Author · United States · 1875–1950
Edgar Rice Burroughs
Velocity and exotic horizons that set adventure pacing for a century of popular storytelling.
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American speculative fiction writer, best known for his prolific output in the adventure, science fiction and fantasy genres.
Born in Chicago, Burroughs was the fourth son of Major George Tyler Burroughs, a businessman and Civil War veteran.
His first novel, A Princess of Mars, was published in 1917 to positive reviews.
Burroughs' work often features heroic protagonists who are thrust into unusual and often dangerous situations. In many of his works, such as the Tarzan and John Carter of Mars novels, Burroughs creates an entire imaginary world, not always consistent with reality as we know it.
Burroughs died of a heart attack on March 19, 1950, at the age of 74.
The pulse of adventure in 2026
Fast prose, striking locales, and kinetic stakes built a template for adventure and planetary romance. Reading him explains action pacing and the pull of heroic myth while inviting fresh talk about empire and imagination. Enjoy momentum and ask which worlds you choose to enter and why.
