<p>&ldquo;Queen of the Martian Catacombs&rdquo; marks the debut of one of Leigh Brackett&rsquo;s most iconic characters: Eric John Stark: orphan child raised on Mercury, who becomes a mercenary, fighting injustices across the solar system.<br />
Eric John Stark is hunted by Earth police in the Martian desert. Simon Ashton is with them and makes a deal with Stark to act as his agent in preventing a holy war.<br />
An unscrupulous ruler of a Martian Low-Canal city is partnering with a barbarian chief, Kynon, to plunder half the planet. Specialist mercenaries and criminals are coming from all over the solar system to join up.<br />
When Stark reaches the city of Valkis, he witnesses a ritual that reveals deception at the highest levels.<br />
The journey to the ancient ruins of Sinharat is beset with treachery and sandstorms, leading to a final confrontation with the secret masters of Mars.</p><p><em>This version of &lsquo;Queen of the Martian Catacombs,&rsquo; by Leigh Brackett, was originally published in Planet Stories, 1949, later expanded into &lsquo;The Secret of Sinharat&rsquo;.</em></p>