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A review by topdragon
Tarzan the Untamed by Edgar Rice Burroughs
4.0
Tarzan is away from his plantation home in British East Africa, and just when he learns that Britain is now at war with Germany in what would someday be called “The Great War”, his home is destroyed by invading German troops. Tarzan speeds home only to find it in ruins and his beloved wife, Jane, charred to a crisp. In Tarzan’s mind, all Germans must pay and so he trails them to the battle front in East Africa where he sets about exacting his revenge in brutal fashion.
Eventually, Tarzan decides to return to his original home on the West coast and revisit his old tribe of great apes. He must traverse a great desert along the way, which almost proves to be his undoing. Then he finds himself in the familiar role of protector for two people: a young girl named Bertha Kircher whom he believes to be a German spy as well as a downed Royal Air Force pilot, Harold Percy Smith-Oldwick. A series of adventures ensues, many involving battles with lions or panthers or avoiding such.
Originally, this novel was to be only the first part of a larger effort, the second of which is published these days as [b:Tarzan the Terrible|40422|Tarzan the Terrible (Tarzan, #8)|Edgar Rice Burroughs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1349075114s/40422.jpg|6418012]. This first one does end on a bit of a cliffhanger when Tarzan finds out at the very end that Jane is not dead after all, (I sincerely hope that is not a spoiler for anyone), and so must launch a rescue effort. Since the novel was first published in serial form (Redbook – March through August 1919), there is some repetitive information as to what has already transpired in order to bring readers up to speed. Some parts almost read like short stories strung together.
The book was written during wartime and it is interesting to see how ERB succumbed to the notion that all Germans were evil and irredeemable. Looking back, we know that ERB’s book sales in Germany in general (and Tarzan titles specifically) suffered quite a bit due to the controversy from this book as well as others written around this time. He did reverse his stance in later years, but it was a case of too little too late.
I quite enjoyed this book in the series. The scene in the desert when Tarzan is at the end of all hope and must trick Ska, the vulture, in order to survive is very well written and is often noted as among the best scenes in all the Tarzan tales. The later Tarzan tales do get some flak for becoming repetitive, especially when they concern stories of lost cities, but this novel is generally regarded as the best of those. The plot is fun even if a little over the top but that’s what I look for in a book such as this. Just sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy the experience.
Eventually, Tarzan decides to return to his original home on the West coast and revisit his old tribe of great apes. He must traverse a great desert along the way, which almost proves to be his undoing. Then he finds himself in the familiar role of protector for two people: a young girl named Bertha Kircher whom he believes to be a German spy as well as a downed Royal Air Force pilot, Harold Percy Smith-Oldwick. A series of adventures ensues, many involving battles with lions or panthers or avoiding such.
Originally, this novel was to be only the first part of a larger effort, the second of which is published these days as [b:Tarzan the Terrible|40422|Tarzan the Terrible (Tarzan, #8)|Edgar Rice Burroughs|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1349075114s/40422.jpg|6418012]. This first one does end on a bit of a cliffhanger when Tarzan finds out at the very end that Jane is not dead after all, (I sincerely hope that is not a spoiler for anyone), and so must launch a rescue effort. Since the novel was first published in serial form (Redbook – March through August 1919), there is some repetitive information as to what has already transpired in order to bring readers up to speed. Some parts almost read like short stories strung together.
The book was written during wartime and it is interesting to see how ERB succumbed to the notion that all Germans were evil and irredeemable. Looking back, we know that ERB’s book sales in Germany in general (and Tarzan titles specifically) suffered quite a bit due to the controversy from this book as well as others written around this time. He did reverse his stance in later years, but it was a case of too little too late.
I quite enjoyed this book in the series. The scene in the desert when Tarzan is at the end of all hope and must trick Ska, the vulture, in order to survive is very well written and is often noted as among the best scenes in all the Tarzan tales. The later Tarzan tales do get some flak for becoming repetitive, especially when they concern stories of lost cities, but this novel is generally regarded as the best of those. The plot is fun even if a little over the top but that’s what I look for in a book such as this. Just sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy the experience.