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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the Amazing Ape man does it again!, November 13, 2005
I was completely sucked into this book from page one. It has been several years since I read the first four books in this series (tracking down this book proved problematic, to say the least).
After finishing this book I came to the conclusion that this is ERB's version of the classic cursed gold stories of the Norse sagas, (Neibelugileid..if I spelled that right, or the Volsung saga. More modern times, Wagner's Ring Cycle, and Lord of the Rings.)
This book takes place of the course of one or two weeks, the time line is very very energy charged. Except for the few days where Tarzan has his amnesia and decides to loll about the jungle, no idea that he needs to save Jane.
Jane is pretty impressive in this book, she doesn't let herself be a complete damsel in distress, she makes several escape attempts and is remarkably tough when it comes to finding out that her husband is dead. (So she and many others think).
Of course she isn't the imperial seductress that La is designed to be. Who is a very interesting character to see in action, she is a spoiled child for the most part, who's only sympathy can be aroused when Tarzan is around.
None of the bad guys in this are cartoonish, they all have sympathetic moments and times when ERB gives us insight into their character.
I really enjoyed this book, I can't reccomend it highly enough and I really wish it was more widely available.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A marvelously written adventure, January 5, 2011
It is fun to ride the imaginary time machine back to read a Tarzan tale by E. R. Burroughs (1875-1950) again, to swing in the Congo jungles without fear from branch to branch vicariously with the Ape Man, to save lives, humans and animals. This volume contains twenty-four chapters.
A young Belgian officer stationed in the Congo because of past bad behavior is affected by the isolation, loses his mind, shoots his superior officer who he imagines is tormenting him, and escapes after shooting and killing a sentry. He runs until he is exhausted, when he is found by the head man of his enemies, slave raiding Arabs. The officer, seeing his life in danger, tells the Arab that he was running from the Europeans to join him. The Arab is distrustful but decides to give him a chance. Months go by and the officer impresses the Arab. Then the Arab reveals his plan. He wants to capture Tarzan, force him to give him much of his wealth, and, if he refuses, kidnap his ravishing wife and sell her into slavery. The officer is appalled at the idea but agrees so that he might not be killed. They plan that the officer will disguise himself as a hunter and find Tarzan. So ends chapter 1.
Tarzan is civilized at this time because and only because of his wife Jane, but he longs to strip himself of his European clothes and return to the jungle, jump from trees upon animals who will be his food, and eat their flesh raw and drink their blood, like an animal. He is known as John Clayton and Lord Greystoke, and has a vast African estate. The officer encounters him, and Lord Greystoke and Lady Greystoke offer him hospitality. While at their bungalow, he overhears Tarzan and Jane talking. The money Tarzan had invested in England has been lost. Now he must shed his clothes and return to Opar and take more precious goods from there. The officer contacts the Arab and they decide to follow Tarzan and take the goods from him. Tarzan drops his clothes, puts on the scant garment that he enjoys wearing, and sets out for Opar with fifty natives who respect him. So ends chapter 2 and so begins a great Tarzan adventure.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Maybe he WANTS to lose his memory., November 9, 2009
Yes, the famous ape-man gets amnesia, but it isn't old, because this is the FIRST time he loses his memory. And really, you have to wonder if he kind of likes it that way, because he really finds civilization to be a drag.
And also, Tarzan gets, um... raped. Sort of. No details, but it isn't that hard to figure out. We should all be so lucky as to be raped by the High Priestess of the Flaming God.
Opar is bad news. Every time anybody goes there, they get sacrificed or eaten or buried in rubble or, in this case, get amnesia. Gold is a solid investment, but really, this place is bad mojo.
But the book is good adventure. Jane shows that she can be more than a damsel in distress, though she can be that, too. Tarzan has to deal with villains both savage and civilized, and with his own amnesia. La is, well, La. She will show up again in this series of books, and she's in fine form here. If there were ever to be ACCURATE Tarzan movies made, this one would break box-office records.
You shouldn't start with this book; you need to know about the first time the Big T visited Opar.
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