Book Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Me, Tarzan. You, Jane. My foot!
Edgar Rice Burroughs was mediocre at best in all of his vocations. That is, until he professionally took up the pen and typewriter, after which he speedily became quite remarkable. Nowadays, Burroughs is mostly known for having created Tarzan of the Apes, but, omigosh, the man has accomplished so much more than that. For three decades he penned some of the greatest, most exhilarating adventures of his time. Correction: of any time. Anyone else remember John Carter of Mars, David Innes of Pellucidar, or Carson Napier of Venus? What about the fantastical continent of Caspak? If you're interested in finding out about the works of - as well as behind-the-scenes stuff about - Edgar Rice Burroughs, then look no further than Lupoff's insightful and definitive book.

Back in 1965, Richard A. Lupoff, who himself would later become a sci-fi (and mystery) author, wrote EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS: MASTER OF ADVENTURE, which then became the go-to bible for things concerning Burroughs. MASTER OF ADVENTURE: THE WORLDS OF EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS is mostly the same book, only re-titled, revised a tad, and reprinted for 2005, with new forewords by fantasist Michael Moorcock and by Lupoff himself, as well as Phillip R. Burger's essay, which bridges the gap from 1965 to 2005.

MASTER OF ADVENTURE is a must have, if you're a fan of E.R.B. It's a coherent, informative, and tremendously engrossing read. I thought I'd gone thru most of E.R.B.'s stories and even believed I knew quite a bit about the man, but MASTER OF ADVENTURE made me realize that mine was a thimbleful of info compared to Lupoff's double whammy of insider knowledge and meticulous research. Now I don't consider MASTER OF ADVENTURE a biography as much as a comprehensive study of Burroughs' written works (although you do learn something of the man from his works, so there's that). Reading these pages, I don't come away feeling that I know E.R.B. that much better as a person. Lupoff doesn't really drop a dime on the guy's personal life. Instead he focuses on in-depth evaluation and even-handed critique of Burroughs' stories. There are great Burroughs novels, there are decent ones, and then there are the flawed stories (not that many, thank goodness). All these - the classics and the warts - are covered to some extent. Even though clearly a great admirer of E.R.B., Lupoff's analysis is still governed by good measures of objectivity and thoughtfulness.

There's no doubt Lupoff relishes delving into ERB's most famous works. There are chapters dedicated to Barsoom and its heroic Virginian, and the book's second half is reserved for his most iconic character Tarzan. Here Lupoff dispels much of the world's misconceptions circling the Jungle Lord. For instance, did you know that Tarzan is extremely intelligent and is fluent in English and French? That he's actually a British lord? That "Tarzan" in ape means "White Skin"? And that he dwells in a majestic African estate, and not in a tree house?. No worries, Lupoff goes into all this, and more. I dearly love the Johnny Weissmuller/Maureen O'Sullivan Tarzan flicks, but, damn! Tarzan is so much more than what we see in the movies.

One last bit of trivia: Tarzana, California? Yes, it's named after Tarzan.

But Lupoff also pays close attention to the more obscure titles (The Mucker, Eternal Lover, The Outlaw of Torn, etc). He goes on to list past authors whose works might have inspired Burroughs' most well known creations (his speculations, well-thought out though they may be, still raises the hackles of E.R.B. supporters). Then, turn about being fair play, Lupoff explores Burroughs' influence on writers who followed him (Moorcock, R.E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Leigh Brackett, Lin Carter, etc). Bomba the Jungle Boy? Robert Moore Williams' Jongor? Marvel Comics' Ka-Zar of the Savage Land? Moorcock's Kane of Old Mars? They're all pretty much blatant ripoffs of Tarzan and John Carter.

Lupoff even offers his short list of suggested Burroughs reading (curiously, War Chief and The Mucker are respectively #3 & #4). He discloses his personal vote for E.R.B.'s two best works of science-fiction. Surprisingly, these selections aren't found in the Barsoom or Pellucidar series. You'll find out why the names of fellow authors Edwin Lester Arnold, Otis Adelbert Kline, and Lupoff himself are such controversial triggers for Burroughs fans. There's also wistful mention of Burroughs' prospective next great hero and next adventure series before World War 2 altered his plans and made him a war correspondent. As an added bonus, there are 11 black & white illustrations here, 3 by Al Williamson and 6 by Frank Frazetta.

What else can I say about the Master of Adventure? E. R. Burroughs was a great influence in my formative years, with plenty of my childhood spent reading his flights of fancies. And even though Richard Lupoff is rightly critical of the master at times and risks the wrath of many a Burroughs advocate, he still rises to the challenge. You don't have to agree with Lupoff to enjoy these pages. I wouldn't lie, I wasn't too enamoured of his assertions that Burroughs lifted John Carter from a Victorian writer, but I still wasn't about to put this book down. MASTER OF ADVENTURE: THE WORLDS OF EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS is a fascinating and extensive breakdown of E.R.B.'s oeuvre, and one I should've read a long time ago. I didn't need convincing, mind you, but Lupoff proves that, after all these years, my man Edgar Rice Burroughs is still relevant. With Tarzan still very much an icon, and with even talk of a John Carter film floating around, it seems to me that Burroughs has passed the test of longevity. Which makes this particular book even more indispensable. Highly recommended.

adventures from the earth, mars, and many more
A wonderful descriptive book about all of ERB's works. Strongly recommend Mr. Luppoff's book for anyone who is familiar with his works and for those who are not.

worthwhile introduction to ERB
Since this book came out in 1965, Richard Lupoff has become known as one of the most important ERB scholars there are. Here, he provides good detail about the Master of Adventure's many stories and some excellent critical analysis and synopsis. Unfortunately, despite Lupoff's enthusiasm for Burroughs, the occasional error creeps in and he advocates too much for Edwin Arnold's Gullivar of Mars having inspired Barsoom. Philip Burger's essay at the end is phenomenal, and the rest of the book's production value is commendable. Recommended for anyone wanting to get a good grasp of the Master's writing. ... Read more

Book Description
A 2-in-1 volume of adventure

The first adventure tells of the ape-man Tarzan and how he learns to survive in the jungle until his paradise is invaded...A perilous impersonation, a forbidden romance, a rescue, and a battle to the death are all part of the second adventure. ... Read more

Book Description
Those who recognize that the original Tarzan is a literary creation of Edgar Rice Burroughs understand that the exploits of Tarzan are best explored through the magical medium of the printed word. Readers can experience a journey that lasts through 24 books and wanders not only into the jungle depths but farther down through the Earth's crust into the savage prehistoric land of Pellucidar. Also covered is the long out of print The Tarzan Twins as well as the recent Tarzan, the Lost Adventure and The Eternal Savage. This book serves as a literary guide to all the Tarzan novels. Section One provides an overview of Tarzan the character, including a list of the many names and titles used by and given to Tarzan; Section Two covers the mythical language used in the novels, including a dictionary of the ape language; Section Three enumerates the lost cities, civilizations, tribes, peoples and religions discovered by Tarzan, detailing their religious rites and locations; Section Four describes the characters (human and otherwise) found in the novels; and Section Five gives summaries of all 24 books that comprise the Burroughs canon. The book also includes over thirty illustrations from the series' various printings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Over-Priced
This book reminds me of "The Burroughs Cyclopedia," a hardcover volume covering the characters, places, names, etc. of many more of Burroughs' works than simply the Tarzan series.

"Tarzan Novels" is a half-inch thick, standard sized trade paperback.That format alone makes me feel the $45 price is extravagant.The entries themselves, however, are much more in-depth than the same Tarzan-related entries in "The Burroughs Cyclopedia."Additionally, the illustrations are a welcome addition which is totally lacking in the straight text of TBC.

My caveat to the prospective buyer is that you are paying a premium price here.My personal thought is that $25 would be a fair price for this interesting volume.$45, however, is assuming a very generous donation from ERB fans.

MMGAWA!
For those that love the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs and specifically Tarzan this is the book for you.David Ullery has done a fantastic job in compiling ERB's Tarzon novels into one beautiful book.Anyone would be proud to add this one to their collection.As mentioned in a previous review, it may be a little higher priced but jeez we are talking Edgar Rice Burroughs.Great job Ullery!!!

For fanatics...
This work is obviously a labor of love by a real Burroughs fan. Without reference to the Tarzan of the movies or comic books, the author gives us all kinds of details on the real thing-- Tarzan as he appeared first and at his greatest, in the books by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Several sections list and describe various facets of the books, such as different languages referred to in the narratives, the lost cities and civilizations that Tarzan encounters, and plot summaries. In the Cast of Characters section it's interesting to discover that in several instances there are multiple characters with the same name, but who appear in different volumes.

My big gripe is how much it costs.It's ridiculously overpriced. I don't know what the publishers were thinking (maybe "there's a sucker born every minute"), but that's far too much for what you get. Sure, it has an index, and sure, there are vintage illustrations by Roy Krenkel and J. Allen St. John (no Frazetta). But it's "trade" size and a paperback, for crying out loud. If I'd seen it in a store (I ordered it through the mail) I'd expect it to be priced [lower].And a casual perusal turned up a few errors. Most were just typos, but in one case at least there was a bigger error. The city of Castrum Mare in Tarzan and the Lost Empire is given here as "Castra" Mare, and this is repeated several times throughout the book. Don't buy this book unless (1) you're rich, or (2) you're an ERB fanatic that can't live without it. Or, of course, if the price comes down. It's definitely worth borrowing, naturally.

Four stars for content, two for the price. ... Read more

Book Description
Five hundred miles beneath the earth's surface lies a fantastic, timeless world of eternal daylight, prehistoric beasts, and primeval peoples-Pellucidar. Pellucidar is a world within our world, a place where the horizon curves upward and merges with the sky. Here time stands still, for Pellucidar is illuminated by a miniature sun that never sets but hovers motionless in the sky. Scattered throughout the savage, prehistoric wilderness are communities of distrustful humans and the cities of the reptilian, highly evolved Mahars. David Innes and Abner Perry break through into this mysterious inner world. Their discovery of Pellucidar and the ensuing struggle to unite the human communities and overthrow the Mahars is a top-notch, thrilling tale of conquest, deceit, and wonder.This commemorative edition features an introduction by Gregory A. Benford and an afterword on the science of At the Earth's Core by Phillip R. Burger. Also included are a map of Pellucidar, a glossary of terms and names by Scott Tracy Griffin, a contemporary review, and the classic J. Allen St. John illustrations.Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) is the legendary author of dozens of novels, including The Land That Time Forgot, also available in a Bison Frontiers of Imagination edition. Gregory A. Benford is a celebrated science fiction writer and a professor of physics at the University of California, Irvine. His most recent novel is Cosm. Phillip R. Burger is associate editor of The Burroughs Bulletin. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

into the depths
I have always been a fan of ERB since I was about twelve. I am over fifty.
As an adult one realizes that ERB might not get published today. His books are simple good vs. evil tales that still have the power to ring your heart with his prose. At the Earth's core was not his best series nor his worst The Venus ones hold that distinction I think. Probably the best book in the series is Tarzan at the Earth's core. This volume is a good introduction and once you have read it you can decide whether to read any of the other's you probably will!

Bill Hash author of AMRA availble through amzon.com

inside the earth
outstanding! what a story...the characters were so real that as i read the book i was right along side David and the Professor in their journey to the center of the earth... great reading!..

Welcome to Pellucidar
This is the first book in Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Pellucidar" series.After the standard *how I came to know this story* bit, it doesn't take long to get straight into the action.The heroes are an athletic and wealthy young man (David Innes) and an inventive old fellow (Abner Perry).Perry has invented a wonderful digging machine... that gets locked on course.Thus the two men wind up... At The Earth's Core!
They are no sooner in this strange land than they incounter megatheria, ape-men with prehensile tales, ape-men without tales, intelligent pterosaurs, cavemen whose favorite greeting is "I kill!" and the lovely Dian (a wonderful cavegirl with a rather ordinary name).Can they escape with their lives, save Dian, and free the human race from the heartless reptilian overlords?
There are some continuity errors (blame it on the weird timelessness?) and I think the next book in the series is better, but this one is good.Well worth reading, and I've bought it, loaned it, didn't get it back, and gotten it for Christmas.

Through Time and Space With Edgar Rice Burroughs
There have been a number of well written citiques of scientific blunders in the writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs. David Langford (1982) makes a convincing case that the notion of a hollow Earth had long been discredited by scientists when Burroughs published the first Pellucidar novel in 1914. Nor does Burroughs seem to have followed any single pseudo-scientific scenario very closely. His "research" was probably limited to a few newspaper and popular magazine articles.

But in _The Trillion Year Spree_ (1986), Brian W. Aldiss argues that such scientific criticism is not relevant in an an evaluation of the settings of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Burroughs "is not interested in the facts of the external world" (163). Rather, he is "reporting from his own internal Pellucidar. Burroughs's Mars, like Ray Bradbury's later Mars, reports on areas which cannot be scrutinized through any telescope" (163). Burroughs "wants us to identify, to sink into his dream countries and exclude the outside one" (165).

Well, then. What are the basic characteristics of this internal Pellucidar? It is a retreat to the primitive. Mars, Pellucidar, Venus, and Africa are all low-tech worlds. It is a rejection of urban culture, something of a protest against the rising urbanization and population growth of the time. It was conservative, offering mythic extensions of the Americain west at precisely the same time that the Old West was closing off. And it was anti-intellectual and somewhat irrational in nature. Burroughs frequently praised the common sense of soldiers, fighting men and "common people" and satirized the follies of scientists. (In _At the Earth's Core_, the inventor Abner Perry is portrayed as loveable but foolish.)

This anti-intellectualism may be seen in Burroughs's treatment of the concepts of space and time in _At the Earth's Core_. Space is distorted in several of Burroughs's settings, but certainly the most spectacular example is the horizonless world of Pellucidar. Here is David Innes's first view of it:

As far as the eye could reach out the sea continued and upon its bosom floated tiny islands, those in the distance reduced to mere specks; but ever beyond them was the sea, until the impression became quite real that one was _looking up_ at the most distant point that the eyes could fathom-- the distance was lost in the distance. (20)

While Pellucidar is actually limited in size, it does not _appear_ to be limited. One of the effects of a horizonless world is that it has no visible boundaries. The sense of disorientation that characters feel in this world gives the reader a sense that it is virtually unmappable. Finally, Burroughs uses a simple but effective trick with Pellucidar to make it appear bigger: He makes Pellucidar three quarters land and one quarter water. Thus, while the total area of Pellucidar is really smaller than the surface area of Earth, the total _land_ area is greater. The reader is convinced that there is in fact an almost unending frontier inside the Earth.

In Pellucidar, time is also distorted (as it is in other Burroughs settings as well). In Pellucidar, the sun at the center of the Earth keeps Pellucidar in perpetual daylight. Since there are no cycles of night and day, Burroughs claims that this results in a world of variable time. (This is sort of like arguing that if the clocks have stopped in your house, so has the passage of time.) Two characters may separate and then rejoin one another. For one character, months may have passed, while for another only hours have passed. Yet Burroughs does not simply claim that time is relative in Pellucidar. He has Innes assert that it is nonexistant. "How may one measure time," he asks, "where time does not exist!" (39)

Why these treatments of time and space? First, I think it is to satirize the rationalism of those egghead scientists. See how ridiculous their theories really are! Second, I believe that it is a bit of a revolt against the Protestant work ethic and factory schedules. But mostly,I think it is to create a world in which heroes and heroines can remain perpetually young, vigorous, and attractive. The new frontier of Burroughs is a kind of perpetual preadolescent state.

Aldiss's attack on scientific critiques of Burroughs has some justification. Surely it is not terribly important at this late date to demonstrate that his work was full of scientific errors. But it _does_ seem reasonable to ask questions regarding Burroughs's logic in the development of his setting. He was reasonably effective in playing tricks with the reader's sense of space. But he was content to use only a few rhetorical tricks in order to suspend the laws of time. His treatment of time must be considered a weakness in his setting.

A strange world
This is another one of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "scientific romances".Many early sci-fi writers wrote "Hollow Earth" stories, about civilizations in the center of the Earth.This is ERB's take on that.It is a totally implausible story, but it's darn entertaining.A young man and an old man travel to the center of the Earth by way of a digging machine.There they encounter prehistoric humans, dinosaurs and a race of intelligent reptiles.This being Burroughs, the young man naturally meets a beautiful cave girl and falls in love.It's an entertaining read, especially if you like pulp fiction. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Even better than the first book.
This is the sequel to At The Earth's Core.Some of the reviews here say that it isn't quite as good as the first.I happen to think that it's a little bit better.Burroughs seems to avoid some of the continuity errors he made in the first book, and really it's quite a worthy addition to any adventure-reader's library.

Leonaur Ltd. is publishing the definitive Edgar Rice Burroughs 21st century editions.
Leonaur Ltd. is publishing the definitive Edgar Rice Burroughs 21st century editions. These usually contain 2 books of the different ERB major series in order - thus far John Carter, Pellucidar, and Carson of Venus. In the future, possibly Tarzan!
These books are handsome and my rating is mainly based on this - the ERB fan knows best about the rest of it.
This second volume of Pellucidar novels reflects a sharp drop in quality form the first. Nevertheless, for completists, this beautiful edition is a must. And second grade ERB is usually better than most of other fantasy/science fiction/romance writers' first grade.

Lost on Pellucidar
This is the sequel to At the Earth's Core.That book ended with the hero, David Innes, back on the surface world and separated from his mate, Dian the Beautiful.In this book, he returns to Pellucidar to get her back.This is a formula in many Edgar Rice Burroughs books; the hero becomes separated from his lady love, and has a series of adventures until he is reunited with her.It may be a formula, but it's a successful one.Sure, the plots may be similar, but there are always different strange, exotic worlds to encounter.There was a reason ERB was the most popular pulp writer of his time.Fans of pulp fiction will enjoy this book.

The return to Pellucidar!
At the end of "At the Earth's Core", David Innes, our everyman-now-Emperor, has returned to the outer world, with an ugly reptilian Mahar instead of his lovely Dian.

He vows to return, and here, in the second book of this particular series, he does exactly that.

Once again, Burroughs' simple vivid prose describes one thrilling adventure after another, in full cinematic glory. There are brutal hand-to-hand combat scenes, jungle hunts, mountaineering escapades and even a sea-faring battle. All this in under 200 pages (per my Canaveral Press copy). ERB doesn't waste a lot of words.

You just have to love the lot of characters on display here. The names alone generate all sorts of mental images: King Gr-Gr-Gr, Hooja the Sly One, Ghak the Hairy One, the Mahars, the Sagoths, the massive lidi, the hyaenadons Raja and Ranee...

Over the course of two books, you'll be hard pressed NOT to cheer for the indefatigable David Innes. He's an old-fashioned, capital-H hero; plucky, smart and brave, yet human. After all, this adventure is what happens to him while he searches for his beloved Dian.

There are two high compliments I'd like to offer:

One, is that upon finishing one book I cannot wait to read the next.

Two, is that in this modern age of film, only with computer imagery could they reproduce the fabulous vistas of Pellucidar, with the overhead "horizons" and that low-lying, rotating pendant moon.

The compliment is that it would never be as "fabulous" as those ERB created inside my head.

A Feast for the Imagination
In this, his second novel set in the savage world of Pellucidar, Edgar Rice Burroughs returns his hero David Innes to the earth's core.In relatively formulaic ERB style, David's stone-age empress Dian the Beautiful has been stolen from him by Hooja the Sly One, and he sets off against daunting odds across a primitive world to rescue her.He is aided by advanced technology (such as firearms) brought with him from the surface, and the innovations of his dear friend, the scientist Abner Perry.

This is relatively light weight science fiction, but as always Burroughs fast moving plot and adventurous style keep the pages turning like lightning.My father once reccomended this to me when I was in grade school and I simply fell in love with ERB, and I have recently been able to share the pleasure by passing on my small collection of Burroughs novels to my younger brother (now aged 12). . . after rereading them of course.He's become hooked as well, and now will not stop pestering me to find him a copy of book 3. ... Read more

Book Description
Edgar Rice Burroughs was not satisfied with creating characters and events within the world that we know; instead he created whole new worlds for histories, and he filled them with peoples, languages, cities, wars, plants, machines, and monsters that were believable to the reader, yet still alien and fantastic enough to thrill and delight.

From A-Kor, the keeper of the Towers of Jetan in Manator, through Zytheb, one of the priests of Brulor in Ashair, this is a comprehensive reference to the fantastic worlds of Burroughs. Each entry provides a complete definition, along with a reference to the book in which the entry appeared. For terms, the language, either actual (e.g., Latin and French) or Burroughs-created (e.g., The Tongue of the Great Ape or Pal-ul-don), from which it was derived is given. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

one of the best reference books on the shelf
I had the pleasure of meeting Clark Brady last year and given the previlege of reading the compedium. I was very impressed and jealous (just kidding) as I am an aspiring writer myself and have yet to find my niche.What that we could all have the determination to compile the info requiredfor this work. Hopefully the author will continue and possibly give us newworks on such contemporary works as Indiana Jones?

Glenn

New Orleans ... Read more

Book Description
Each listing begins with a description of the first magazine appearance of the story; the first hardcover is then examined in detail, with bibliographic data and a detailed description. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Compete bibliography of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs
Bob Zeuschner has produced the best bibliography of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs since Henry Heins. A constant and often accessed resource,it is my most utilitized ERB reference. Even more special, I have anautographed edition!!!

Brilliant Burroughs bibliography.
This is just about the finest bibliography of the works of Edgar Rice Burroughs ever compliled.Close attention is paid to all editions and the illustrators.A necessity for anyone seriously interested in Mr.Burroughs' work. ... Read more

Book Description
The first published book by the creator of Tarzan of the Apes

Two years before Edgar Rice Burroughs became a worldwide celebrity with the publication of Tarzan of the Apes and its twenty-two sequels, which together have sold more than 30 million copies, he published A Princess of Mars. A futuristic sci-fi fantasy romance, A Princess of Mars tells the story of John Carter, a Civil War veteran who inexplicably finds himself held prisoner on the planet Mars by the Green Men of Thark. Together with Dejah Thoris, the princess of another clan on Mars, the unlikely pair must fight for their freedom and save the entire planet from destruction as the life-sustaining Atmosphere Factory slowly grinds to a halt. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

First Step of Carter's Martian Career.
Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) was a prodigy of imagination. He started his writer career quite late; his first work was published in 1912. From that point on a ceaseless flow of imaginary worlds & heroes poured from his pen: John Carter of Mars, Carson Napier of Venus, David Innes and Abner Perry on Pellucidar at Earth's center and the most famous of them all Tarzan of the Apes.
As many reviewers of this and other ERB stories point out, do not expect "politically correct" tales, they are the product of a society still torn by racial prejudices.

"Princess of Mars" is an astounding piece of fantasy. First story of ERB to be published it contains the seeds of lots of sci-fi and Fantasy novels to come in the following years. Also we may detect some traits of Tarzan in John Carter character.
It's a pleasure to read so "fresh" adventures depicting a whole planet culture, ecology, interaction between different races, monsters, and inventions far ahead of ERB real world, as "rifles with explosive bullets guided by wireless sensors".

It amazes me how ERB can master in a rather short text (for our standards); a high paced action story. Even if this book is more than 90 years old, you will enjoy it from the first to the last page and possibly continue reading all Carter's series.
Reviewed by Max Yofre.

A Princess of Barsoom
"I have never told this story nor shall mortal man see this manuscript until I have passed over for eternity.I know that the average human mind will not believe what it can not grasp......"

Written in 1912 this book is well written for its time and has intrigued countless generations of readers.I get the feeling that this story is being told over a campfire.

Captain Carter is telling the story form memory as an old man of his adventures here on earth and on the planet of Barsoom (Mars).There are encounters with many strain creatures, situations, and yes even a "Princess of Mars."

This is a part is a series by the writer that brought us "Tarzan."The intro to the book alone will capture your imagination.

So long as you ignore the introduction...
There's no question that "A Princess Of Mars"--the first in the eleven book series--is brilliant.In fact, the first three volumes of ERB's Mars are arguably the best. (By "Thuvia, Maid Of Mars" and "Chessmen Of Mars" the series starts to drag a little bit, but "Llana Of Gathol" and "Synthetic Men Of Mars" are superb!)

One piece of advice: Skip John Seelye's bitingly pretentious "introduction".

If this is your first ERB Mars experience, enjoy your sojourn on the Red Planet!Adventure and Romance await!

--Robert Carter

A Rip-Roaring, Swashbuckling Romp on the Red Planet
It can never be said that Edgar Rice Burroughs lacked for imagination. Best known as the creator of Tarzan, before the King of the Apes was born ERB wrote this first adventure of John Carter, a Southern gent who emigrated to the wild west, only to find himself, by mysterious means, transported to Mars. There, John Carter finds himself amid great green, four-armed, 14-foot aliens, savage beasts, forbidding landscapes, ancient civilizations, and damsels in distress. The book is fast-paced, adventurous, and never dull. While written in a bit of an antique vocabularly, it is still wildly accessible and has lost none of its charm. John Carter is a true hero in the old selse of the word - undaunted, able, and always honorable; his enemies are nothing if not sinister, his perfect opposites. I heartily recommend this work both to fans of science fiction and fantasy, as well as those who have newly come either to the genre or to ERB himself. It will no doubt leave you thirsty for the additional installments (which are also worth reading).

a truly remarkable experience
In this--Edgar Rice Burroughs' first tale of life on Mars (Barsoom to its inhabitants)--we see a brilliantly conceived world featuring titanic green monsters and gorgeous red princesses battling forever across a dying landscape. From the opening set in the American southwest to the deserted cities on Mars to great battles between balkanized nations, this is brilliant adventure fiction. John Carter, the hero, is just standard enough in the pulp vein for readers to identify with him, even as his agelessness and ability to defy Death make him truly intriguing. Even though Dejah Thoris--the princess from whom the novel takes its title--really does very little, her beauty and intelligence are more than enough to convince any man to do as Carter does to make her love him. All this fantastic adventure in a wonderful dream-world leaves the reader panting for more after the last page has been turned. Fortunately Burroughs delivered. I can not recommend this work more highly. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

THE WORLD OF E.R.B.
For any fan of Tarzan, John Carter of Mars, Venus series, Pellucidar, even Westerns, and many more, this biography of the creator of all of the above, is a must have and a must read!!!I discovered Tarzan and John Carter in the 60s when paperback editions were readily available.Add to that replays of old movies on TV (Tarzan - Johnny Weissmuller, Buster Crabbe, and the rest) and the creation of a fan was in the making.This reprint of the 1967 (The Big Swingers) makes this enthralling look at the life and times of Edgar Rice Burroughs available for the first time in too many years.Now, old and "new" fans alike can marvel at the fullness of this work.I can't praise it enough for allowing this "older" fan to relive the memories of cinema, television, and books that enchanted me as a youngster.For fans and followers, young and old, this book is an absolute essential for your library. ... Read more

Amazon.com
He didn't begin writing fiction until he was almost 36 years old, with a mediocre track record in school, the army, and business. But once Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950) found his calling, it took him barely six months to produce one of the most enduring characters in popular culture. Tarzan of the Apes was a smash hit all around--in the pulp magazine where he first appeared, in book form, and eventually in a series of movies. As in his previous book about "America's Cowboy Artist" Charles M. Russell, Texas-based journalist Taliaferro displays a healthy appreciation for the work of a mass entertainer without making exaggerated claims for its artistic merits. The biographer also knowledgeably describes the publishing environment in which Burroughs operated, showing how the managerial skills the author acquired in a long string of boring jobs helped him squeeze every nickel out of his literary creations. This all-American moxie linked Chicago-born Burroughs to his readers, who also shared his fascination with exotic places (from Africa to Mars), heroes distinguished by brawn and brains, and heroines as scantily clad as possible. While the text capably chronicles Burroughs's personal affairs, Taliaferro sensibly keeps his focus on the fascinating role the Tarzan creator played in our collective fantasy life and in the development of commercial culture. --Wendy Smith Book Description

When Tarzan of the Apes was published in The All-Story in 1912, Edgar Rice Burroughs was just another would-be writer struggling to support himself and his family by penning adventure stories for readers of "the pulps," the cheap mass-market magazines popular at the time. When he died in 1950, he was the bestselling author of the twentieth century, overseeing interests that spanned publishing, movies, radio, newspaper syndication, toys, even real estate. He had millions of enthusiastic readers around the world and had earned the respect of magazines that never published his stories: The Saturday Evening Post admitted of Burroughs's writing, "There are pages of his books which have the authentic flash of storytelling genius." He was, in short, a publishing wonder who had unexpectedly created the century's first superhero, Tarzan -- a pop-culture icon that has known few rivals.

In Tarzan Forever: The Life of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Creator of Tarzan, John Taliaferro vividly recounts the remarkable life and career of the originator of Tarzan. Drawn extensively from Burroughs's own correspondence, memos, and manuscripts, Taliaferro's richly detailed narrative reveals how Burroughs, a down-on-his-luck Chicago pencil-sharpener salesman, first wrote about his most famous character, how he grasped the appeal of this "feral god," and how be spent the rest of his life nurturing and protecting it. Burroughs, Taliaferro explains, was a pioneer of synergy: His cross-promotional and marketing efforts helped sustain Tarzan's popularity for decades and increased Burroughs's readership far beyond North America. In the course of his career, Burroughs wrote scores of other books and stories, including westerns and adventures set on Mars, Venus, and at the Earth's core. In an attempt to graduate from the pulps, he made several stabs at the modern genre of social realism, though inevitably his editors and fans drove him back to his tried-and-true -- more Tarzan tales. Even today, a half-century after Burroughs's death, the character of Tarzan thrives; the arrival of Disney's animated Tarzan is only the latest manifestation.

Important as Tarzan was to Burroughs, Taliaferro makes clear that Burroughs's life was at least as colorful as the life of his jungle creation. Burroughs was a cavalryman in the Arizona Territory, a cowboy in Idaho, a speculator in Southern California real estate, a Hollywood producer, a witness to the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and even a war correspondent in the South Pacific. Unlike Tarzan, though, Burroughs was far from the ideal balance of nature and nurture. He failed at two marriages, and despite the enormous popularity of his books and MGM's Tarzan movies of the thirties and forties, his lavish appetites forever pushed him to the brink of bankruptcy. Shaky finances ultimately drove him to develop his beloved California ranch, Tarzana, into the town of Tarzana, a Los Angeles suburb that today stands as the antithesis of Tarzan's African paradise. Quick to speak out on the controversial issues of his day, Burroughs wrote essays and stories advocating eugenics, the extermination of "moral imbeciles," and the deportation of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

In Tarzan Forever, Taliaferro captures all of Burroughs's gifts and flaws, his contradictions and complexities. The result is a deeply satisfying look at one of the architects of today's popular culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

This is a great read
I really enjoyed Mr. Taliaferro's incisive treatment of the author's life and unusual ideas.

Did Mr. Taliaferro really read ERB's works?
I found Tarzan Forever well written, and often very entertaining and interesting, but very often just plain dead wrong - from badly and broadly misinterpreting texts, such as Lost on Venus (which Taliaferro just didn't get), to many specific mistakes.

Taliaferro regards Lost on Venus an example of Burroughs "climb[ing] on his favorite high horse, eugenics."(page 265) Specifically, Taliaferro refers to Burroughs' creation of Havatoo, a city-state in which eugenics has run amok, concluding that this nightmare city was an ERB utopia. But the depiction of Havatoo is Swiftian - gullible Carson can see only roses at first, but finds after many hair-raising adventures that the Havatoo are as spiritually dead as a race of zombies that occupy a city on the other side of the "River of Death" which separates the two cities. Utopia? Not even close!

And here's an example of a specific error: Taliaferro cites Carson's knowledge of aeronautics as the fact that persuaded the rulers of a kingdom on Venus to spare him.(page 266)But aeronautics came up much later.It was Carson's knowledge of astronomy that saved him. An unimportant detail, maybe, but Taliaferro's book is rife with such errors.

A mistake I found even more annoying - if not downright devious - was Taliaferro's claim that "on the final page" of Apache Devil, Shoz-Dijiji (the Apache Devil of the title) tells his sweetheart, Wichita Billings, "that he is white, nimbly sidestepping the unspeakable eventuality of miscegenation, a well-exercised Burroughs taboo."(page 224)This is as untrue as it is ridiculous!Shoz-Dijiji only tells Wichita he has a secret (i.e., that he is "white") to tell her later.But he never utters his secret to Wichita on the final page - or any other page of Burroughs' novel.In fact, Wichita professes her love for him despite his American Indian heritage.More to the point, as Taliaferro himself notes, Shoz-Dijiji's mother was "one quarter Cherokee."(page 216)Thus, Shoz-Dijiji, one of Burroughs' noblest heroes, not only is mistaken as to his racial heritage, he is also the product of the so-called "Burroughs taboo" against miscegenation! Here, we find a familiar Burroughs theme - individual honor and integrity are what matter, not the color of one's skin.

Those who have aired the tired old claim that Burroughs was a racist, and Taliaferro is solidly in this camp, have simply not been willing to recognize the subtleties of the Burroughs canon (yes, even adventure yarns can be morally ambiguous and complicated). Instead of reading Burroughs' works carefully, with an ear for the era in which they were written, Taliaferro and others skim the books and draw hasty, misinformed conclusions.

exceptional look at a life
Whatever you may think of the writings of Edgar Rice Burroughs--and I personally never thought that much of it--this is still a fascinating look at the life of the man who created one of the most famous characters in allof literary history. We see not just the life that Burroughs led, and theway his interests led him to write what he did. We also get an excellentsense of the times in which he lived and wrote. When ERB is ready to breakinto the pulps, we get a history of the pulps and what sort of business hewas enterring. When ERB works into his tales things like racial purity andeugenics, the biographer goes into detail about the world's views on suchthings. When Tarzan is created, there is a wonderful discussion of the apeman concept, the feral child being raised in the wild--in reality and inliterature. And the care given in describing the various Tarzan films isterrific. Taliaferro's research is excellent. The fact that Burroughshimself cared more about the cents per word payment he was getting than theactual quality of his stories does make him something of a problem child,but as far as a business man, some of his approaches to his work areinteresting to say the least. For people who want to learn about the man,the character of Tarzan, the other characters ERB created (since they arenot slighted despite the the fact that Tarzan is in the forefront), or theearly days of pulp fiction and moviemaking, this is a great book.

Well-written, not apologetic
I must admit that the only Edgar Rice Burrough's novel I truly enjoyed reading was "Tarzan of the Apes".One reviewer of this book called ERB a hack writer, and that is probably true, but the first Tarzannovel was definitely not a "hack novel", or else we wouldn't bereading it as a classic some 90 years later.On the contrary, "Tarzanof the Apes" is an important social commentary.The writing ofTaliaferro's "Tarzan Forever" may be a little choppy for thefirst chapter or so, but once the author gets into it, it gets muchsmoother and is very readable.I didn't find Taliaferro at all apologeticfor ERB's views on eugenics, or his racism either.I thought the authorwas very honest and upfront about this aspect of ERB's personality.Ifound "Tarzan Forever" a very engrossing biography and suggest itwhole-heartedly.

Sympathetic look at the creator of Tarzan and his times
A solid yet sympathetic look at Edgar Rice Burroughs, the creator of Tarzan and other fantasy novels.The book delves into many details of Burroughs' life, and honestly tries to present the man, his views, and his works in his strengths and his weaknesses. Mostly for dedicated fans ofBurroughs. Otherwise this read will probably not grab you, and you willfind yourself skimming over many parts of the book. If your only exposureto Burroughs is the new Disney movie pass on this book and get the originalnovel, Tarzan of the Apes, instead! ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Victory!
This is one of Edgar Rice Burroughs most obscure works.It is about the year 2137.North and South America have been out of contact with the rest of the world for over 200 years, with no one being allowed to cross 175 degrees longitude to the west or 30 degrees longitude to the east.The title "Beyond 30" refers to an aero-submarine Captain who accidently crosses 30 degrees longitude and ends up in Europe.There, he discovers that World War I never really ended, and Europe has been reduced to barbarism.This being Burroughs, he naturally meets a beautiful half-naked barbarian princess to fall in love with.This is an enjoyable enough example of pulp fiction, although the ending feels a bit rushed.But fans of ERB should enjoy it.

Unique Burroughs
During the Burrough's revival of the 1960s, I bought and read virtually all of the books released.But the only one that stuck in my memory as more than a pleasant way to pass the time was this book (published by Ace as "The Lost Continent").When I found this edition of the book available under the original title with critical commentary, I immediately bought it, even though I still have the Ace version.I was not disappointed.In addition to the story itself being as exciting and though-provoking as I remembered, the commentaries (a foreward and two afterwords) were all excellent.I won't bother to repeat other reviews as to plot, etc, but just say that if you enjoy alternate history, you won't go wrong with this book.

Burroughs adds some social commentary to his adventure
In "Beyond Thirty: The Lost Continent" Edgar Rice Burroughs provides an interesting combination of adventure and social commentary. The premise behind this novel is that the United States did not get involved in the "Great War" in Europe but instead followed its isolationist tendencies to such an extreme ("The East for the East...The West for the West") that no one from the United States has gone past 30 degrees or 175 degrees latitude for over 160 years. It is now 2137 and a raging storm has thrown the Pan-American aero-submarine "Coldwater" past the 30 degree mark. The damaged vessel under the command of Lt. Jefferson Turck lands in England and German helmet and Felis tigers. In time, the crew will discover what happened to "The Lost Continent" of the Old World. Of course, since this is a ERB novel we know that there will be a damsel in distress for Lt. Turck to save from the great evils that he finds.

One of the main strengths of Burroughs was his ability to create ancient civilizations. "The Lost Continent" is actually atypical for Burroughs who usually plunges his heroes into these strange new worlds a lot quicker than what happens in this novel, so this time around there is much more of a sense of mystery to the proceedings. Still, by the last half of the novel we are definitely on familiar and well-trod ground in terms of a ERB adventure story. Before World War II Burroughs wrote "Beyond the Farthest Star," about a distant planet that had been at war for centuries and where technological advances in warfare threatened to destroy all life, which makes it the other ERB novel to check out if you are interested in looking at another example of his rare attempts at social commentary. I do not think the payoff is worthy of the set up in "The Lost Continent," but it is intriguing to think that the United States completely cutting all ties with Europe was a viable basis for telling a futuristic adventure.

What If: the US and Isolationism
First published in 1915, the motivations for this story are obvious. The nations of the western hemisphere have taken an extreme isolationist stance in the early years of World War I, to the point that 200 years later they do not even know whether anything or anyone has survived the massive armed conflagration that began in the early 20th century. The hero inadvertently gets stranded in Europe and makes all of the startling discoveries of the outcome of the conflict and ensuing 200 years.

The story is ERB's standard fare. However, like many of his books from this period, there are a few themes to the story that are of interest above and beyond the light adventure story. The elements foremost in this novel are the destructive nature of war and racism. There is also a certain amount of naivete from the period and the relative newness of the United States as a world power.

Most of Burrough's books are good reading for pre-teen to early adolescent, and nostalgic adults; this one is no exception.
P-)

Interesting future history
This is one of the most interesting and unusual of Burroughs' stories.Written shortly after World War I, "Beyond Thirty" follows the assumption that the war in Europe ultimately results in the destruction of European civilization and the complete isolation of the American continents for nearly two hundred years following.Everything between 172 degrees and 30 degrees West longitude is American territory; everything outside these lines is no-man's land.The story begins when an aerial patrol boat is sabotaged and its captain forces a landing near the forbidden 30th longitude line and takes the survivors across into Europe and no-man's land. On the whole, "Beyond Thirty" is a very good adventure story, but could have greatly benefitted from more thorough treatment of its subject.The first few chapters are marvelously detailed in their description of the post-war history, and the adventures toward the middle of the story are typically Burroughsian, with beautiful heroines, strong heroes and low villains.Unfortunately, the latter third seems rushed and most of the plot resolutions appear contrived as a result. "Beyond Thirty" is a good read, and can be rather amusing to the modern reader. ... Read more

Book Description
Edgar Rice Burroughs, science fiction author and creator of Tarzan*r, also wrote many novels featuring tales of other worlds, other cultures, other times. From pulp magazines to movie memorabilia, ERB collectibles can now be found at garage sales and upscale auction houses. Whether it's a movie poster worth thousands ofdollars, first edition books worth a few hundred, or the current crop of comics and toys, the range of collectibles grows weekly. With over 255 full color photos, this book provides fans of ERB with an essential guide to the prolific works of this imaginative and popular author. Individual chapters highlight Burroughs' popular series on Mars, Venus, and Pellucidar, western and historical tales, and many more. Featured are pulp fiction magazines, hardcover and softcover books, comics, foreign editions, fanzines, trading cards, even toys and movie posters. Values are included for all items. ERB fans have a treat in store! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Sore Disappointment
As an avid Burroughs collector, I awaited the receipt of "Collecting Edgar Rice Burroughs" with great anticipation.After reading the book, I debated whether to return it for a refund.It is of almost no value to a collector.First, it contains no information about any of the Tarzan books.Secondly, it contains no information or valuation for any of the A.L. Burt or Grosset and Dunlap editions of Burroughs books.Thirdly, valuations for first editions are only given with the dust jacket, no value is given for the book without the dust jacket.Fourthly, the values given for those first editions are grossly inflated.I regularly buy those same books in Burroughs auctions for approximately 1/10th the price at which Erardi valuates them.Fifthly, none of the information needed to discriminate between a first edition and a second printing is given.

There is really very little information in this book.It consists mostly of color pictures of various dust jackets and paperback and pulp covers. If pictures of the artwork are what you want, this is the book for you.If you are looking for a reference book to help in your collecting of Edgar Rice Burroughs, look somewhere else. ... Read more

Book Description
Brother Men is the first published collection of private letters of Edgar Rice Burroughs, the phenomenally successful author of adventure, fantasy, and science fiction tales, including the Tarzan series. The correspondence presented here is Burroughs’s decades-long exchange with Herbert T. Weston, the maternal great-grandfather of this volume’s editor, Matt Cohen. The trove of correspondence Cohen discovered unexpectedly during a visit home includes hundreds of items—letters, photographs, telegrams, postcards, and illustrations—spanning from 1903 to 1945. Since Weston kept carbon copies of his own letters, the material documents a lifelong friendship that had begun in the 1890s, when the two men met in military school. In these letters, Burroughs and Weston discuss their experiences of family, work, war, disease and health, sports, and new technology over a period spanning two world wars, the Great Depression, and widespread political change. Their exchanges provide a window into the personal writings of the legendary creator of Tarzan and reveal Burroughs’s ideas about race, nation, and what it meant to be a man in early-twentieth-century America.

The Burroughs-Weston letters trace a fascinating personal and business relationship that evolved as the two men and their wives embarked on joint capital ventures, traveled frequently, and navigated the difficult waters of child-rearing, divorce, and aging. Brother Men includes never-before-published images, annotations, and a critical introduction in which Cohen explores the significance of the sustained, emotional male friendship evident in the letters. Rich with insights related to visual culture and media technologies, consumerism, the history of the family, the history of authorship and readership, and the development of the West, these letters make it clear that Tarzan was only one small part of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s broad engagement with modern culture.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A window into friendship and life
I picked up Brother Men not knowing what to expect, but figuring it would be a quick and amusing read. What I found was a window into life as it was passing for Weston and Burroughs, not as it was remembered. This collection of letters spans the birth of two generations, two World Wars, and the trials of profit and loss. The conversation is friendly, comic, insightful, and random! At times I had to remember that the characters were real and that the letters existed. I actually was sad to end the book knowing that in a few years after the last letter this friendship would end.I think the book is great if you are a Burroughs fan, interested in history, or just enjoy how human relationships evolve.I highly suggest reading the introduction BEFORE and AFTER reading the letters.

Taxonomy Of A Friendship
Reading the personal correspondence of the great US author Edgar Rice Burroughs, you feel like a voyeur, for his detail is almost astounding and sometimes you are taken back to a day far removed from our crazily sped up world.

His correspondence with his prep school pal Herbert Weston isn't especially shocking, but it's affectionate, like looking into an old yearbook and seeing the silly inscriptions.It sounds to me as though they kept up writing to each other for nearly thirty years just for old times sake.If you were looking, as I was, to get more insight into Burroughs' writing process, you're out of luck; mostly it's him trying to cheer up Weston, whose business goes through rough times, and also, rather charmingly, he tries not to show off too much when the success of the TARZAN and JOHN CARTER novels makes him into a world famous personality--and a whole city, Tarzana, named after his creation.Meanwhile in Nebraska Weston just bumbles along, stumbling across "Ed"'s name constantly whenever he picks up the newspaper or reads a magazine at the barber shop.The most exciting part of the whole book comes when Weston proposes to buy "Ed" a Lincoln in Nebraska and drive it out to Tarzana--this scheme will save Ed about 1,000 in sales tax.I won't give away the spoilers, you'll have to read the book yourself to see what happens.

Outside of the Lincoln caper, the only thing that really lights a fire under Weston's ass is the death of Teddy Roosevelt, a lion among men I suppose.It was like the way some people here in the 21st century cried when Reagan died.Also intriguing is the unfolding account of the ways both men coped with the influenza epidemic of 1918-19, and how they quarrelled and didn't speak for ten years, then started writing again before the 2nd World War.Time speeds on by, doesn't it?

Editor Matt Cohen provides helpful and informative notes; the volume is nicely illustrated with vintage photos of both families.Cohenis the great-grandson of Weston and relates, amusingly, the story that he came home from grad school and told his grandma that he was looking into cases of emotional and homosocial friendship between American men of 100 years ago and out of the blue she said, "Well then, why don't you go up to the attic and pore through Dad's old letters from Edgar Rice Burroughs?"Talk about buried treasure!The Westons had kept these letters in perfect condition, and happily enough when it came to it, young Cohen found that the Burroughs estate was willing to cooperate fully. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Holtsmark's Classic Work
This is Holtsmark's classic work on ERB and a very desirable book indeed for all fans of Tarzan, John Carter, or students of popular culture.It is one of the few scholarly studies of Tarzan around, yet is an extremely entertaining read.This study is filled with insights as well as providing a brief overview of ERB's life and work. ... Read more

Book Description
The shimmering, cloud-covered planet of Venus conceals a wondrous secret: the strikingly beautiful yet deadly world of Amtor. In Amtor, cities of immortal beings flourish in giant trees reaching thousands of feet into the sky; ferocious beasts stalk the wilderness below; rare flashes of sunlight precipitate devastating storms; and the inhabitants believe their world is saucer-shaped with a fiery center and an icy rim. Stranded on Amtor after his spaceship crashes, astronaut Carson Napier is swept into a world where revolution is ripe, the love of a princess carries a dear price, and death can come as easily from the blade of a sword as from the ray of a futuristic gun. Pirates of Venus is the exciting inaugural volume in the last series imagined and penned by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This commemorative edition features new illustrations by Thomas Floyd, the original frontispiece by J. Allen St. John, an afterword by Phillip Burger, a glossary of Amtor terms by Scott Tracy Griffin, a map of Amtor drawn by Edgar Rice Burroughs that appeared in the first edition, and an introduction by acclaimed science fiction and horror novelist F. Paul Wilson.Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of Tarzan of the Apes and dozens of other famous novels, was a pivotal figure in the history of American science fiction. His books include At the Earth's Core, Beyond Thirty, and The Land That Time Forgot, all available in the Bison Frontiers of Imagination series. F. Paul Wilson is the author of such best-selling novels as The Keep, The Tomb, and Conspiracies. Thomas Floyd is a graphic designer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

In Defense of Carson Napier
This was the first book in Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Carson of Venus" series.It was the last major series that ERB created, 20 years after he created "John Carter of Mars".In this book, Carson Napier builds a rocketship and sets out for Mars, but ends up on Venus.He has a series of episodic adventures, and falls in love with a beautiful princess along the way (which happens in just about every ERB book).Fun stuff, if you are a fan of this sort of thing.

ERB's hero Carson Napier aims for Mars, lands on Venus...
Originally serialized in "Argosy" in 1932, "Pirates of Venus" is the first story in the fourth longest series of pulp fiction adventures written by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan is the longest, with Mars and Pellucidar coming in second and third). The authorial conceit this time around is that Carson Napier visits ERB before heading off to Guadalupe Island where he has a rocket ship in which he intends to travel to Mars. Carson establishes a telepathic link with Burroughs, which will allow him to communicate his adventures from afar. This becomes helpful, especially when Carson's rocket ship takes off for Mars and the adventurer discovers that he forgot something: namely the gravitational effects of the moon. However, in one of the great strokes of luck in science fiction history this ends up sending Carson and his rocket ship to Venus instead. The planet is said to be uninhabitable, but Carson has no other choice and when the rocket enters the dense atmosphere he jumps out in a parachute. Carson's luck continues because the air is indeed breathable and soon he is having a series of adventures on the planet's surface and meets up with the beautiful Duare. If you have read a lot of ERB's novels you know two things are going to happen between these two, namely that he will fall in love with her and at the end of the novel they will be separated by tragic circumstances (to be continued).

"Pirates of Venus" is a straightforward ERB adventure on one level, but you can also read it as a thinly disguised political satire aimed at the communists. This would be the bit about the Thorists, who start a revolution for their own benefit in which they cheat the uneducated masses, kill or drive off the educated people, and are themselves pretty much just a collection of idiots (I did not say it was profound political satire on the level of George Orwell). As an adventure yarn this is one of ERB's better stories from the decade of the 1930s and in it you will find a strange world of amazing landscapes, fantastic creatures, and people with bizarre customs. The adventure elements are from Burroughs' well developed formula, so you might as well pay attention to the wonderful world of Amtor he has created. Still, special mention has to be made of Carson Napier having more of a sense of humor than Tarazn, John Carter, and David Innes put together (my favorite is his definition of "golf" as "a mental disease").

The weakest Burroughs series, but interesting nonetheless
"Pirates of Venus" begins the last major series by Edgar Rice Burroughs: the Venus novels. When it first appeared as a serial in the pulp magazine Argosy in 1932, Burroughs had already written Tarzan novels, most of the Mars series, and the novels of Pellucidar. The Venus novels were created partially as a response to Otis Adelbert Kline, a pulp author who wrote very much in the style of Burroughs. When Kline created a series of Venus-set novels made to imitate Burroughs's Martian novels, Burroughs fired back with his ownseries on Venus. He created a new hero, Carson Napier, who somehow manages to fire his rocket at Mars and end up landing on Venus. A jungle planet with tree-living humanoids battling a tyranny attempting to erase all class boundaries called 'The Thorists' (rather thinly disguised communists) and a horde of other monstrous menaces. Napier joins the fight against the Thorists and tries romancing the beautiful but unobtainable Duare.

It sounds like a typical Burrough adventure: plenty of colorful action, monsters, weird science, and crazy new cultures. But Burroughs was past his creative prime, and "Pirates of Venus" shows it. Phillip R. Burger, in his interesting afterword to this edition, sums up the problems in two telling sentences: "In the pantheon of Burroughs heroes, Carson Napier is considered a tad deficient." "I've become rather fond of 'Pirates of Venus' as well, in spite of the novel's rather glaring fault: no plot." Although Burger makes a spirited attempt to explain his liking for the novel, he's right about the flaws. Napier is a weak hero who doesn't really have any plan or direction, and the novel is really a loosely collected series of escapades and fights that lead nowhere in particular. The novel hardly even ends; it just stops -- setting up the inevitable sequels (which, for the record, are "Escape on Venus," "Lost on Venus," and "Carson of Venus"). Napier is maybe a more modern, realistic hero than Tarzan or John Carter of Mars, but that's not exactly what you want from an Edgar Rice Burroughs novel.

Nonetheless, "Pirates of Venus" is quintessential reading for Burroughs fans and pulp lovers. This excellent edition from Bison Books, complete with new illustrations, a glossary, and great essays from F. Paul Wilson and Phillip Burger, is the first time the book has been back in print for many years; many Burroughs readers probably haven't had a chance to experience Burroughs's last series, and here it is in quite handsome form. And, despite all its shortcomings, "Pirates of Venus" does offer simple action and adventure entertainment. Newcomers to Burroughs should first experience "Tarzan of the Apes," "Under the Moons of Mars" (a current volume from Bison Books that collects the first three Mars novels), "At the Earth's Core," and "The Land That Time Forgot" (all in print) before reading this later and lesser work from the creator of the modern action/adventure novel.

Welcome to Amtor
The plot is vintage (cliché?) Burroughs-stalwart Earthman finds himself alone on an alien world, rescues a beautiful princess, wins her love, and becomes the ruler of a mighty empire.Although there is nothing new in the plot, ERB at his best has a way of writing a tale that just zings along from adventure to adventure in a very enjoyable way, making for fast, fun, escapist reading.This is the literary equivalent of comfort food.

My Favorite Burroughs
Carson Napier has been my favorite Burroughs hero from about page 25 of my very old paperback copy of this book.He has all the heroic charms of John Carter while not quite being as over the top as the Warlord of Mars.

For plotting this book is stock Burroughs and his many imitators.If you loved John Carter try his not quite so wonderful brother.If you love the Green Star novels read the originals (much as the Calisto books are Carter's version of Barsoom so is Green Star Carter's version of Amtor).If you love Norman's Gor, Aker's Antares, or Carter's Calisto then do yourself a favor and read the lesser know inspiration for them. ... Read more

Amazon.com
First published in 1914, Edgar Rice Burroughs's romance has lost little of its force over the years--as film revivals and TV series well attest. Tarzan of the Apes is very much a product of its age: replete with bloodthirsty natives and a bulky, swooning American Negress, and haunted by what zoo specialists now call charismatic megafauna (great beasts snarling, roaring, and stalking, most of whom would be out of place in a real African jungle). Burroughs countervails such incorrectness, however, with some rather unattractive representations of white civilization--mutinous, murderous sailors, effete aristos, self-involved academics, and hard-hearted cowards. At Tarzan's heart rightly lies the resourceful and hunky title character, a man increasingly torn between the civil and the savage, for whom cutlery will never be less than a nightmare.

The passages in which the nut-brown boy teaches himself to read and write are masterly and among the book's improbable, imaginative best. How tempting it is to adopt the ten-year-old's term for letters--"little bugs"! And the older Tarzan's realization that civilized "men were indeed more foolish and more cruel than the beasts of the jungle," while not exactly a new notion, is nonetheless potent. The first in Burroughs's serial is most enjoyable in its resounding oddities of word and thought, including the unforgettable "When Tarzan killed he more often smiled than scowled; and smiles are the foundation of beauty."Book Description
The first and best of the Tarzan novels, of which Edgar Rice Burroughs eventually wrote several dozen, Tarzan of the Apes remains one of the signature stories of American popular literature, as readable as it is famous. Tarzan himself, in the words of Arthur C. Clarke, is “the best known character in the whole of fiction.” As John Taliaferro asserts in his Introduction to this Modern Library Paperback Classic, “There is no question that [Tarzan of the Apes] is one of the most entertaining and exemplary books of the last century. . . . [It] is not merely a story from a bygone era; it is a tale as old as time, and for all time, too.”Download Description
I had this story from one who had no business to tell it to me, or to any other. I may credit the seductive influence of an old vintage upon the narrator for the beginning of it, and my own skeptical incredulity during the days that followed for the balance of the strange tale.When my convivial host discovered that he had told me so much, and that I was prone to doubtfulness, his foolish pride assumed the task the old vintage had commenced, and so he unearthed written evidence in the form of musty manuscript, and dry official records of the British Colonial Office to support many of the salient features of his remarkable narrative. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (91)

Loved it but for one major flaw and a few minor ones.
I can forgive some of the unrealistic things as well as the multiple coincidences, but I cannot reconcile how Tarzan, who knew how to read and write, but not yet how to speak, could sign his own name on a love note to Jane.

He had never learned pronunciation of letters and words, so it would be IMPOSSIBLE for him to have signed his name.

A True Classic, But...
What more can we say of Tarzan of the Apes - he truly is an American original, and has influenced characters in film, television and comic books from the Beastmaster to Sheena to Ka-Zar and beyond, as well as standing as a popular culture phenomenon in his own right. We always think we know the whole story - a man raise din the jungle, befriended by animals, fighting whatever danger comes at him with his Girl Friday, Jane, at his side. However, if we return to the original novel, we find a more complex and, perhaps, less satisfying story.

Tarzan of the Apes tells, of course, the story of Tarzan of the Apes - the scion of a noble family marooned by pirates on the African coast - he comes to be raised by apes when his parents are brutally murdered by Kerchak, the leader of their pride. Under their tutelage, young Tarzan becomes a formidible warrior, while also utterly self-conscious of the fact that he is, somehow, not like the other apes. Eventually, Tarzan acceeds to the leadership of his pride, and battles cannibals, lions, and other dangers in the jungle - as well as encountering the also-marooned Jane Porter, her suitor, John Clayton, and her father, Professor Porter. Together they must brave the jungle and the nearby cannibals, and also attempt to find a way home. Romance, intrigue, and action are skillfully interwoven.

One must, however, read Tarzan with more than just a grain of salt. Certainly, I'm not talking about the book's major conceit - that a man could be raised to successful adulthood by apes in the jungle primeval - but about some of the details - Tarzan teaching himself to read and write perfect English from a book he's found in an abandoned cabin, for instance. There is a lot of suspension of disbelief that must be performed to enjoy this book. However, enjoy it you will. Burroughs has an uncanny knack for laying his characters psychologically bare - even the animals - to the reader, so whether we love them or hate them, we sympathize with them.

Perhaps the major complaint I have with this book is its pacing. It truly doesn't become interesting until we are about 100+ pages in - much of the first part is taken up with Tarzan's parents' experiences, and Tarzan's childhood. This is, unfortunately, frightfully dull, and not up to the usually rousing Edgar Rice Burroughs standard to which I am used (readers of A Princess of Mars and succeeding John Carter of Mars novels will no doubt agree). Once the book gets going, however, it is worth every moment of your time. A fun read.

Super Reader
A sterling tale of tragedy and heroism. An English pair are abandoned in Africa. Not long after the child is left alone, and he is raised by a tribe of semi-sentient Apes, and must learn to compete with them to stay alive.

Such an upbringing builds one of the great and most influential heroes we have had.

5 stars until last chapter
Pissed Off! That's how I felt during the ending. I couldn't believe the book ended the way it did. I know the story goes on to a part 2, but man! All of Tarzan's wasted efforts at the end, all his hopes and dreams... I couldn't help but feel strong disappointment and think that Jane is the most stupid woman on planet Earth.

Get the first two volumes in the series
An excellent adventure story. There's not much I can add to other peoples' praise for this story. I would recommend getting "The Return of Tarzan" also, as the first two volumes of the series complete one main story. I also recommend getting a complete and unabridged version.
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Customer Reviews (4)

Other Books
This is great.Almost mind-boggling the effort that Farmer has put in, here.Try and find the men with grey eyes. :)G-8 became schizoid after a breakdown, becoming The Shadow and The Spider.That is just fabulous.

Wolde Newton begins
At this point, Farmer's (among others) Wolde-Newton Universe is well-established, with a strong fan base.For those not in the know, the Wolde-Newton Universe chronicles the connection between almost every pulp fiction character ever created, in real-world terms, as if the fictions we know are based on a true story.This book, while centered on Tarzan, of course, is a cornerstone of the Wolde-Newton idea.The idea of Lord Greystoke as still alive and kicking today (thanks to friends and family like Doc Savage and Sherlock Holmes), and the attempt to reconcile his pulp chronicles with a real life person makes for a pretty exciting read.Farmer is always good for a read, anyway, but he is a tireless student of the pulps, and has made a strong tapestry of their characters and situations in a real-world reference.Bottom line: i dug it.That havingbeen said, Jane's measurements are a bit hard to swallow.Seriously.

The straight poop on Tarzan of the Apes
Philip Jose Farmer has a lot of fun with the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs character.This book is a "biography" which supposes that the Tarzan novels tell the story of a real figure, albeit much fictionalized to protect his true identity.Farmer seperates the "fact" from the fiction and also traces the jungle lord's kinship with such other notable figures as Sherlock Holmes, Doc Savage, the Shadow, and the Scarlet Pimpernel.An entertaining read, although often very poorly written.

The Lowdown on the Earl of Greystoke
The author once indicated that the title was imposed upon him, but outside of the title, the book is thoroughly enjoyable.As with "Sherlock Holmes of Baker Street," this book is a biography of the titlecharacter.

In Farmer's case, he had to explain, among other things, howthe young Tarzan learned how to speak, when the known great apes don't. Reconciling the history of Tarzan with what was known then, and at the timeof the book's writing, was an exercise that took a lot of time and effort,and Mr. Farmer was up to the task.

A family tree, linking Tarzan to otherfamous literary figures, is included. ... Read more