A princess on Mars

i just finished reading this novel.  its the book that John Carter was based on.
i have stated previously that i enjoyed John Carter. the book was SOOO much better. except the end.. the end sucked.
after reading this, i went back and watched the movie again. and now, looking at it with fresh eyes, i can see how they watered it down and 'disney-afied' it. they also added scenes that never happend, and omitted one that did (but almost every book-to-movie does that)

-SPOILER-
i was extremely disappointed that the drama between Tar Tarkas, Sola, and Sarkoja was really only hinted at in the movie. there was ALOT of history between these characters that took up a good portion of the book. im also kinda disappointed how they turned John Carter into a sort of hooligan. the John Carter in the book was an honorable man who wasnt exactly interested in wealth. the one in the movie, just seems to be a bum, who only fought for his own self preservation, and search of gold. 
obviously, things have to be shortened and changed when things are turned into movies, but rewriting an entire character? also, Dejah Thoris is TOTALY different in the book.
i think they modernized her, to try to appeal to a PC audience. this book was written a long time ago (by the author of Tarzan, cant remember his name and too lazy to google it)

the movie Dejah was a tough cookie, who wielded a sword and didnt take any shit.
the book Dejah was more of the the helpless princess type. (you would think Disney would eat that shit up)

they also added the Therns. there was NO mentions of these things in the book, Disney completely made them up.

there was also no magical weapon that the Jeddak  of Zodanga possessed. (in fact, Zodanga wasnt even mentioned until more than halfway thru the book) the majority of the story, took place with the Tharks.

what the therns did for the story tho, was valuable i think. (even tho their actual purpose is somewhat ridiculous)
the ending of the book was DEPRESSING and had me almost in tears.
and the movie ending made alot more sense.

-BIGGER SPOILER-

so both the book and movie start off the same way. John carter is dead, and has his body prepared in this strange tomb, and has his estate and journal bequeathed to his nephew.
 we learn of his adventures thru the journal. 
in the movie, the strange beginning is explained at the end, when the thern come to kill John Carter's 'sleeping' body. he kills the thern, and retrieves the device that allows him to return to his beloved Barsoom.
all makes sense, boy gets girl, happy ending ,trala la la.

in the book,  there is NO explanation for the strange coffin, or burial instructions. as far as we know, he never returns to mars, and its suggested that life on Barsoom has been completely eliminated.

all that he loved and fought for for ten long years snuffed out. his behavior (and requests) at the beginning is odd, but not explained at the end, where he seems to just be dead.
i nearly screamed at my cell phone (where i was reading it off googleplay)
"no no no!! it cant end like that, wheres the rest of it???"

ARG!! it still gets me! the book was SO amazing and that ending was just so
PU.

so disney at least did THAT for the story. and therns were at least useful for a plot point. it also made the traveling sorta logical, his appearance (and disappearance) on Mars was not explained in the book at all. He doesnt even wonder about it.

im semi obsessed with this story, if its not obvious lol. 

and if stupid transformers can be a blockbuster movie, then clearly all they needed to make John Carter a success was to cast Megan Fox as Dejah Thoris.












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