Customer Reviews

The Outlaw of Torn

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Fiction meets historical fiction in a pleasant departure from what I term "the ERB formula", The Outlaw of Torn takes place during one of the most difficult and violent times in English history. Resulting from hatred, jealousy and the continual struggle for power between King Henry III and Earl Simon De Montfort, the stage is set for a vengeful man to nurture and manipulate a child to become the most feared and ruthless warlord of his time. But, can a man live his life in constant conflict with his true nature? I first read this book in the early seventies and I've re-read it many times. It still remains my all-time favorite book. I'm tempted to send a copy to Hollywood.

Edgar Rice Burroughs is best known for his Tarzan novels and better known for his Mars, Pellucidar and other science-fiction series, but "The Outlaw of Torn" is one of his best pulp fiction yarns. It was actually the second story Burroughs wrote. Apparently the editor at "All-Story," which had published "Tarzan of the Apes," suggested ERB write it and then rejected the story when it was submitted. It was then published in five parts in "New Story Magazine" (January-May 1914), and the first book edition was published in 1927.

Burroughs begins with his standard storytelling device: the author comes across the story of Richard, the lost prince of England and tells it to his readers. Henry III of England insults Sir Jules de Vac, who takes his vengeance by kidnapping young Prince Richard. As Norman, the Outlaw of Torn, the young man becomes the greatest swordsman in England and a fearless outlaw with a price upon his head who raises an army loyal only to him. Of course, although he is ignorant of his noble birth, he is drawn to the lovely Bertrade de Montfort, daughter of the King's brother-in-law, the Earl of Leicester. This romance fits in nicely with the plans of de Vac, who contrives situations in which the king will be responsible for killing his own son. Yes, the ending is predictable, but ERB has a great sense of pacing and you have to remember that he was writing this decades before all of the Errol Flynn movies that would define the swordplay genre.

The obvious comparison for "The Outlaw of Torn" is with Robin Hood, but Burroughs' pulp novel has its own tale to tell. This really is one of his best novels and as an example of the pulp fiction of the early 20th century it is a first-class work. Keep in mind that he tended to do a lot of sequels, and they started to get rather redundant and repetitive (especially in the last half of the Tarzan novels). But "The Outlaw of Torn" stands out because as a historical novel it is unlike pretty much everything else Burroughs wrote. I read every ERB novel I could get my hands on as a kid, and "The Outlaw of Torn," in my 75 cent Ace Paperback edition with the Roy Krenkle cover, has been the one I have re-read the most.

Although one of Burroughs' greatest works, curiously this book still remains relatively unknown. Set in wild and lawless 13th Century England, "The Outlaw of Torn" details the life of a bloodthirsty outlaw who becomes one of England's noblest heroes. As this outcast from society learns life's lessons about love and war, loyalty and betrayal, and friendship and hate, the reader will be rapidly swept along by Burroughs' masterful storytelling. I've read this book at least two dozen times, and each time it gets better. "The Outlaw of Torn" has my absolute highest recommendation.

This book shows the dark side of Robin Hood. The main character robs and plunders castles. While the readers know that he is believing he is doing good. This book has various sub plots and the reader is completly entertained by them. This book is a short and quick reader. An average person can sit down and read this whole book in about six hours. This a great book and has all the pages of a great novel. Romance, fighting, and misunderstanding of a good, curl up around the fire place, and read till you are finished type book. I own serval versions and always looking for the books to give to friends.

This book is must reading for any Edgar Rice Burroughs fan! This is one of those stories that sticks with you long after it is read. In the top 5 of his best!......Billy York

I have looked for this book for three years. Nostalgia make me look for it again. I loved the story written by a master storyteller.

I got to hear this story on AM radio being read aloud. It was just as amazing to be able to read it for myself. A very intriguing story.

This is probably the weakest ERB book I have read recently. I found parts of it dragging and the impossibility of certain situations sort of depressing. That being said, I did enjoy it, because afterall no one spins a yarn like ERB.

There is the usual good guy (dark hair, gray eyes) and his unusually intelligent and lovely female devotee(s) in this case. Burroughs clearly had knowledge of the Arthurian romances (Lady of Shallot comes to mind for one particular part of the story).

Norman of Torn's identity is the major thrust of this book, when will he find out who he is? When will his parents? What will happen when they do--since fate has seemingly painted them into a corner.

I would love to see this as a movie adaptation because alot of the fight scenes would be more interesting there (I found them a little tedious after a while).

It's also interesting to see ERB use a different style of language, normally he relies on a sort of straight forward American language, here his words are more stylized and formal, 'thous' and 'thees' are tossed around to help the reader feel like they are really experiencing another time period, that perhaps this is lost history (which is how ERB is presenting this story, a lost tome of our past.)

I liked it overall, but I wasn't driven to keep reading it the way other books of his have had me glued to the chair ferverntly turning pages.

I read virtually everything Burroughs wrote that I could lay my hands on when I was in my early teens. This one escaped me. Having finally discovered it, even at an advanced age, I can say it is one of the jewels of ERB's work. While I am partial to his series works, there are times when a single volume story is all you want to read. This is a prime candidate.

Written in 1914 and published serially, ERB makes a departure from his plot formula (at least a little) in order to write this tale of ultimate vengeance. The main character, Norman of Torn, aka Prince Richard of England, becomes the prime tool for the revenge of another. There are the usual elements of romance, but in effect this is a novel about knights and sword fights, outlaws versus nobility, chivalry versus lusts. Life was never this black and white, but it makes for good reading. I found the story to be reminiscent of both Ivanhoe and Robin Hood, and well worth the read. P-)