and relics of an alien technology older than anything remembered by the Martians. Ultimately the cave system leads the explorers to the resting place of the Timeless Ones, a trio of alien survivors of the destroyed planet whose remains are now the asteroid belt. Awakened, they reveal themselves as the beings who guided the ancestors of both Martians and Earthlings on the path to sentience. Bolgov, secretly an agent of the CA, attempts to destroy the aliens lest they free the Martians, but is thwarted. The Timeless Ones then pronounce sentence on the ruling Earthlings; for their crimes, all must leave Mars. Their vast mental powers give them the means to enforce this edict. The detached Tengren is satisfied with the outcome until he realizes the sentence includes him, at which point he belatedly speaks up for the more benignly inclined humans. The Timeless Ones grant the exception, giving him and Ilsa the right to remain and help rebuild Martian society. Chronology This story was the first published in the series, preceding The Valley Where Time Stood Still, but in terms of events it comes last, following Down to a Sunless Sea. Reception Lester Del Rey writes "This is by all odds the best showcase of Carter's writing I have seen. For this type of story, his people move naturally. The color he evolves for his world is traditional, but he has made it very much his own. And the book hangs together. It's Carter's best to date, in my opinion, and I heartily recommend it." Den Valdron, assessing the series in ERBzine, calls the book "[t]he best of the series," and its protagonist "fascinating ... a thoughtful but true successor to John Carter." He feels "[t]here’s something a little extra in his Martian novels that puts them at the upper registers of Carter’s work," and "commend[s] them to the reader." J. G. Huckenpohler, also writing in ERBzine, rated the series "among my favorites" of Carter's stories, considering this book "the best of the lot" in the series, and the series as a whole to "show more originality" than Carter's Zanthodon and Callisto books. Notes External links Fantastic Fiction entry 1973 American novels 1973 science fiction novels Novels set on Mars Novels by Lin Carter Gold Medal Books books