The first Edgar Rice Burroughs Super Arc comes to a close — and if one book will draw in a new generation of readers, it’s this one. Though the novel starts in 1950, the character Victory Harben feels mostly 21st century. Her slang may be of her time, but as Victory Harben: Fires of Halos unfolds, it’s clear time won’t be meaning much for this strong young woman.
Lost in time and space, Victory has made brief appearances in the previous three Swords of Eternity novels that focused on ERB’s superstars. She herself connects directly to Pellucidar, but Christopher Paul Carey has set her up to be much more. To expand beyond hardcore ERB fans, he doesn’t just go beyond the Farthest Star; Carey has created a character with the potential to be like Doctor Who.
Victory Harben doesn’t just visit alien worlds; Carey gives quick glimpses of her spending time in various periods of history on Earth. Which Earth, of course, might be in question.
Along the way she picks up a pet of unknown species. Nicknamed Hucklebuck, it establishes itself and then goes offstage for most of Victory’s adventure. Though the description so far seems pretty high concept, Carey continues some surprisingly deep examinations of how ERB’s universe interconnects, including an afterlife concept.
Burroughs himself had started the explorations with both Beyond the Farthest Star (also available from the company) and an unfinished manuscript Carey had been fortunate enough to find years ago. Though all that is true, it also seems in keeping with Burroughs’ narrative style, doesn’t it?
That’s where Carey distinguishes Victory Harben for the modern reader. Other writers in this arc captured the style of their respective series. With Victory, Carey has the freedom to establish a new voice, and though I’m an admirer of Tarzan, John Carter, and Carson Napier, they all can come off a bit stodgy. John Carter is downright florid. But Victory narrates in a much more direct manner, which should be more accessible to the teens who could be drawn into this adventure.
Though some of the plotting still feels a little pulpy — it is meant to follow in Burroughs’ footsteps — it’s a great launching point for a new era in the ERB Universe. If you aren’t familiar with these characters, it might even make sense to start here. The other novels were enjoyable, but Victory’s adventures — and her voice — are her own.
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