Mahars of Pellucidar

By: John Eric Holmes, Joe R. Lansdale

Narrated by: Johnny Heller

When scientist Chris West saw the video-screen image of a beautiful woman about to suffer a gruesome death in an unknown land, he didn’t hesitate to race to her aid by means of an experimental matter transmitter. Plunged headlong into a world of savage men and prehistoric beasts at the Earth’s core, the young ex-Marine would soon be fighting for his own life as a captive of the Mahars, cruel reptilian rulers of the inner world of Pellucidar.

Also includes the bonus classic novelette “Tarzan and the Land That Time Forgot” by Joe R. Lansdale!

THE FIRST UNIVERSE OF ITS KIND
A century before the term “crossover” became a buzzword in popular culture, Edgar Rice Burroughs created the first expansive, fully cohesive literary universe. Coexisting in this vast cosmos was a pantheon of immortal heroes and heroines—Tarzan of the Apes, Jane Clayton, John Carter, Dejah Thoris, Carson Napier, and David Innes being only the best known among them. In Burroughs’ 80-plus novels, their epic adventures transported them to the strange and exotic worlds of Barsoom, Amtor, Pellucidar, Caspak, and Va-nah, as well as the lost civilizations of Earth and even realms beyond the farthest star. Now the Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe expands in an all-new series of canonical novels written by today's talented authors!

℗ 2022 Oasis Audio
© 1976, 2022 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and the Estate of John Eric Holmes. All Rights Reserved. Trademarks John Carter®, John Carter of Mars®, Barsoom®, Tarzan®, Tarzan of the Apes™, Pellucidar®, Mahars™, Amtor™, Edgar Rice Burroughs Universe™, and Edgar Rice Burroughs® Owned by ERB, Inc. Associated logos, characters, names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks or registered trademarks of ERB, Inc. Used by Permission.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©1976, 2022 Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and the Estate of John Eric Holmes. All Rights Reserved. (P)2023 Oasis Audio

The first authorized addition to the ERB universe

I first read this book as a teenager in the 1970's when it was first out in paperback. I had just sped through the Edgar Rice Burroughs Pellucidar series. I was thrilled to see the story continue. I loved it. Like ERB's writing but with a distinct sense of being modern as well.

I only recently found out that this was the first, and for some time only, authorized addition to ERB's writings. I was also thrilled to discover a sequel existed, Red Axe Of Pellucidar. Even better, both were also on Audible! As a person with some rather severe eye problems these days, I was thrilled to be able to revisit this story.

The story itself, as I said, is very reminiscent of Burroughs, less the typical romantic misunderstanding that was present in most of Burroughs stories. There is romance, but it's pretty straightforward and with less dramatic misunderstandings. The story this time starts in the 1970's and an experimental device tied to the old Project Moho to pierce the Earth's crust. Soon a modern scientist is transported to Pellucidar and begins a series of adventures, taking the local name of Red Axe from a hastily grabbed fire axe when he is transported.

If you enjoy Edgar Rice Burroughs and the Pellucidar series in particular, you will enjoy this. It's not quite Burroughs, but it's very close and a worthy addition to the mythos. So buy it already! Adventure awaits!

Okay throwbacks

These two stories did alright at bringing that pulpy 70s adventure to the Audible format.
I wished the narrator had leaned into to camp more, or that Audible presented this via graphic audio. Given these are lighter on science and heavier on creature features, these would’ve been better with dinosaur roars and animal grunts.

I was at first worried that these would be too teenaged as we’re told about her “magnificent breasts” and “defenseless breasts” in the first chapter where the MC meets his cave lady love.
Thankfully, however, his adoration mellowed and never took over the story.

The other annoyance in both the 5 hour book and the 1 hour novella was the decision to break the fourth wall and talk to the listener. I found it unnecessary and unhelpful as they explained how their writing matched up with the original authors contributing to the world of the Pellucidar.