Edgar Rice Burroughs, of Tarzan fame, wrote many great adventure stories that were serialized in the magazines of t he 1930s. This is the first book in what is called the Venus series and starts it off with tons of action and excitement. It was published as a book in 1934. Our hero Carson accidentally lands on the mysterious, cloud-covered planet of Venus (he was shooting for Mars, believing Venus inhospitable to all life). Landing there he finds that the clouds conceal a wondrous secret: the strikingly beautiful yet deadly world of Amtor. In Amtor, cities of immortal beings flourish in giant trees reaching thousands of feet into the sky; ferocious beasts stalk the wilderness below; rare flashes of sunlight precipitate devastating storms; and the inhabitants believe their world is saucer-shaped with a fiery center and an icy rim. Stranded on Amtor after his spaceship crashes, astronaut Carson Napier is swept into a world where revolution is ripe, the love of a princess carries a dear price, and death can come as easily from the blade of a sword as from the ray of a futuristic gun. And yes, he does become a pirate. If you are looking for a pure adventure story, this is still a great one. (Summary by phil c)