At the conclusion of the third Tarzan novel, 1914's "The Beasts of Tarzan," the Ape Man's archenemy, Nikolas Rokoff, lies dead (and 3/4 eaten!) beneath the fangs of Tarzan's panther ally, Sheeta. But Rokoff's lieutenant, the equally dastardly Alexis Paulvitch, manages to flee into the African wilderness to escape. Needing to know more, this reader wasted little time diving into book #4, "The Son of Tarzan." As it had been with the first two Tarzan sequels, "Son" initially appeared serially in magazine form, in this case as a six-parter in the pulp periodical "All-Story Weekly," from December 1915 - January 1916. It would have to wait another 14 months before being released in hardcover book form. The novel begins a full decade after the events of book #3, as we see Paulvitch, now a wreck of his former self after 10 years in the African jungle, finally being rescued by the crew of an English ship. By an astounding coincidence (and author Edgar Rice Burroughs' works are just riddled with these kinds of chance occurrences), before being returned to England, Paulvitch manages to encounter--and tame--the giant anthropoid Akut, who had played such a central role in book #3 as another of Tarzan's allies. Back in London, Paulvitch displays the giant ape before entranced crowds, and that is where Jack Clayton--the 11-year-old son of Tarzan--first discovers him. Thirsting for adventure, Jack decides to not only run away from home, but to bring Akut back to Africa, also (talk about spunky kids!). But once there, events conspire to make it next to impossible for Jack to return. Thus, like his dad before him, the lad goes native, and is soon seen swinging through the treetops, eating raw animal steaks and making enemies of the local tribes. It is a lonely existence for Jack (now called Korak, or The Killer, by his simian friends), until he chances to discover a little 10-year-old girl, Meriem, who had been kidnapped (as Jack had been in book #3) from her French parents three years before and is now a slave of sorts in an Arab village. And as it turns out, this is just the beginning of Korak's adventures with his new jungle companion, in a runaway saga that is to last over five years.... As for Paulvitch, author Burroughs deals summarily with him in the book's first three chapters, and the Russian villain's ultimate fate is a satisfying one. Tarzan himself is absent for at least 2/3 of the book's length, only appearing in the opening chapters and then disappearing completely until the novel's second half. The book rather focuses on "Tarzan, Jr.," his efforts to adjust to jungle life and his relationship with Meriem. Burroughs stuffs so much incident and plot convolutions into this entry that it is almost impossible to synopsize, but suffice it to say that the action never lags. As usual, the pacing is somewhat frenetic, the chapters always seem to end with a cliffhanger, and the reader is completely swept along; these books are true page-turners. Whereas book #3 had featured two nasty villains, this time around, we are presented with no less than four: Paulvitch, of course; the Sheik Amor ben Khatour, the kidnapper and abuser of little Meriem; and the Swedish hunters Carl Jenssen and Sven Malbihn. Malbihn is a particularly loathsome creation, especially when he takes a hot-blooded fancy for the teenage Meriem; he is almost comparable to one of the love-starved wretches in the H. Rider Haggard pantheon, only with far fewer scruples. As had book #3, "Son" goes far in disproving the charge of racism that has been leveled against Burroughs' work. In one telling passage, Korak regards a local tribe, and the author writes, "What if these were naked savages? What if their skins were black? Were they not creatures fashioned in the mold of their Maker, as was he?" (Too bad, then, that Korak becomes the enemy of this tribe, after being rebuffed by its members!) Burroughs' writing at this point, it must be said, seems subtly improved since book #1, "Tarzan of the Apes" (which is celebrating its centennial this month, by the way, having been first issued in October 1912). Though no great shakes as a prose stylist, Burroughs was a natural storyteller, and his facility with pacing and sweep are much in evidence here. Book #4 contains some humorous asides as well, as when it is inferred that Sherlock Holmes (like Tarzan, one of the most popular and famous literary creations of all time) actually exists and is a person one can turn to for assistance! Typically, Burroughs invents some of his own words (such as "garmenture") and is guilty of an inconsistency here and there (such as when Jack recalls how Paulvitch had once had him tied up and Akut had successfully untied him; unfortunately, it never actually happened this way in the book). The bottom line is that "The Son of Tarzan" might not be anyone's idea of "great literature," but it sure is some thrilling, gripping stuff; a book that dishes out memorable action set pieces and that might even bring a tear to susceptible readers as it draws near to its conclusion. On a personal note, I might add that having just read the first four Tarzan novels to celebrate the big guy's centennial (out of a series that reached, ultimately, to some two dozen), I find that I now need to take a break. Lately, I have begun to entertain a hankering for raw lion steaks....
"Tarzanin poika" (Kirjayhtymä, 1990) on järjestyksessään neljäs viidakkomiehen seikkailuista kertova romaani, eikä yhtään hassumpi sellainen. Tarzanin pojan Jackin alias Korakin viidakkoelämään keskittyvä seikkailu pysyy hyvin koossa, vaikka onkin osin ennalta-arvattavissa, ja etenkin alkupuolella venyttää logiikan ja realismin rajoja uusiin ulottuvuuksiin.Kirjallisuudentutkijat voisivat käyttää muutamia "Tarzanin pojan" kohtauksia malliesimerkkeinä siitä rasismista, joita Edgar Rice Burroughsin tuotannosta on löydettävissä. "Neekerit ovat väsymättömiä juttujen kertojia, toisin sanoen he ovat ihmisiä hekin", "Hänen primitiivisissä aivoissaan liikkuin monta pirullista kostosuunnitelmaa, joita hän ei kuitenkaan uskaltaisi toteuttaa joutuessaan kasvotusten hallitsevaan rotuun kuuluvan kanssa" ja sitä rataa. Lisäksi "julmat arabit" saavat melkoisesti ryöpytystä osakseen, ja syystä tai toisesta myös ruotsalaisten roolina on tässäkin kirjassa esiintyä konnan roolissa.Burroughsin naiskuvan kannalta "Tarzanin poika" on yksi sarjan mielenkiintoisimmista kirjoista. Janen rooli on jälleen kerran pysytellä taka-alalla. Lukijan kannalta on mielenkiintoista huomata, ettei hän - esimerkiksi elokuvista täysin poiketen - ole lainkaan ihastunut miehensä menneisyydestä ja viidakkoelämästä, vaan pyrkii kaikin keinoin salaamaan sen pojaltaan.Sen sijaan pienestä tytöstä vetreäksi viidakkojumalattareksi varttuva Mirjam saa yllättävänkin ison ja osittain myös toiminnallisen roolin. Naiseksi kasvamiseen liittyvät tässä tapauksessa myös miesten himokkaat katseet ja kiertoilmauksin peitetyt raiskausyritykset, joita esiintyy kirjassa useampia kappaleita. Tulikohan näitä lapsena tajunneeksi?Seppo Ilmarin kääntämästä suomenkielisestä laitoksesta on vielä lopuksi todettava, että harvemmin vastaan tulee teoksia, joiden takakannen teksti olisi yhtä epäonnistunut.
What do You think about The Son Of Tarzan (2003)?
This is the most frustrating book yet, but it does make its ending super cathartic. (Sounds like Modern English)The language of the great apes is a combination of monosyllabic gutturals, amplified by gestures and signs. It may not be literally translated into human speech; but as near as may be this is what Akut said to the boy. (Poor Classical Gods)"Her body, rounding into the fulness of an early maturity, followed the lines of a Greek goddess; but there the similarity ceased, for her face was
—dragonhelmuk
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.
—Dave
Opening scene: A small boat, is floating leisurely .On a stream in West Africa.The crew, in the vessel on the Ugambi River.Are tired, after struggling going up.They can relax, coming down. And letting the current take them. To their ship. The Marjorie W,anchored on the nearby,coast. Of the Atlantic Ocean.They were seeking valuable products. In the area.You can imagine. How startled the seamen are. Seeing a white man, emerging from the jungle.More skeleton than flesh and blood.Alexis Paulvitch, is,after ten torturous years lost there. But that's not the name he gives. To the amazed sailors, of course.Being an evil man. Both in the past, and the coming future, too.The criminal, has to give an alias.. .Taken to London, along with a big ape. Ajax,real name Akut(a friend of Tarzan). Who strangely takes a liking, to Paulvitch.I mean Michael Sabrov.Revenge he seeks against Tarzan.The respectable English Lord, Greystoke.John Clayton,everyone has different names, in this book.The Russian hates Tarzan, for preventing him and his friend Rokoff. From succeeding in their wicked plans.Paulvitch puts Ajax in a show. And customers flock to view the intelligent ape. Do his tricks.So does Tarzan's curious son John,"Jack".Sneaking out, without his parent's permission.They wanted to keep the sub teenager. Away from jungle things!Still blood is blood and the smell of adventure .Lures the boy.The happy simian recognizes Jack, during the performance. But the suspicious Russian. Learns the identity of the kid.An idea developes,in the sick mind .Of Paulvitch,kill the son of Tarzan.Luckily Jack is saved by Ajax/Akut. The boy has to flee, to distant Africa(Junior can't explain the mess).Eventually entering the rain forest.When his money is lost(stolen), and a crook .Tries to harm him. The big ape prevented it, again. And accompanies Jack, as a loyal and great friend.An 800 pound gorilla .Nice!Trying to stay alive and get back to England, but how? Thinks the kid.Trouble follows the boy. Wherever he arrives(like flies to manure).It will not be any different. In the interior of the continent.Quickly learning to swing from a tree. And other uncivilized.But necessary skills. Jack(Korak,his African name). Becomes an uncouth savage(kill or be killed). Cruel villains,dangerous apes,hungry lions,and even hungrier cannibals,crocodiles and elephants.Constantly threatening baboons.Kidnappers,the land has it all.And maybe even a girl(for Korak ?).Too much, in fact for comfort.If you want adventure in the safety of your home.This is it.No heavy messages,relax and read. The Son of Tarzan.Imitate his famous father.I did...And enjoyed it, very much.
—Henry Avila
