The story follows Harold Worthington Smith, a struggling writer whose Martian tales are often rejected by editors. Despite criticism for his stilted dialogue and unrealistic heroines, Harold believes in his vivid imagination and the necessity of a Burroughs influence in science fiction. One afternoon, while writing a story about Thon Carther, an Earthman on Mars, Harold finds himself physically transported into his own narrative. He becomes Thon Carther, facing a horde of Tarks alongside a voluptuous Martian princess, Thejah Doris. As Harold navigates this fictional world, he realizes he is trapped within his own plot. He uses his knowledge of the story to escape various dangers, including the Tark horde and a crash into a tower. Throughout, he is accompanied by Thejah Doris and his faithful watchdog, Droola. However, the constant interruptions by the Tarks and the realization that he hasn't plotted beyond the first installment of his serial leave him frustrated. Harold decides to rewrite his reality, crafting a new narrative where he is a successful writer with a loving, attractive wife and editors clamoring for his work. As he writes this new story, he effectively swaps his current predicament for a more desirable life. The tale concludes with Harold living in his newly created reality, surrounded by adoring editors and a transformed wife, free from the constraints of his previous life.
By Robert F. Young · First published 1963 · Genre: Science Fiction, Adventure, Metafiction