[First Project] Edgar Rice Burroughs, Master Mind of Mars

[Ray Ryan]

PG: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69703

IA scan: https://archive.org/details/mastermindofmars0000edga

Shall I?

rjrjr

[Alex Cabal]

Great, that one would be a good start.

This is #6 in the Martian series so make sure to include that metadata.
See a previous Martian book for copy and paste.

You can use the dust jacket of the first edition as cover art, however
you'll have to find a high-quality enough scan, and also photoshop the
title/author out of it. Sometimes there are scans of the original
paintings of Burroughs covers, without that text, so maybe you could
find that too.

I would call the intro letter a preface, so you would add a half title page.

I don't see any italics in the transcription so check the page scans to
make sure they haven't been removed.

Otherwise should be pretty straightforward!

Make sure to read the Standard Ebooks Manual of Style before starting,
as you won't know what to fix if you haven't read the standards. In
particular, please closely review the semantics, high level patterns,
and typography sections:

https://standardebooks.org/manual

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-structural-patterns

https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography

The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-by-step

This page on common issues in older books may be useful:

https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks

Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our standards are
well-established so there is probably already a standard for formatting
whatever problem you've encountered.

When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github repository so
that I can mark you as having started.

Have fun! :)

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> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Hendrik Kaiber]

This version of the cover might be appropriate.

--Hendrik

[Ray Ryan]

My email response don't seem to be showing up, am I lacking some permission?

In the meantime, this is moving along nicely (repo link). I could use some formatting and artwork advice though.

Most challenging are the start and end of the preface, a fictitious letter from Ulysses Paxton. From the scans they should look like this:

So there are a number of effects that I'm not sure how to achieve correctly:

• Sender's location (fictitious city/country Helium) in all caps
• First line with that location and the date flush right
• All caps salutation
• Center tabbed (?) closing, including all caps signature slightly indented

At the moment I've left in the PG hard coded formatting but I'm sure that's wrong.

Next, each scanned chapter starts with the first word or two capitalized and the first letter spanning two lines:

Does SE do that kind of thing? If so, how?

Finally, Hendrik suggested using this version of the cover art, which looks great to me. Can I just lift it from that site?

[Ray Ryan]

Of course the pasted images didn't work. Why would they?

Preface opening:

Preface close:

Chapter head:

[Bob R Kenyon]

Google groups can be unreliable, I see it on other groups I’m on. 

Bob

On Aug 29, 2025, at 14:06, Ray Ryan <ray....@gmail.com> wrote:

Of course the pasted images didn't work. Why would they?

Preface opening:

<Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.49 PM.png>

Preface close:

<Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.59 PM.png>

Chapter head:

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<Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.49 PM.png>

<Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.59 PM.png>

[Alex Cabal]

OK, Vince will manage this with David reviewing. Vince, can you take a
look at these questions?

On 8/29/25 4:04 PM, Ray Ryan wrote:
> My email response don't seem to be showing up, am I lacking some permission?
>

> In the meantime, this is moving along nicely (repo link <https://
> github.com/rjrjr/edgar-rice-burroughs_the-master-mind-of-mars>). I could

> use some formatting and artwork advice though.
>
> Most challenging are the start and end of the preface, a fictitious

> letter from Ulysses Paxton. From the scans <https://archive.org/details/
> mastermindofmars0000edga/page/6/mode/2up> they should look like this:

>
> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.49 PM.png

> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.59 PM.png
>
> So there are a number of effects that I'm not sure how to achieve correctly:
>

> * Sender's location (fictitious city/country Helium) in all caps
> * First line with that location and the date flush right
> * All caps salutation
> * Center tabbed (?) closing, including all caps signature slightly

> indented
>
> At the moment I've left in the PG hard coded formatting but I'm sure
> that's wrong.
>
> Next, each scanned chapter starts with the first word or two capitalized
> and the first letter spanning two lines:
>

> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.57.31 PM.png
>
> Does SE do that kind of thing? If so, how?
>

> Finally, Hendrik suggested using this <https://www.comicartfans.com/
> gallerypiece.asp?piece=1502611> version of the cover art, which looks

> great to me. Can I just lift it from that site?
>
> On Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 11:28:15 AM UTC-7 hendrik....@gmail.com
> wrote:
>

> This <https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?
> piece=1502611> version of the cover might be appropriate.

> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-
> high-level-structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>

>
> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-

> by-step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-
> ebook-step-by-step>

>
> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>
> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-

> when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://
> standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> working-on-public-domain-ebooks>

>
> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our
> standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for
> formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github
> repository so
> that I can mark you as having started.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 8/28/25 11:36 AM, Ray Ryan wrote:

> > PG: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69703 <http://
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69703>
> > IA scan: https://archive.org/details/mastermindofmars0000edga

> <https://archive.org/details/mastermindofmars0000edga>
> >
> > Shall I?
> >
> > rjrjr
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the
> Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
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> it, send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.
> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/

> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/79ed7769-34bb-4f12-9f4d-2deda4d2d730n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/79ed7769-34bb-4f12-9f4d-2deda4d2d730n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

>
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> standardebooks/af8f9a67-26a3-4a74-91da-f88f208582c6n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/standardebooks/
> af8f9a67-26a3-4a74-91da-f88f208582c6n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Alex Cabal]

Vince is probably away for the holiday so let me take a swing.

Small caps should be done using CSS only. In the HTML all text should be
naturally cased. Use `font-variant: small-caps`.

See the manual for styling letters including headers and footers:
https://standardebooks.org/manual/1.8.4/single-page#7.7

All styling should be done with CSS on the appropriate semantic structure.

Yes, remove leading small caps in opening words of chapters.

Yes, you can use that cover art, Vince will submit to the database once
he returns.

On 8/29/25 4:04 PM, Ray Ryan wrote:

> My email response don't seem to be showing up, am I lacking some permission?
>

> In the meantime, this is moving along nicely (repo link <https://

> github.com/rjrjr/edgar-rice-burroughs_the-master-mind-of-mars>). I could

> use some formatting and artwork advice though.
>
> Most challenging are the start and end of the preface, a fictitious

> letter from Ulysses Paxton. From the scans <https://archive.org/details/
> mastermindofmars0000edga/page/6/mode/2up> they should look like this:

>
> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.49 PM.png

> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.49.59 PM.png
>
> So there are a number of effects that I'm not sure how to achieve correctly:
>

> * Sender's location (fictitious city/country Helium) in all caps
> * First line with that location and the date flush right
> * All caps salutation

> * Center tabbed (?) closing, including all caps signature slightly

> indented
>
> At the moment I've left in the PG hard coded formatting but I'm sure
> that's wrong.
>
> Next, each scanned chapter starts with the first word or two capitalized
> and the first letter spanning two lines:
>

> Screenshot 2025-08-29 at 1.57.31 PM.png
>
> Does SE do that kind of thing? If so, how?
>

> Finally, Hendrik suggested using this <https://www.comicartfans.com/
> gallerypiece.asp?piece=1502611> version of the cover art, which looks

> great to me. Can I just lift it from that site?
>
> On Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 11:28:15 AM UTC-7 hendrik....@gmail.com
> wrote:
>

> This <https://www.comicartfans.com/gallerypiece.asp?
> piece=1502611> version of the cover might be appropriate.

> https://standardebooks.org/manual <https://standardebooks.org/
> manual>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/4-semantics>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-high-level-
> structural-patterns <https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/7-
> high-level-structural-patterns>
>
> https://standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography <https://
> standardebooks.org/manual/latest/8-typography>
>

> The step by step guide will take you from start to finish:
>

> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-ebook-step-
> by-step <https://standardebooks.org/contribute/producing-an-
> ebook-step-by-step>
>

> This page on common issues in older books may be useful:
>

> https://standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-
> when-working-on-public-domain-ebooks <https://
> standardebooks.org/contribute/how-tos/common-issues-when-
> working-on-public-domain-ebooks>
>

> Please email often if you have any questions at all. Our
> standards are
> well-established so there is probably already a standard for
> formatting
> whatever problem you've encountered.
>
> When you're ready, email back with a link to your Github
> repository so
> that I can mark you as having started.
>
> Have fun! :)
>
>
> On 8/28/25 11:36 AM, Ray Ryan wrote:

> > PG: http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69703 <http://
> www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/69703>
> > IA scan: https://archive.org/details/mastermindofmars0000edga

> <https://archive.org/details/mastermindofmars0000edga>
> >
> > Shall I?
> >
> > rjrjr
> >
> > --
> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the
> Google
> > Groups "Standard Ebooks" group.
> > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from
> it, send
> > an email to standardebook...@googlegroups.com
> > <mailto:standardebook...@googlegroups.com>.

> > To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/
> msgid/ <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/79ed7769-34bb-4f12-9f4d-2deda4d2d730n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>
> > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/ <https://
> groups.google.com/d/msgid/>
> >
> standardebooks/79ed7769-34bb-4f12-9f4d-2deda4d2d730n%40googlegroups.com <http://40googlegroups.com>?
> > utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.
>

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[David]

I thought I'd take care of adding the cover art to the db (I'm up for the review), but it looks like a different version is already there.

Am I right in thinking you're the only one who can replace the source image, Alex?

On Monday, 1 September 2025 at 04:27:30 UTC+1 Alex Cabal wrote:

Vince is probably away for the holiday so let me take a swing.

. . . 

[Alex Cabal]

Yes, I'll update the image and mark it as in use.

On 9/1/25 6:22 AM, David wrote:
> I thought I'd take care of adding the cover art <https://cafans.b-
> cdn.net/images/Category_2999/subcat_4719/
> xH11Ybt7_0110181705311gpadd.JPG> to the db (I'm up for the review), but
> it looks like a different version <https://standardebooks.org/artworks/
> j-allen-st-john/the-master-mind-of-mars> is already there.

>
> Am I right in thinking you're the only one who can replace the source
> image, Alex?
>
> On Monday, 1 September 2025 at 04:27:30 UTC+1 Alex Cabal wrote:
>
> Vince is probably away for the holiday so let me take a swing.
>
> . . .
>
>
> Yes, you can use that cover art, Vince will submit to the database once
> he returns.
>

> --
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> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
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> standardebooks/9a875607-941f-4a74-932c-ac75941581f9n%40googlegroups.com
> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/
> standardebooks/9a875607-941f-4a74-932c-ac75941581f9n%40googlegroups.com?
> utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

[Ray Ryan]

The cover art was designed for a title in the top rather than the bottom where the se script puts it. Is it okay to move it in cover.svg?

[Alex Cabal]

No, the title box is always on the bottom. This does sometimes pose problems for artwork where the detail is at the bottom. You can try a different crop to see if you can get more of the detail in.

[Vince]

Yes, sorry, I was mostly AFK for a couple of days, thanks for taking up my slack, Alex!

[Ray Ryan]

I think this is ready for review (repo link), with two caveats:

• I don't understand the last remaining m-033 lint error about endnotes.xhtml
• I'm still not very confident in the letter-related css and semantics in the preface

[Ray Ryan]

I'm also not thrilled with the appearance of the cover, but not sure what I can do about it.

[Vince]

Since you bring them up before the review, this can be my last task as manager. :)

First, you have a mismatched <b> in the colophon that prevents lint from running at all.

The m-033 means there are endnotes, but no attribution of who wrote those endnotes (the “ann” role) in the metadata (content.opf). Did the author write them? Was it the editor/publisher? Someone else? If the author, then the “ann” role can be added to the existing author role in the metadata. If someone else, then they need to be added as contributor, and the “ann’ role added to them.

For the letter, you’re missing several needed pieces of the letter CSS, for signature (SEMoS 7.7, especially the examples following 7.7.4.6.1), which will handle that small-capping, and for the line after the salutation not being indented. The place name in the dateline should be tagged with <b>, which is how we format small-caps (SEMoS 4.1.2.3). The letter-em class should then be removed from the text and the CSS, and the continued class removed from the line after the salutation.

Paston’s title is not emphasis, so <em> is not appropriate. That is one of the rare cases where an unsemanticated <i> is OK.

The preface section also needs the epub:type of “preface” added, the valediction needs to be the appropriate semantic, and the entire footer should be formatted as a single clause, i.e. one <p>. Again, see the examples mentioned above for the formatting.

On Sep 3, 2025, at 4:36 PM, Ray Ryan <ray....@gmail.com> wrote:

I think this is ready for review (repo link), with two caveats:

• I don't understand the last remaining m-033 lint error about endnotes.xhtml

• I'm still not very confident in the letter-related css and semantics in the preface.

[Ray Ryan]

Thanks for the quick response!

> First, you have a mismatched <b> in the colophon that prevents lint from running at all.

I had actually caught that and fixed it with a force push, hoping to beat you to the repo. Sorry, I'll stop doing that now.

I think I've addressed the rest of the issues you called out, can you take another look?

[Ray Ryan]

Bah, forgot to run lint again. Still not done…

[Ray Ryan]

Okay, lint is clean again. PTAL

[Vince]

You changed the section epub type to preface, it needed to be added—the section still needs the letter semantic as well.

Clean also makes a change that should be accepted.

I didn’t catch it last time—the letter’s header elements need to be in a header. I would recommend reviewing all of SEMoS 7.7 (Letters) again. You will also need to change out the custom dateline CSS for the header CSS from the examples, and you’ll find you need additional CSS to get the salutation where it needs to be.

(I am not making a judgment on whether the preface is actually a letter, semantically. Lots of dedications are formatted like letters, but aren’t one semantically. I don’t believe the same applies here, but I’m going to leave that to David.)

With that I will turn you over to your reviewer. Hi David!

[Ray Ryan]

Can a section have two epub:type attributes?

> <section id="preface" epub:type="preface" epub:type="z3998:letter">

[Ray Ryan]

Hello David.

The Letter section of the style guide is a bit inconsistent. The first thing it calls for is putting all letters in a blockquote element, which seems wrong when the entire preface is a letter; and then a few lines later it says "if the letter is within a <blockquote>," implying that's not actually required.

IIRC when I put a header in place lint complained about it, I think because it wasn't the first element in its block.

Pushed a change now with nesting a letter div inside the preface section. Lint seems happy, and I think the formatting looks right. WDYT?

<body epub:type="frontmatter z3998:fiction">

  <section id="preface" epub:type="preface">

    <h2 epub:type="title">A Letter</h2>
    <div epub:type="z3998:letter">
      <header role="presentation">
        <p epub:type="se:letter.dateline"><b>Helium</b>, <time datetime="1925-06-08">June 8th, 1925</time></p>
        <p epub:type="z3998:salutation">My Dear Mr. Burroughs:</p>
      </header>
      <p>It was in the Fall…

[Alex Cabal]

Yes, but you simply put two values in one `epub:type` attribute, like
`epub:type="preface z3998:letter"`

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[David Reimer]

Ah, sometimes different timezones have their advantages. ;-) Thanks
for picking these up, Vince and Alex!

@Ray - I'll get to the review in the next couple days, but it might be
the weekend.

D.