The Gods of Mars is a science fantasy novel from the Barsoom series. After John Carter's arrival, a vessel of Green Martians on the River Iss are ensnared by the hitherto unknown Plant Men. The lone survivor is his friend Tars Tarkas, the Jeddak of Thark, who has taken the journey to the Valley Dor to find Carter. Having saved their own lives, Carter and Tars Tarkas determine that the Therns, a white-skinned race of self-proclaimed gods, have for eons deceived the Barsoomians elsewhere by disseminating that the pilgrimage to the Valley Dor is a journey to heaven...