand warriors of the First Born.