The Son of Tarzan [Paperback]

As with the previous books in the series, "The Son of Tarzan" by Edgar Rice Burroughs is an improvement over the installments which came before. Originally published as a 6-part serial between December 4th, 1915 and January 8th, 1916, "The Son of Tarzan" introduces Tarzan's son Jack (a.k.a. Korak) as a major character, as well as his wife Meriem.

The improvements are obvious over the earlier books, the plot is less transparent and more involved, and the dangers facing our heroes are a wider variety and thus there is much less repetition in the story. The weaknesses are still significant though as the unbelievable coincidences still occur much too often, and when Jack disappears the reaction of Tarzan and Jane is absent, and thus the reunion later on lacks any kind of feeling as the reader never is made aware of any steps made by the parents to find their son.

Burroughs for once doesn't use a single main villain throughout the story, and this is another significant improvement in the story. Instead Alexis Paulvitch starts as the foil, but he is out of the story relatively early as many other factors come into play which lead the story in the direction it takes, and the characters one faces are not quite as two-dimensional as they are in the previous books in the series, though they still are not fully-defined.

Despite its problems, the Tarzan series remains an entertaining one, especially those who enjoy action and adventure. "The Son of Tarzan" in my opinion is the best in the series up to this point, though it does create some problems later with the timeline of other stories, and I would also say that the Barsoom series after its first four novels was the better of the two series. Clearly, though, Tarzan triumphs as far as history is concerned, as he is an iconic figure in fiction while John Carter is remembered only by Burroughs' fans.

The Son of Tarzan deserves a strong 4 star rating. While the story shares a lot in common with much of Burroughs' early Tarzan material, isn't that why you like the Tarzan series? The Son of Tarzan also stands out among the early Tarzan series for its excellent characterization. The book's best feature is the relationship that evolves between Tarzan's son Korak and the kidnapped French girl, Meriem. It is much more satisfactory than the Tarzan and Jane relationship, which really fizzles after the first couple of Tarzan books. The reader sympathizes with Meriem from the onset of the story. Burroughs patiently develops her character throughout the book, creating an appealing feminine presence. The reader also sympathizes with Korak, who proves to be more than just a "Tarzan Jr." While the two share certain similarities, Korak is his own man whose ultimate fate hangs in the balance until the very end of the novel.

Alongside these two strong leading characters, Burroughs works in a number of foes that add significant interest to the plot. The character of Baynes is the most interesting among these, and the reader will appreciate how Burroughs expands his role. The plot does not get overly complicated, nor is the reader buried under an avalanche of endless characters. By the end of the book, Burroughs is able to tie up all the loose ends that he has created.

There is a certain amount of predictability, and Burroughs is unsuccessful in his attempt to cloak the identities of the "Big Bwana" and "My Dear." This does not greatly detract from the overall book, though. I found that the book's pace gained momentum as the story progressed, and found the conclusion to be very satisfactory. It is not a conclusion that merely baits the reader into buying the next edition, unlike the present "Lord of the Rings" movie saga, for instance. It stands on its own.

The 1917 version that includes many outstanding illustrations by J. Allen St. John is the best way to go on this one. St. John's only lapses are his inability to capture Meriem in "civilized" garb, the illustration in which Tarzan looks like a skinny 90-year old man, and the bizarre, strangely proportioned Quasimodo-ish picture of Baynes fighting the black. Aside from these glaring exceptions, his work is top-notch.