By Edgar Rice Burroughs
Publisher: Quiet Vision, Large Print ed, 2000, 252 pages
ISBN: 978-1576464816
Genre: Fiction, Adventure
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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar By Edgar Rice Burroughs Publisher: Quiet Vision, Large Print ed, 2000, 252 pages ISBN: 978-1576464816 Genre: Fiction, Adventure |
Reviewed by Israel Drazin - February 9, 2011
It is fun to ride the imaginary time machine back to read a Tarzan tale by E. R. Burroughs (1875-1950) again, to swing in the Congo jungles without fear from branch to branch vicariously with the Ape Man, to save lives, humans and animals. This volume contains twenty-four chapters.
A young Belgian officer stationed in the Congo because of past bad behavior is affected by the isolation, loses his mind, shoots his superior officer who he imagines is tormenting him, and escapes after shooting and killing a sentry. He runs until he is exhausted, when he is found by the head man of his enemies, slave raiding Arabs. The officer, seeing his life in danger, tells the Arab that he was running from the Europeans to join him. The Arab is distrustful but decides to give him a chance. Months go by and the officer impresses the Arab. Then the Arab reveals his plan. He wants to capture Tarzan, force him to give him much of his wealth, and, if he refuses, kidnap his ravishing wife and sell her into slavery. The officer is appalled at the idea but agrees so that he might not be killed. They plan that the officer will disguise himself as a hunter and find Tarzan. So ends chapter 1.
Tarzan is civilized at this time because and only because of his wife Jane, but he longs to strip himself of his European clothes and return to the jungle, jump from trees upon animals who will be his food, and eat their flesh raw and drink their blood, like an animal. He is known as John Clayton and Lord Greystoke, and has a vast African estate. The officer encounters him, and Lord Greystoke and Lady Greystoke offer him hospitality. While at their bungalow, he overhears Tarzan and Jane talking. The money Tarzan had invested in England has been lost. Now he must shed his clothes and return to Opar and take more precious goods from there. The officer contacts the Arab and they decide to follow Tarzan and take the goods from him. Tarzan drops his clothes, puts on the scant garment that he enjoys wearing, and sets out for Opar with fifty natives who respect him. So ends chapter 2 and so begins a great Tarzan adventure.
