The Warlord Of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

John Carter discovers that a First Born knows the secret of the Temple of the Sun and he and the Holy Hekkador Matai Shang want to rescue the Holy Thern's daughter who is imprisoned with Dejah Thoris and another Barsoomian princess, Thuvia of Ptarth. John Carter follows them in the hope to liberate his beloved wife. His antagonists manage to stay ahead of him and flee to the north, taking the three previously imprisoned women along. 

No ordeal can detain John Carter from his quest to be reunited with his wife. He follows them untiring into the undiscovered north polar regions where he discovers more fantastic creatures and ancient mysterious Martian races.

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I hate to say that I have come to the end of one of the greatest adventures I have had the honor of encountering. This was a story so great and so monumental for me, it has left lasting effects on me and has changed the way I look at love and war.

The book opens up with John Carter trying to find a way to enter the Temple of the Sun, where lies imprisoned Dejah Thoris, Thuvia of Ptarth and Phaidor, Daughter of Matai Shang. The problem is the temple only opens once a Martian year and there was no other way he knew of to get her out unharmed. He does find a way though, after overhearing his enemies speak of a way to remove her before time. He tries to rescue her but is thwarted in his efforts when he is discovered lurking behind them. He arrives too late and his enemies, including Matai Shang, have escaped with Thuvia, Dajah Thoris and Phaidor.

There were so many twists in this adventure, they're almost too many to count. This final installment followed even more of his adventures as he battled for the love he would never forget.  I clung to every page, gripped (mentally) the binding of this dangerous page turner (as it was an ebook, I couldn't do it literally) as he finds his way into this quest to retrieve his wife from the clutches of Matai Shang and Thurid of the Black race.

I absolutely loved this book. It was brilliantly written and an amazing way to end the series. One thing stands true from reading this series: There is a hole in my heart where reading this series used to be.

Long live John Carter