The Gods of Mars is the second book in a thrilling sci-fi series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, where John Carter, the main character, returns from a 10-year trip to Earth back to the planet Barsoom.

The inhabitants of Barsoom are made up of different types of aliens, including the Plant Men, Green Martians, and Red Martians. Carter soon discovers that all of Barsoom's inhabitants have been tricked by another Barsoomian race, the Therns, into believing that a certain area of Barsoom is off limits because it contains the gates to the Barsoomian afterlife.

But in reality, the Therns who live in this area, simply do not want to be disturbed by any of the other races. Any of the other Barsoomians who came to the Therns' location by accident, were either eaten by the beasts that populate the area or taken as slaves by the Thern. Carter must overcome the obstacles of jealously, pride, greed, and prejudice in order to survive. Entangled in politics, Carter finds himself imprisoned for an entire year, and upon his release, he refuses to aid a candidate's campaign for ruler of the Helium region of Barsoom, and is once again imprisoned. The book ends on an exciting cliffhanger that leads into the third book in this adventure series.