Not everything will make sense in science fiction or in life

Not everything will make sense in science fiction or in life, argues Edgar Rice Burroughs in his novel A Princess of Mars. A huge part of the success of science fiction, fantasy, and other similar fiction comes through the willing suspension of disbelief for the sake of storytelling. This is certainly the case with A Princess of Mars. The novel is replete with things that must be accepted though they are little understood if they are understood at all.

The greatest leap of faith comes early in the novel, and is repeated later in the novel. This is when John Carter passes out, has an out-of-body experiences, and steps out of the cave onto the Martian landscape. It is repeated later in the novel when John passes out on Mars and reawakens in his Arizona cave...