I haven't seen the movie itself yet, and while I'm dying to, I'm equal parts excited and apprehensive as a life-long fan of the literary source material. But this book is certainly reassuring. It's clear from all the interviews that director Andrew Stanton and many of the key creative personnel involved in creating the film are also life-long fans of Burroughs' books. It's equally clear that the author of the book, Josh Kushins, is a dyed-in-the-wool Barsoomian himself, and his obvious enthusiasm is an ideal conduit for the filmmakers' enthusiasm... and it all leaves ME more excited than ever to see their movie.
The book itself is beautiful. Beneath the white apes on that dust jacket, its hardcover front is adorned with a cool piece of storyboard art depicting Carter in action. Inside, there's page after page of lavishly reproduced concept art (both used and abandoned concepts), along with digital sculpts, photos of maquettes, and more storyboards - all accompanied by thoroughly informative text. Speaking of those abandoned concepts, I actually prefer some of the early Thark treatments to the slender design they ultimately went with. But my favorite Thark picture in the book is one that Stanton drew when he was twelve years old! Just another thing that demonstrates that this film really is a labor of love for its makers. And so, clearly, is this book.