The Son of Tarzan

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ The Son of Tarzan, first serialized between 1915 and 1916 and published in book form in 1917 by A. C. McClurg & Co., shifts the focus of his famous wilderness mythos to a new generation. The plot follows Jack Clayton, the young son of Tarzan (John Clayton, Lord Greystoke) and Jane Porter, who is fiercely shielded by his parents from the dangerous allure of the African wild. However, Tarzan's old, mutilated nemesis Alexis Paulvitch seeks revenge by luring Jack away from London, only for the boy to escape into the deep African jungle with the assistance of his father's former ape companion, Akut. Stripped of civilization, Jack embraces his primitive heritage, rapidly earning the terrifying mantle of "Korak the Killer" among the great apes. The narrative reaches its climax when Korak rescues Meriem, an abducted French heiress held captive by Arab raiders, setting off a thrilling saga of survival, romance, and an eventual, triumphant reunion with his parents.

The author, Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950), wrote this fourth installment of the Tarzan saga during a period of immense personal creative output and growing commercial dominance. Born in Chicago, Burroughs tried his hand at numerous unsuccessful business ventures—including gold mining, railroading, and selling pencil sharpeners—before turning to writing out of sheer economic desperation at age 35. His imaginative, action-packed pulp stories immediately captivated the public, and by the time he composed The Son of Tarzan, he was already a master of early American pop fiction, balancing his African adventures alongside his famous sci-fi Barsoom (John Carter of Mars) series.

Red cloth with black ruled borders and titles. Light toning to outer margins of text-block. Original dust wrapper with some light edge wear. Closed tear to bottom of spine. Good condition.