paizo.com Recent Reviews of Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)paizo.com Recent Reviews of Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)2022-11-09T20:30:33Z2022-11-09T20:30:33ZMasters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback): Story by Rote (2 stars)Jhaemanhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy80hq?Masters-of-the-Pit2018-06-14T05:49:18Z<p><b>Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)</b></p><p>Michael Moorcock's Masters of the Pit is the third and final book featuring modern-day American Michael Kane traveling to ancient Mars. It's very much in line with the first two books in the series, and by this point the cardboard nature of the characters and repetitive action scenes start to become quite noticeable. The plot is somewhat original, as a plague has affected a distant city in a strange way: its inhabitants decide to dehumanize themselves by acting as mechanically and unemotionless as possible. Kane, along with his reliable blue giant friend Hool Haji, sets off to find a cure by rummaging the abandoned technology of an ancient culture. It's all a competent but not particularly memorable mix of sword-and-sorcery fantasy with a little sci-fi. Keep a close eye for some fun in Chapter One, as Moorcock uses thinly-disguised character and location names to attack Analog magazine and some of the big names in the field.</p><p><b>Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)</b></p><p>Michael Moorcock's Masters of the Pit is the third and final book featuring modern-day American Michael Kane traveling to ancient Mars. It's very much in line with the first two books in the series, and by this point the cardboard nature of the characters and repetitive action scenes start to become quite noticeable. The plot is somewhat original, as a plague has affected a distant city in a strange way: its inhabitants decide to dehumanize themselves by acting as mechanically and unemotionless as possible. Kane, along with his reliable blue giant friend Hool Haji, sets off to find a cure by rummaging the abandoned technology of an ancient culture. It's all a competent but not particularly memorable mix of sword-and-sorcery fantasy with a little sci-fi. Keep a close eye for some fun in Chapter One, as Moorcock uses thinly-disguised character and location names to attack Analog magazine and some of the big names in the field.</p>Jhaeman2018-06-14T05:49:18ZMasters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback) (4 stars)Blue Tysonhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy80hq?Masters-of-the-Pit2008-08-24T10:23:46Z<p>Better than the middle book, and a little longer. Kane has perfected his Martian matter transmitter, so can travel at will. Something he is pleased about. </p>
<p>Some primitive species has opened a biological weapon that the ancient alien super race has left behind. This is turning people into monomaniacal half-zombie types, and eventually killing them. </p>
<p>Many adventures happen to try and solve this, with an amusing twist at the end. </p>
<p>Much of it accompanied by his friend Hool Hadj. </p>
<p>Oh, and a few jokes thrown in, in passing through a certain area, some of the geographical features are S'sdla, Nosirrah and Golana, not to mention Modnaf.</p><p>Better than the middle book, and a little longer. Kane has perfected his Martian matter transmitter, so can travel at will. Something he is pleased about. </p>
<p>Some primitive species has opened a biological weapon that the ancient alien super race has left behind. This is turning people into monomaniacal half-zombie types, and eventually killing them. </p>
<p>Many adventures happen to try and solve this, with an amusing twist at the end. </p>
<p>Much of it accompanied by his friend Hool Hadj. </p>
<p>Oh, and a few jokes thrown in, in passing through a certain area, some of the geographical features are S'sdla, Nosirrah and Golana, not to mention Modnaf.</p>Blue Tyson2008-08-24T10:23:46ZMasters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback) (2 stars)TwiceBornhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy80hq?Masters-of-the-Pit2008-08-24T03:48:40Z<p>I'll second B_Wiklund's review and rating. First of all, as with the second book in this trilogy, the title really has little to do with the main story. Secondly, while the novel does start out with an interesting concept and fantastically creepy atmosphere in the city of Cend-Amrid, this unfortunately goes to waste in favour of high action random encounter-like situations that do little to further the plot. Ideas that are full of potential (the Yaksha and the Sheev) remain undeveloped. The dialogue is wooden, and the characters have no depth. Worst of all, the ending is a total anti-climactic cop out. It's as if the author had an impending deadline and was about to exceed his word or page count, and instead of revising earlier elements of the story to make for a more compelling conclusion, he settled for a total dud of an ending. Moorcock has written some awesome stuff, but the Michael Kane/Mars trilogy is, in my opinion, some of his worst.</p><p>I'll second B_Wiklund's review and rating. First of all, as with the second book in this trilogy, the title really has little to do with the main story. Secondly, while the novel does start out with an interesting concept and fantastically creepy atmosphere in the city of Cend-Amrid, this unfortunately goes to waste in favour of high action random encounter-like situations that do little to further the plot. Ideas that are full of potential (the Yaksha and the Sheev) remain undeveloped. The dialogue is wooden, and the characters have no depth. Worst of all, the ending is a total anti-climactic cop out. It's as if the author had an impending deadline and was about to exceed his word or page count, and instead of revising earlier elements of the story to make for a more compelling conclusion, he settled for a total dud of an ending. Moorcock has written some awesome stuff, but the Michael Kane/Mars trilogy is, in my opinion, some of his worst.</p>TwiceBorn2008-08-24T03:48:40ZMasters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback): The Pits (2 stars)B_Wiklundhttps://paizo.com/products/btpy80hq?Masters-of-the-Pit2008-07-31T18:01:12Z<p><b>Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)</b></p><p>The last of the Michael Kane novels whilst an improvement over Lord of Spiders and reaches parts comparable to City of the Beast is nonetheless a dissapointing ending to the trilogy.
<br />
Kane and Hool Haji are once again enjoyable partners engaged on a quest to find a cure for a deadly plague. They're a dynamic duo of swords and action.
<br />
Yet the book is full of might-have-beens. Rikon and his barbarians could have been an interesting villain/uneasy ally, the Sheev and Yaksha aren't developed further despite their influence on the main plot, and the ending is to be charitable I'll say original.
<br />
The pulp adventures and action are still there yet again Moorcock should have been able to deliver more. Can't really recommend this one.</p><p><b>Masters of the Pit (aka Barbarians of Mars) (Trade Paperback)</b></p><p>The last of the Michael Kane novels whilst an improvement over Lord of Spiders and reaches parts comparable to City of the Beast is nonetheless a dissapointing ending to the trilogy.
<br />
Kane and Hool Haji are once again enjoyable partners engaged on a quest to find a cure for a deadly plague. They're a dynamic duo of swords and action.
<br />
Yet the book is full of might-have-beens. Rikon and his barbarians could have been an interesting villain/uneasy ally, the Sheev and Yaksha aren't developed further despite their influence on the main plot, and the ending is to be charitable I'll say original.
<br />
The pulp adventures and action are still there yet again Moorcock should have been able to deliver more. Can't really recommend this one.</p>B_Wiklund2008-07-31T18:01:12Z