Status
Available
Series
Collections
Publication
1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York 36, N.Y. : Ace Books, Inc., 1963, c1916.
Description
Classic Literature. Fiction. HTML: The Return of Tarzan is Edgar Rice Burroughs' third novel in the series starring the man raised by apes. First serialized in 1914 in All-Story Cavalier magazine, it was published as a novel in 1916. After marrying Jane at the end of The Return of Tarzan, and claiming his birthright as Lord of Greystoke, our former ape-man finds his infant son has been kidnapped in London by old enemies. Following an anonymous call, Tarzan falls into his enemies' trap and finds himself once more exiled in the wild, this time with the threat hanging over him that his young son will be raised by cannibals..
User reviews
LibraryThing member andyray
Heminway was somewhat of a snob regarding his writing, competing in his mind against the greats. Edgar Rice Burroughs has said "I know nothing about writing, but I love a good story." And that's the bottom line. Sometimes, especially in former centuries, you get a writer who is so involved with his
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imagery and painting the picture that he forgets about the story. I cite Laurance Sterne's Tristham Shandy and James Joycle's Ulysses. I shall go to my grave wondering what the big deal is about both of them. Show Less
LibraryThing member StormRaven
The Beasts of Tarzan is the third book in the Tarzan series. In this book, Tarzan and Jane seem to have settled into comfortable domesticity in London and had a child. This idyllic life is upset when the evil Rokloff escapes from the French prison he was sent to at the end of the last book. Rokloff
Tarzan, as usual when dumped in the wild with his loved ones at risk, becomes passive. Taking up with a band of apes, taming a wild panther, and hunting until a group of natives show up in canoes. With the help of his animals, Tarzan kills all but one of the natives, who then becomes his ally and servant (since the natives are just waiting for a strong European to guide them I suppose). He gets his apes and panther to paddle him and his black friend to the mainland where he learns that Jane and a baby passed through a month before, chased by a band of nasty white men. Finally, after sitting on his butt for weeks, Tarzan decides he should rescue his spouse and progeny.
Tarzan then pursues Rokloff through the jungle. His animal companions are improbably competent and loyal through his various adventures, Through a series of increasingly improbable coincidences, Tarzan finally rescues Jane, recovers his baby, and Rokloff is killed. Tarzan then has to comandeer a ship of mutineers (mutiny seems to be the norm in Burroughs' version of the world, one wonders why anyone ever hires a crew for a ship to begin with), abandons his animals and returns to England safe and sound (with his native companion and a serendipitously found spouse for him).
Tarzan's character in the first two books is best described as a cartoon figure with improbable strength, skills, and intelligence. In this book, he becomes even more of an unbelievable character - taming a wild panther by smacking it on the nose a few times, talking a gang of apes into paddling a canoe, and a collection of other over-the-top stuff. Tarzan is, by a wide margin, the most unbelievable of all Burroughs' creations. The adventure is adequate, although there are far too mmany improbable coincidences for it to be truly satisfying. Even so, as pulp action goes, it is a classic of the genre, and worth the brief investment of time that reading it will take.
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immediately begins to set his plans for revenge in motion (as he clearly has nothing better to do than plot revenge against Tarzan) by arranging to kidnap both Tarzan and his son. Jane is kidnapped as well, as a sort of lucky bonus to Rokloff's plans. Once in custody, Tarzan becomes passive as he (and his wife and son, although Tarzan doesn't know this) are whisked away on a steamship to Africa where Tarzan is marooned. Rokloff then details his plan to have Tarzan's child raised by cannibals.Tarzan, as usual when dumped in the wild with his loved ones at risk, becomes passive. Taking up with a band of apes, taming a wild panther, and hunting until a group of natives show up in canoes. With the help of his animals, Tarzan kills all but one of the natives, who then becomes his ally and servant (since the natives are just waiting for a strong European to guide them I suppose). He gets his apes and panther to paddle him and his black friend to the mainland where he learns that Jane and a baby passed through a month before, chased by a band of nasty white men. Finally, after sitting on his butt for weeks, Tarzan decides he should rescue his spouse and progeny.
Tarzan then pursues Rokloff through the jungle. His animal companions are improbably competent and loyal through his various adventures, Through a series of increasingly improbable coincidences, Tarzan finally rescues Jane, recovers his baby, and Rokloff is killed. Tarzan then has to comandeer a ship of mutineers (mutiny seems to be the norm in Burroughs' version of the world, one wonders why anyone ever hires a crew for a ship to begin with), abandons his animals and returns to England safe and sound (with his native companion and a serendipitously found spouse for him).
Tarzan's character in the first two books is best described as a cartoon figure with improbable strength, skills, and intelligence. In this book, he becomes even more of an unbelievable character - taming a wild panther by smacking it on the nose a few times, talking a gang of apes into paddling a canoe, and a collection of other over-the-top stuff. Tarzan is, by a wide margin, the most unbelievable of all Burroughs' creations. The adventure is adequate, although there are far too mmany improbable coincidences for it to be truly satisfying. Even so, as pulp action goes, it is a classic of the genre, and worth the brief investment of time that reading it will take.
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LibraryThing member Nodosaurus
This is the third book in the Tarzan series. Tarzan and Jane's son is kidnapped by Rokoff (from previous books) in an effort to seek vengeance against Tarzan. In this book, Tarzan tames Sheeta, the panther, and trains the apes to respond to his call.
It is good to read of Tarzan with his personal
It is good to read of Tarzan with his personal
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weaknesses, and his building relationships and skills that were used in the movies. This book is an adventure as Tarzan chases Jane and Rokoff, Jane chases her son and Tarzan while fleeing Rokoff, and occasionally their paths crossing unbeknown to each other. Show Less
LibraryThing member GTTexas
I'd forgotten just how good the Tarzan books were. Thoroughly enjoyed it once again.
LibraryThing member PhilSyphe
This third book of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan series takes up the story soon after book two.Old enemy Rokof tricks Tarzan, resulting in the ape-man being left stranded on a jungle island. Of course, his being raised by chimps means this is a situation that Tarzan can not only deal with but can
The Beasts referred to in the title are, with one exception, fearsome apes that Tarzan manages to befriend after a contest with their leader. The other beast is a panther who injects terror into the hearts of Tarzan’s enemies.
In all, the book was fast paced with few lulls, but for me it lacked depth on the whole, falling short of the first two in the series. Certain aspects were a little bit too unbelievable as well.
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command. The Beasts referred to in the title are, with one exception, fearsome apes that Tarzan manages to befriend after a contest with their leader. The other beast is a panther who injects terror into the hearts of Tarzan’s enemies.
In all, the book was fast paced with few lulls, but for me it lacked depth on the whole, falling short of the first two in the series. Certain aspects were a little bit too unbelievable as well.
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LibraryThing member shakirh.b3
This book is about Tarzan who is in London with his wife Jane and their son Jake who is a baby. A man name Nikolas Rokoff that hates Tarzan was freed from a French prison. He soon came up with a plot to kidnap Tarzan's son Jake. As Jake's new nurse was taking him for a walk, he was kidnapped by
I think the book show how parents would do anything for their children and also it shows the love of a parent. It shows how conniving people can be even after years has past. Rokoff has shown to be that way by plotting to steal Tarzan baby and setting a trap to get Tarzan onto the ship where he left him stranded on a deserted island. It is funny that Tarzan was an ape-man first before he was like a human, then he had to end up going from being human back to being like an ape-man so he could use his jungle skills to track down his enemies and look for his wife and son. I like the book because the scenes in the book were very descriptive and detail. You can create an image of what is going on.
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some people in a taxicab. Tarzan ended up in the hands of his enemies after agreeing with a rescue plan to save his son. His wife who secretly followed him was imprisoned aboard the same ship. Tarzan was set ashore naked on a deserted island and with the help of Sheeta the panther and the apes who he became friends with, he was able to reach the mainland. They searched for weeks looking for his son. He came under attack from warriors of different villages until they eventually found Rokoff and killed him. He found his wife and as he continue the search for his son, the ship in which they were sailing in was blown up. They set up camp on Jungle Island where two of his men planned an escape with Kai Shang and Momulla taking Jane and a Mosula woman with them. Tarzan and his beast friends searched for Jane and as they boarded the ship they killed Kai Shang and all the other people with him. Jane and the Mosual woman was saved. Two days later they was a radio communication to London where Tarzan found out that his son Jack was safe. Tarzan, his wife Jane, Mugambi and the Mosula woman arrived safely back to London.I think the book show how parents would do anything for their children and also it shows the love of a parent. It shows how conniving people can be even after years has past. Rokoff has shown to be that way by plotting to steal Tarzan baby and setting a trap to get Tarzan onto the ship where he left him stranded on a deserted island. It is funny that Tarzan was an ape-man first before he was like a human, then he had to end up going from being human back to being like an ape-man so he could use his jungle skills to track down his enemies and look for his wife and son. I like the book because the scenes in the book were very descriptive and detail. You can create an image of what is going on.
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LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Tarzan is back! And this time he's brought an army of apes and a panther (I think). That nasty Russian guy is still trying to get revenge despite the number of times Tarzan has bested him. There are improbable journeys and meetings but all is well in the end.
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
Classic pulp fiction. Tarzan gathers a group of giant apes and a panther.
Jane is separated from Tarzan.
Jane is separated from Tarzan.
LibraryThing member AliceAnna
I'm working my way through the whole EGB collection in chronological order and I'm considering cheating and moving ahead to the next Tarzan book. These stories are just so freaking fun!! Yeah, there's some stuff that isn't particularly "PC" anymore, but surprisingly little given the time period in
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which it was written. In any event, fast-paced story and tons of action. If you're able to suspend a little disbelief, buckle up and go!! Show Less
LibraryThing member themulhern
What a lot of twists, turns, and reversals of fortune! Jane gets far more agency than ever before; for a well-brought up Baltimore girl, she is awfully handy with a pistol, rifle, and paddle. It is charming how literary the thrillers of yore were. Burroughs could really turn a phrase.
As always,
As always,
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improbable coincidences, mostly of the spatial sort, occur. The west coast of Africa is really a bit larger than his novels would make it appear. Show Less
LibraryThing member kristykay22
The third Tarzan novel, originally published as a serial in 1914, sees our hero brought back to the African jungle from his London home when his wife, Jane, and their son, Jack are kidnapped by his familiar Russian enemies. A truly impressive number of twists, double twists, mistaken identities,
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racial stereotypes, and use of the word "thews" (I had to look it up!) ensues. Jane refreshingly gets chapters all to herself and manages to do a great job taking care of herself. Tarzan builds himself a pack of giant apes and a ruthlessly adorable panther to assist in his quest of rescuing Jane and Jack and getting them all back to civilization. If you can set aside the racism endemic to the early twentieth century adventure novel (especially ones set in Africa) this is a page turner with just the kind of florid style and cliffhangers you'd expect from Burroughs. Show Less
LibraryThing member kslade
Pretty good sequel. Rough action in the jungle, etc.
Language
Original publication date
1914
1914-05-16
1916-03-04
Physical description
191 p.; 17 cm
Local notes
Ace science fiction classic ; F-203.
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Pages
191