Sat, 02 May 2026 19:10:48 +0000

Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Skin-Deeper of Science Fiction You Can’t Ignore! When it comes to defining the roots of science fiction, few names shine as brightly—or as fundamentally—as Edgar Rice Burroughs. Often called the “Skin-Deeper of science fiction,” Burroughs didn’t just invent characters and worlds—he laid the groundwork for a genre that blends adventure, speculation, and humanity in ways that still captivate readers today. ### Who Was Edgar Rice Burroughs? Born in 1875, Burroughs was a multifaceted storyteller whose imagination soared far beyond his tumultuous personal life. A soldier, pilot, adventurer, and failed entrepreneur, Burroughs channeled his restless energy into writing. His breakthrough came in 1912 with A Princess of Mars, the first novel in what would become an unparalleled legacy: John Carter of Mars and the broader Barsoom series—the foundational work of what we now recognize as space opera.