The Chessmen of Mars

The Chessmen of Mars is an Edgar Rice Burroughs science fiction novel, the fifth of his famous Barsoom series, and focuses on Tara, daughter of John Carter and Dejah Thoris, princess of Helium, whose hand is sought by Gahan, prince of Gathol.
The courtship is wrought with capture and rescue danger and triumph including survival in the Jetan arena, a popular Barsoomian board game resembling Chess which uses people as the game pieces on a life-sized board, with each taking of a piece being a duel to the death.
Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan, "Lost worlds" and the heroic Mars adventurer John Carter.

The creator of the immortal characters Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs is one of the world's most popular authors. His timeless tales of heroes and heroines transport readers from the jungles of Africa and the dead sea bottoms of Barsoom to the miles-high forests of Amtor and the savage inner world of Pellucidar, and even to alien civilizations beyond the farthest star. Mr. Burroughs' books are estimated to have sold hundreds of millions of copies, and they have spawned 60 films and 250 television episodes.