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Edison's Conquest of Mars- BONUS- Mail Bag (Patreon)

Published:
2023-03-27 12:00:04
Edited:
2023-12-19 19:26:45
Imported:

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We didn't have enough time for JackalMail in our final Edison episode, so let's get everyone caught up to date on crazy pyramid theories, entomologists who need better taste in books, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, Mike's updated Real or Fanfic stats. Some pics of old dead guys we mention are below.

New book coming soon, another listener recommendation and wow, it looks like it's gonna be a good one!

Bonwick

Percival Lowell

Comments

Luke Yates

For the very first time I am devouring the (better) novel(la)s of Edgar Rice Burroughs (yes he of the Tarzan, Hollow Earth / "Pellucidar" & Barsoom / Martian chronicles --- the latter inspiring the recent-ish Disney flick "John Carter of Mars.") At his peak ERB's works are better written, with great classic heroic action & lush colourful imaginary world creation than I expected --- if repetitive in character / plot archetypes once you've read a few. Yet I have noted some overlap with Serviss' majestic masterworks, raising the spectre of possible literary THEFT!!! :--- (1) Both authors wrote about a (predictably, considering the etymology) the civilisations of highly warlike men & women of "Mars"! (2) ERB wrote something called "The Moon Maid"; Serviss, "The Moon Maiden" - both first appearing serialised in magazines...And of course Edison's Conquest of Mars was serialised, if in a newspaper format! Admittedly, perhaps this similarity arose from... (A) both authors' overuse of the trope of unusually beautiful women on foreign planets badly treated / (effectively) entrapped & needing rescuing; -AND- (B) the convention of pulpish 'purple' alliteration in titles to hook in readers' interest --- continued eventually in another medium relevant to us all here, SF / Science Fantasy B Movies! (3) Parallel to Serviss... (A) In several of ERB's Martian works &, yes perhaps significantly, "The Moon Men", sequel to *"The Moon Maid"*, hero(in)es encounter amazing guns with twistable knobs or whatnot to set 'em to "disintegrate" (I believe this actual verb is used, in what may be quite early usage) strategically different substances. (Again perhaps significant, Wikipedia's entry on The Moon Men confusingly may suggest that it was in some form, at some time part of a larger work or trilogy of works with the title "The Moon Maid.") ...The Martian plots relevant here specifically focus on destruction of flesh / wood / metal. I don't recall whether the wording in the relevant passages across the Martian texts suggest other settings may be possible, a la Serviss, but this is how the archvillain crows about his unique "electronic rifle" in The Moon Men: "You insulated your aluminum parts thinking thus to thwart me, but you did not know — your feeble intellect could not know — that as easily as I destroyed aluminum I can, by the simplest of adjustments, attune this weapon to destroy any one of a hundred different substances and among them human flesh or human bone"! (B) These weapons are in varying degrees quite important to the plot of the pieces in which they appear; -AND- (C) Further, ERB's various descriptions of what it looks like when these mechanical marvels break down things to infinitesmal dust / apparently nothing is quite reminiscent of Serviss! ===== Despite my expectation (particular considering how Serviss "ripped off" famous people as characters, likely without consultation in every single case - & at least in the case of our titular hero Edison, even contrary to their wishes), as far as novel(la) publication dates go (as opposed to detailed comparison of when both authors began developing / recording their similar passages, & when these were published in their first public forms), ***rather than Serviss "ripping off" ERB --- though quantumly really more skilled, famous & actually remembered over a century of multimedia in / inspired by his franchises --- it seems ERB may have "ripped off" Serviss - ah that poor mousy boffin!*** ===== Anyway, for those piqued I can recommend the first several Martian novels as an excellent place to set out on your Burroughsian Reading Adventure. The Moon trilogy is quite good, if dark / varying in tone a bit, too. The Venus series is good. Do avoid the pulpier works of various genres churned out by the author --- perhaps at times with a cynical eye on his wordcount to make money, he may have openly admitted; ERB seems to surprisingly step back a bit "meta" & joke about sly filler-writing tactics in the prologue of one work!

Paco
>>105147744

My newly minted son-in-law lent me his copy of the John Carter Chronicles as a way for me to become familiar with what he likes and that we can then talk about. I made it 166 pages. I couldn't finish Edison either for the same reason--straight up bored to sleep.

M A

I'd love to hear a Mike's Rooney vs. Colin's Stewart off (not necessarily a contest, could be fun just trying to attempt conversation while staying in character). The problem is what to call it though... stewarooney? Stewaroonade?