This review originally appeared on Goodreads on May 31, 2011.

The Son of Tarzan

By Edgar Rice Burroughs – A. C. McClurg – 1915

Review by Robin Marx

While The Son of Tarzan gets off to a promising start, the second half was disappointing compared to the previous books in the series. The title character, Jack/Korak, suffers from not being as interesting as his father. The books lacks a compelling antagonist as well, replacing the strong villain Rokoff with a small and continually rotating rogues gallery that appear small time by comparison.

There's a fair amount of jungle adventure to be had in this installment. Jack's adjustment to life in the wilderness and his life with the ape Akut are the highlights of the novel. However, the plot takes a sharp turn halfway in, with almost the entire remainder of the book focusing on the least interesting character in the story. Perhaps a more fitting title would have been The Son of Tarzan's Girlfriend.

Despite the above complaints, the climax and denouement go a long way in redeeming the overall story. While nowhere near as strong as The Beasts of Tarzan, this book is still worth a read.

★★☆☆☆

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