Read Ebook {PDF EPUB} Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs The Apes. In the forest of the table-land a mile back from the ocean old Kerchak the Ape was on a rampage of rage among his people. The younger and lighter members of his tribe scampered to the higher branches of the great trees to escape his wrath; risking their lives upon branches that scarce supported their weight rather than face old Kerchak in one of his fits of uncontrolled anger. The other males scattered in all directions, but not before the infuriated brute had felt the vertebra of one snap between his great, foaming jaws. A luckless young female slipped from an insecure hold upon a high branch and came crashing to the ground almost at Kerchak's feet. With a wild scream he was upon her, tearing a great piece from her side with his mighty teeth, and striking her viciously upon her head and shoulders with a broken tree limb until her skull was crushed to a jelly. And then he spied Kala, who, returning from a search for food with her young babe, was ignorant of the state of the mighty male's temper until suddenly the shrill warnings of her fellows caused her to scamper madly for safety. But Kerchak was close upon her, so close that he had almost grasped her ankle had she not made a furious leap far into space from one tree to another--a perilous chance which apes seldom if ever take, unless so closely pursued by danger that there is no alternative. She made the leap successfully, but as she grasped the limb of the further tree the sudden jar loosened the hold of the tiny babe where it clung frantically to her neck, and she saw the little thing hurled, turning and twisting, to the ground thirty feet below. We have hundreds more books for your enjoyment. Read them all! With a low cry of dismay Kala rushed headlong to its side, thoughtless now of the danger from Kerchak; but when she gathered the wee, mangled form to her bosom life had left it. With low moans, she sat cuddling the body to her; nor did Kerchak attempt to molest her. With the death of the babe his fit of demoniacal rage passed as suddenly as it had seized him. Kerchak was a huge king ape, weighing perhaps three hundred and fifty pounds. His forehead was extremely low and receding, his eyes bloodshot, small and close set to his coarse, flat nose; his ears large and thin, but smaller than most of his kind. His awful temper and his mighty strength made him supreme among the little tribe into which he had been born some twenty years before. Now that he was in his prime, there was no simian in all the mighty forest through which he roved that dared contest his right to rule, nor did the other and larger animals molest him. Old Tantor, the elephant, alone of all the wild savage life, feared him not--and he alone did Kerchak fear. When Tantor trumpeted, the great ape scurried with his fellows high among the trees of the second terrace. The tribe of anthropoids over which Kerchak ruled with an iron hand and bared fangs, numbered some six or eight families, each family consisting of an adult male with his females and their young, numbering in all some sixty or seventy apes. 'Tarzan of the Apes,' An Adventure Novel With a Complicated Legacy. Tarzan of the Apes was written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, an American author best known for his science fiction, fantasy and adventure stories. In 1912, the story was serialized in a pulp fiction magazine. It was published in novel form in 1914. Tarzan of the Apes was so popular among readers that Burroughs wrote more than two dozen sequels featuring the adventures of Tarzan. The story remains a classic adventure novel, but the undercurrent of racism running through the text has led to a more complicated legacy. Fast Facts: Tarzan of the Apes. Author : Edgar Rice Burroughs Publisher : A.C. McClurg Year Published : 1914 Genre : Adventure Type of Work : Novel Original language : English Themes : Escapism, adventure, Colonialism Characters : Tarzan, Jane Porter, Alice Rutherford Clayton, John Clayton, William Cecil Clayton, Paul D'Arnot, Kala, Kerchak Notable Film Adaptations : Tarzan of the Apes (1918), The Romance of Tarzan (1918), Tarzan the Ape Man (1932), Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984), Tarzan (1999) and The Legend of Tarzan (2016). Summary of Plot. In the late 1800s, John and Alice Clayton, the Earl and Count find themselves marooned on the western coast of Africa. They build a shelter in the jungle and Alice gives birth to a son. The child is named John, after his father. When the young John Clayton is just a year old, his mother dies. Shortly afterward, his father is killed by an ape named Kerchak. Young John Clayton is adopted by a female ape named Kala, who names him Tarzan. Tarzan grows up with the apes, fully aware that he is different from his ape family but unaware of his human heritage. He eventually discovers the shelter that his biological parents built, as well as a few of their possessions. He uses their books to teach himself how to read and write English. However, he has never had another human to talk to, so he is unable to speak the “language of men.” Growing up in the jungle helps Tarzan become a fierce hunter and warrior. When the savage ape Kerchak attacks and tries to kill him, Tarzan wins the fight and takes Kerchak's place as the king of the apes. When Tarzan is just over 20 years old, he discovers a party of treasure hunters marooned on the coast. Tarzan protects them and saves a young American woman named Jane. Jane and Tarzan fall in love, and when Jane leaves Africa, Tarzan eventually decides to track her down by traveling to the U.S. During the journey, Tarzan learns how to speak French and English, and tries to develop "civilized" manners. He also meets Paul D'Arnot, a French naval officer who discovers that Tarzan is the rightful heir to an esteemed English estate. When Tarzan arrives in the U.S., he saves Jane from danger once again, but soon discovers she is engaged to man named William Clayton. Ironically, William Clayton is Tarzan's cousin, and is set to inherit the estate and title that rightfully belong to Tarzan. Tarzan knows that if he takes the inheritance from his cousin, he will also be taking away Jane's security. Thus, for the sake of Jane's well-being, he decides not to reveal his true identity as the Earl of Greystoke. Major Characters. Tarzan : The protagonist of the novel. Although he is the son of a British lord and lady, Tarzan was raised by apes in the African jungle after the death of his parents. Tarzan is somewhat contemptuous of civilized society, but falls in love with a young American woman named Jane. John Clayton : Also known as the Earl of Greystoke, John Clayton is Alice Clayton's husband and Tarzan's biological father. Alice Rutherford Clayton : Also known as the Countess of Greystoke, Alice Rutherford Clayton is John Clayton's wife and Tarzan's biological mother. Kerchak : The ape that killed Tarzan's biological father. Tarzan eventually kills Kerchak and takes his place as the king of the apes. Kala : Kala is a female ape who adopts and raises Tarzan after his biological parents die. Professor Archimedes Q. Porter : An anthropology scholar who brings a party of people, including his daughter Jane, to the jungles of Africa under the guise of studying human society. His real goal is to hunt for a long-lost treasure. Jane Porter : The 19-year-old daughter of Professor Porter. Tarzan saves Jane's life, and she falls in love with him. Paul D'Arnot : A French naval officer who finds proof that Tarzan is really John Clayton II and heir to an ancestral English title and estate. Major Themes. Escapism : When asked by an editor to write an article about the theme of the Tarzan books, Edgar Rice Burroughs said that the theme consists of just one word: Tarzan. Burroughs claimed that the Tarzan books did not have a particular message or moral agenda; rather, he said, Tarzan of the Apes was intended to serve as an escape from thought, discussion and argument. Civilization : The novel raises questions about the true meaning of civilization. Tarzan exhibits behaviors that outsiders consider uncivilized, such as eating raw meat and wiping his hands on his clothing after a meal. In contrast, members of "civilized" society exhibit behaviors that appear unseemly to Tarzan. For example, the supposedly civilized men gang up on animals and use weapons that give them an unfair advantage during a hunt. Tarzan eventually conforms to many of these "civilized" norms, but he concludes that he is still wild at heart. Racism : Racism is an ever-present theme in Tarzan of the Apes . White characters, including Tarzan, are written as superior beings. Tarzan's father is referred to as a member of the “higher white races.” Tarzan is also depicted as physically and genetically superior to the native tribes who live nearby. These Black African characters are referred to as “poor savage negroes” with “bestial faces.” Tarzan does not try to befriend them, communicate with them or protect them in any way, but he makes great efforts to help and support the white men that he meets in the jungle. The novel also implies that Tarzan is able to teach himself how to read and write because of his white heritage. Literary Style. Tarzan of the Apes is classified as an adventure novel. The perils of the jungle and the life and death struggles that ensue between characters are meant to give readers a sense of excitement. Burroughs stated several times that the story was influenced by the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus. Tarzan of the Apes has influenced other works as well. It has been adapted into films, comics and radio adventure programs. Key Quotes. The following quotes are spoken by Tarzan, after learning to speak "the language of men." Tarzan of the Apes. Tarzan of the Apes is Burroughs’ exciting, if improbable, story of an English lord, left by the death of his stranded parents in the hands of a motherly African ape who raises him as her own. Although he is aware that he is different from the apes of his tribe, who are neither white nor hairless, he nevertheless regards them as his “people.” When older, larger, stronger apes decide that he an undesirable to be killed or expelled from the tribe, it is fortunate that Tarzan has learned the use of primitive weapons. Although small and weak by ape standards, Tarzan is a human of god-like strength and agility to men who discover him. By studying these people, he gradually decides he is not an ape at all, but human. And when he meets Jane, a beautiful American girl marooned with her father and friends on the hostile coast of Africa, Tarzan conceives love for her. When they are unexpectedly rescued before Tarzan can find a way to reveal his feelings to Jane, he determines to become civilized and follow her into the world of people – to find her and wed her, though he must cross continents and oceans, and compete with two other suitors for her hand. This story was the subject of a successful film in 1932, with Tarzan being played by Johnny Weissmuller, who acted in a further eleven Tarzan films. According to Weissmuller in an interview with Mike Douglas, his famous ape-call was audio stitched together from a soprano, an alto, and a hog-caller! Summary by Mark F. Smith. EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: MASTER OF ADVENTURE. The creator of the immortal characters Tarzan of the Apes and John Carter of Mars, Edgar Rice Burroughs is one of the world’s most popular authors. His timeless tales of heroes and heroines transport readers from the jungles of Africa and the dead sea bottoms of Barsoom to the miles- high forests of Amtor and the savage inner world of Pellucidar, and even to alien civilizations beyond the farthest star. Mr. Burroughs’ books are estimated to have sold hundreds of millions of copies, and they have spawned 60 films and 250 television episodes. JOE JUSKO: VISIONARY ARTIST. Joe Jusko is among today’s most acclaimed fantasy, pin-up, and comic artists. His work has been featured on book and comic posters, and on the much-praised 1992 Marvel Masterpieces trading cards. Jusko is a recipient of myriad industry honors, including a Certificate of Merit from the Society of Illustrators and a 2001 Chesley Award nomination. Fittingly, he was born on September 1, sharing his birthday with Edgar Rice Burroughs. Jusko’s longtime love of Burroughs’ work continues to inspire him in illustrating the Authorized Library and bringing the author’s creative vision to life. Tarzan and the Lost Empire. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Donald F. Glut Afterword by Henry G. Franke III. Book 12 of the Tarzan® Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Somewhere in the heart of Africa, a young archaeologist disappeared in the remote jungle mountains—Erich von Harben, son of an old missionary friend of Tarzan of the Apes. Now the ape-man seeks to rescue the lost scholar. The trail leads to a mysterious valley where Tarzan discovers two surviving outposts of ancient Rome, virtually unchanged by time. And there, Tarzan is thrust into the bloody gladiatorial arena, doomed to face every peril the cruel and corrupt emperor of Castra Sanguinarius can devise to ensure the ape-man’s death. Miles away in Castrum Mare, Erich von Harben also awaits execution upon the sands of another tyrant’s arena, destined to die before he can pledge his heart to the fair Favonia, daughter of one of the emperor’s favored patricians. Tarzan Lord of the Jungle. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Sarah A. Hoyt Afterword by Henry G. Franke III. Book 11 of the Tarzan® Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Cruel slave traders have invaded the jungle domain of Tarzan of the Apes. Now they head toward a fabled empire of riches that no outsider has ever seen, intent on looting its great treasures. And toward the same legendary land stumbles the lost James Blake, an American whom Tarzan has vowed to rescue. Following their spoors, the ape-man comes upon the lost Valley of the Sepulcher, where Knights Templar still fight to resume their holy crusade to free Jerusalem. Soon Tarzan, the true lord of their ancient motherland, finds himself armed with lance and shield, partaking of jousting and ancient combat. And then it is that the slavers strike! Tarzan and the Ant Men. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Richard A. Lupoff Afterword by Henry G. Franke III. Book 10 of the Tarzan® Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. No man had ever penetrated the Great Thorn Forest until Tarzan of the Apes crashed his plane behind it on his solo flight. Within he finds a beautiful country. But in it lives the Alali, strange Stone Age giants whose women regard all men as less than slaves. And beyond the Alali lies the country of the Ant Men—little people only eighteen inches tall. There, in Trohanadalmakus, Tarzan is an honored guest, until he is captured by the warriors of Veltopismakus in one of the Ant Men’s wars. But unknown to the ape-man, they have plans for him—by the advanced science of the little people, Tarzan is shrunk to their size and set to work as a quarry slave. Tarzan and The Golden Lion. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Christopher Paul Carey Afterword by Henry G. Franke III. Book 9 of the Tarzan® Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Betrayed by a band of international conspirators, Tarzan is drugged and left to die in the jungle. But then a quirk of fate delivers him into the hands of the frightful priests of Opar, the last bastion of lost Atlantis. La, High Priestess of the Flaming God, spares his life once again, driven by her hopeless love for the ape-man, only to find her act rewarded by the betrayal of her own people. To save her, Tarzan flees with La into the legendary Valley of Diamonds, while Jad-bal-ja, his faithful golden lion, follows. Ahead lies a land where sentient gorillas rule over servile humans. And behind, Esteban Miranda—who looks exactly like Tarzan—plots further treachery. Tarzan the Terrible. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Martin Powell Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 8 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Driven by the single-minded purpose of tracking the missing Jane and her German abductor, Tarzan braves the forbidding wastes of the great barrier swamps to enter the primeval land of Pal-ul-don—an unforgiving world of tailed humanoids pitted in unrelenting war, where the fierce reptilian gryf stalks its prey. As Jane battles to free herself from captivity in A-lur, the City of Light, and flees deeper into the deadly environs of the strange land, she must learn to hone her own jungle skills and emerge as a heroine in her own right. or succumb to the merciless perils of savage Pal-ul-don. Meanwhile, a fierce stranger follows Tarzan into the interior, bearing a rifle and bandoliers, bent on a mysterious quest. Tarzan the Untamed. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Henry G. Franke III Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 7 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. World War I enflames East Africa as German troops raze the Greystokes’ estate, where Tarzan returns to find the charred, lifeless remains of his beloved Jane. Consumed by vengeance, the ape-man wages guerrilla warfare against the hated enemy, using his most savage tactics to help the Allies drive the invaders from his land. As the British army prevails, Tarzan departs to rejoin the great apes that are his family—only to be confronted by a trackless wasteland that stands in his way. Having endured a trial of unimaginable torment, he enters the inaccessible valley of Xuja, the city of maniacs. Outnumbered by crazed foes and their lion and parrot familiars, the ape-man must liberate his friends from a city where madness rules. Jungle Tales of Tarzan. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Stan Galloway Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 6 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. How did the helpless child of the shipwrecked couple John and Alice Clayton become the superhuman legend that is Tarzan of the Apes, Lord of the Jungle? The twelve archetypal coming-of-age tales that compose this book tell the full story, finding their place alongside the richest and most meaningful allegories of mythology. Tarzan grows to adulthood among the apes of the jungle, facing the dawning realization that he is not like them—he is a man. As he battles for survival against savage beasts and merciless cannibals, he experiences a growing intellectual maturity that includes the pangs of his first love, an emerging spirituality, and a longing to discover his place among his own kind. Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Linda Burroughs Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 5 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. When fate deals a devastating blow to Tarzan and Jane’s fortunes, the ape-man must once again refill their coffers from the legendary treasure vaults of Opar, forgotten outpost of lost Atlantis. There awaits the high priestess La, ready to sacrifice Tarzan upon the altar of the Flaming God for having spurned her love, even while the traitorous, half-bestial high priest of Opar schemes to usurp her rule. Meanwhile, Jane faces her own troubles when she falls victim to the machinations of disgraced Belgian officer Lieutenant Werper and a band of ivory and slave traders. But when an earthquake strikes down Tarzan and leaves him with only the memory of his youth as an ape, how will he unravel the nefarious plot that imperils Jane’s life and recover the stolen jewels of Opar? THE SON OF TARZAN. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Win Scott Eckert Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 4 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Unaware of his father’s savage past, Tarzan and Jane’s young son Jack becomes captivated by Ajax, the star of a trained ape act. Ajax—actually Tarzan’s longtime friend Akut—has been brought to London by Tarzan’s old enemy Alexis Paulvitch, who hopes to wreak vengeance on the ape- man. After killing Paulvitch in self-defense, Jack and Akut flee to Africa, where they assume the wild life of Jack’s mighty sire. Growing to manhood in the jungle, the Greystoke heir earns the name Korak the Killer, and befriends Meriem, an Arab waif rescued from a life of torment in her adoptive father’s village. The couple’s idyllic jungle life is challenged by the arrival of evil men, whose schemes to separate the pair—and the ensuing perils—only strengthen Korak and Meriem’s bond. THE BEASTS OF TARZAN. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Howard Andrew Jones Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 3 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. After settling at their London estate as Lord and Lady Greystoke, Tarzan and Jane find their contentment shattered by the ape-man’s former enemies, the Russian spies Nikolas Rokoff and Alexis Paulvitch. Bent on revenge, the two villians kidnap Jane and the couple’s infant son Jack, stranding Tarzan naked and alone on a remote jungle island while fleeing to the African interior. Tarzan’s savage nature reemerges as he recruits Sheeta the panther, Akut and his tribe of great apes, and the mighty warrior Mugambi to pursue the criminals up the Ugambi River into the heart of the jungle, where cannibal tribes hold sway and his desperate adversaries pursue their cruel vendetta. THE RETURN OF TARZAN. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Will Murray Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 2 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Disconsolate over the loss of Jane Porter’s hand to his cousin William Cecil Clayton, Tarzan renounces his title of Lord Greystoke and returns to Paris to visit his friend Paul D’Arnot. Realizing the ape-man is not suited to the vicissitudes of civilization, D’Arnot helps his grieving comrade acquire a post in the French Secret Service that better fits Tarzan’s adventurous nature. After disrupting a Russian espionage operation, the ape-man is tossed overboard during his ocean passage to South Africa, and resumes his primitive life on the West Coast. He befriends the Waziri tribe and leads them on a trek to explore the lost city of Opar, a forgotten land populated by a bestial race, ruled by the mercurial high priestess La. There, Tarzan’s path will cross once again with that of Jane Porter, but can the two realize their love is destined before they meet death on the altar of the Flaming God? TARZAN OF THE APES. by Edgar Rice Burroughs Foreword by Joe Jusko Afterword by Scott Tracy Griffin. Book 1 of the Tarzan Series - Authorized by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc., and Featuring Rare and Previously Unpublished Archival Materials. Orphaned as a babe in the African jungle, tiny John Clayton, the only child of the Lord and Lady Greystoke, is rescued by a tribe of great apes. The child, now named “Tarzan,” grows to manhood in this savage world among the fierce anthropoids. Aided by his keen knife and innate intelligence, Tarzan ascends to become king of the apes, able to face any peril and conquer all foes. When men come to Tarzan’s jungle, they bring danger that is motivated by greed and deceit. All of Tarzan’s cunning will be required if he is to defeat this threat, and win the love of Jane Porter, the beautiful young woman whose appearance in Tarzan’s jungle forever changes him. Stay tuned for additional announcements about the Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library, including release dates, cover art reveals, and special bonus features! SIGN UP FOR THE OFFICIAL EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS NEWSLETTER. Copyright © Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. All rights reserved. Trademarks including Edgar Rice Burroughs®, Edgar Rice Burroughs Authorized Library™, ERB Authorized Library™, Tarzan®, Lord of the Jungle®, Tarzan of the Apes™, Tarzan and Jane®, Lord Greystoke™, Jane Porter™, Korak™, La of Opar™, John Carter®, John Carter of Mars®, Barsoom®, Pellucidar®, Amtor™, and Beyond the Farthest Star™ owned by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. Tarzan of the Apes. This book is available for free download in a number of formats - including epub, pdf, azw, mobi and more. You can also read the full text online using our ereader. Book Excerpt. The captain had worked himself up to such a frenzy of rage that he was fairly purple of face, and he shrieked the last words at the top of his voice, emphasizing his remarks by a loud thumping of the table with one huge fist, and shaking the other in Clayton's face. Greystoke never turned a hair, but stood eying the excited man with level gaze. "Captain Billings," he drawled finally, "if you will pardon my candor, I might remark that you are something of an ass." Whereupon he turned and left the captain with the same indifferent ease that was habitual with him, and which was more surely calculated to raise the ire of a man of Billings' class than a torrent of invective.