Tarzan the Terrible (#8)

by · 1921

Genre: Fiction

Rating: 3.8/5

Burroughs's eighth Tarzan novel plunges the ape-man into a prehistoric lost world, offering a wild ride through dinosaur-infested jungles and tribal warfare. While thrilling, its reliance on familiar narrative beats tempers its overall impact.

Edgar Rice Burroughs's eighth Tarzan novel, while a vibrant spectacle of prehistoric survival, ultimately suffers from its author's well-worn narrative devices.

This installment in the foundational jungle saga, set in the lost land of Pal-ul-don, offers a fascinating glimpse into Burroughs's enduring imaginative prowess; yet, for all its inventive world-building, it struggles to transcend the limitations of its own repetitive formula. It is a testament to the author's ability to conjure vivid landscapes and primal conflicts, even if the character arcs feel less evolved than the dinosaurs they encounter.

In "Tarzan the Terrible," Burroughs transports his iconic ape-man to the hidden valley of Pal-ul-don, a Mesozoic anachronism where dinosaurs and ape-like humanoids, the Ho-don and Waz-don, wage perpetual war. This setting allows Burroughs to indulge in his penchant for elaborate, self-contained ecosystems, painting a picture of a world both brutal and breathtaking. The prose, while not always elegant, is consistently energetic, propelling the reader through a dizzying array of chases, captures, and daring escapes. Tarzan's physical prowess and strategic cunning are, as ever, on full display, solidifying his status as a king among both men and beasts, even when faced with creatures thought long extinct.

The central conflict revolves around Tarzan's relentless search for his beloved Jane, presumed lost in the verdant, perilous depths of Pal-ul-don. This quest provides the emotional anchor, however thin, for the sprawling adventure that unfolds. Burroughs masterfully uses the unfamiliarity of the new environment to heighten tension and underscore Tarzan's adaptability; his struggle to understand the customs and languages of the Ho-don and Waz-don adds layers of ethnographic curiosity to the raw action. The intricate details of tribal warfare, complete with their unique weapons and social structures, demonstrate Burroughs's commitment to crafting a believable, if fantastical, lost world.

Burroughs's skill in pacing is undeniable; the narrative rarely slackens, moving from one perilous encounter to the next with an almost cinematic rhythm. The sheer variety of life in Pal-ul-don—from the mighty gryfs and thipdars to the savage humanoids—ensures a constant sense of wonder and danger. This book, perhaps more than some of its predecessors, leans heavily into the pulp adventure genre, prioritizing spectacle and adrenaline over introspective character development. It is a work designed to transport and thrill, and in that regard, it largely succeeds, fulfilling the promise of its fantastical premise.

However, a critical eye quickly discerns the narrative's structural reliance on contrivance and repetition. The cycle of capture and escape, often involving near-identical scenarios for Tarzan and Jane, becomes conspicuously predictable. There is a diminishing return in the dramatic tension when the reader anticipates the hero's inevitable, ingenious rescue, or the heroine's equally inevitable, albeit temporary, peril. Burroughs’s imaginative setting, while vivid, cannot fully compensate for a certain two-dimensionality in character motivation and the lack of genuine surprise in the plot mechanics, which feel, by this eighth volume, somewhat rehashed.

Ultimately, "Tarzan the Terrible" stands as a robust entry in the Tarzan canon, particularly for those who revel in pulp adventure and dinosaur-laden landscapes. While it may not offer the narrative sophistication or thematic depth of later, more self-aware adventure fiction, it remains a powerful example of Burroughs’s ability to weave compelling tales of human and pre-human survival. It is a novel that, despite its structural limitations, continues to capture the imagination through its sheer audacity of vision and its unwavering commitment to the thrill of the chase.

Key Takeaways

Summary

Chapter Guide

Chapter 1: The Perilous Journey to Pal-ul-don
Tarzan, believing Jane to be dead, sets out on a vengeful and desperate journey into the unknown depths of Pal-ul-don, a hidden land populated by strange, prehistoric creatures and warring tribes. His grief fuels his relentless pursuit, pushing him into increasingly perilous territories.
Chapter 2: First Encounters in a Savage Land
Upon entering Pal-ul-don, Tarzan immediately faces the primeval dangers of the region, including encounters with dinosaur-like creatures and the fierce, ape-like Waz-don. He quickly adapts his jungle skills to this new, brutal environment.
Chapter 3: La of Opar and the Pit of Death
Tarzan's path crosses once again with La, the High Priestess of Opar, who has also ventured into Pal-ul-don, leading to a complex dynamic of rivalry and grudging alliance. They become ensnared in the rituals of the indigenous tribes, facing sacrificial rites.
Chapter 4: The Tribe of the Ho-don
Tarzan becomes entangled with the Ho-don, a tribe of intelligent, tailed humanoids who are perpetually at war with the Waz-don. He uses his cunning and strength to aid them, earning their respect and a temporary alliance.
Chapter 5: The Revelation of Jane's Survival
Through a series of harrowing events and unexpected discoveries, Tarzan receives a startling clue that suggests Jane might still be alive and held captive within Pal-ul-don. This revelation rekindles his hope, shifting his quest from vengeance to rescue.

Read the full review at https://reviewerinsight.com/book/69ed6b20f2f1713bdeb4911b/tarzan-the-terrible-8

More Fiction Books

Browse all Fiction reviews