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Tarzan #23
Tarzan and the Madman
The drums boomed forth the incredible message from tribe to tribe—Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, had become an enemy to all, stealing and enslaving their women...even the daughter of an English millionaire, who offered a princely reward for her recapture and Tarzan's death. Certainly her captor told Sandra Pickerall that he was Tarzan...but he also told her he was God...
Tarzan followed their trail with one thought in mind—to pursue and destroy utterly the man who had stolen his name and made it infamous in the jungle world he loved.
Tarzan followed their trail with one thought in mind—to pursue and destroy utterly the man who had stolen his name and made it infamous in the jungle world he loved.
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
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993 people want to read
About the author
Edgar Rice Burroughs
2,915 books2,739 followersEdgar Rice Burroughs was an American author, best known for his creation of the jungle hero Tarzan and the heroic John Carter, although he produced works in many genres.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
June 10, 2020
"Nature's first law - self-preservation."
Another doppelganger of Tarzan comes in to play, in a rather mysterious way this time. The story was a little shorter compared to the usual length of other books in series. Though it was interesting, it was apparent most of the incidents were similar to which we have encountered before during adventures of Tarzan. But, as always, it turned out to be a decent reading.
"Tarmangani came with thunderstick. Bang! Tarzan fall. Tarzan bleed. Ungo bring Tarzan away."
"quite typical of civilized mam that they should have died within a few yards of water rather than abandon their gold."
'There is always hope,"
Another doppelganger of Tarzan comes in to play, in a rather mysterious way this time. The story was a little shorter compared to the usual length of other books in series. Though it was interesting, it was apparent most of the incidents were similar to which we have encountered before during adventures of Tarzan. But, as always, it turned out to be a decent reading.
"Tarmangani came with thunderstick. Bang! Tarzan fall. Tarzan bleed. Ungo bring Tarzan away."
"quite typical of civilized mam that they should have died within a few yards of water rather than abandon their gold."
'There is always hope,"
May 18, 2018
And so I face the final curtain...
It has been a long, sometimes bumpy, road from Tarzan of the Apes to Tarzan and the Madman. Along the way, especially around the Tarzan and the Ant Men mark, I wondered if I would ever get through, but I persevered and rediscovered my love for this character and his world. Yes, the books are racist, sexist, and dated, but Tarzan rises above it all and has stayed firmly lodged in my heart.
Now that I have finished the last of the original Tarzan books and am left with nothing but tales told by other authors, I find myself more melancholy than relieved. It reminds me of when I read the series for the first time in 1975. I finished the last book and immediately started over with book one and read all the way through to the end again. Then I went back and read the first six about four more times each. I'm too old and busy to do that now, but I understand the impulse. I don't want to leave Tarzan's company, life is just richer with him in it.
Enough fangirling, let me talk a little bit about this book. Tarzan and the Madman gives us yet another Tarzan imposter. This time around he doesn't look much like Tarzan but he runs around clad in a g-string and carrying Tarzan's weapons while accompanied by the great apes. This Tarzan isn't a good guy, however, he's stealing women and children and carrying them off into the jungle never to be seen again. By the time Tarzan learns of this imposter's antics he has stolen a white girl from her father's safari. Tarzan sets out to kill the imposter and rescue the white girl. As was sadly typical of ERB, he ignores the fate of the black captives and only concerns himself with the white prisoners. There are evil white men, heroic white men, and a helpless white woman whom every male wants, even the apes. What is with the apes and their desire for white girls? There is something very weird about that.
I won't spoil the ending for you but I'm reminded of a lesson learned in earlier ERB books, be careful who you fall in love with because if there are two of you in love with the same girl, one of you will definitely die. It's not possible for you to go off and love another, you must win the love race or croak, those are your only options.
Let's talk about something else that happens over and over again in ERB's books. If you are a woman and you are about to be dishonored (no one in an ERB book would use the word rape) you are honor-bound to kill yourself. They don't call it a fate worse than death for nothing. Talk about blaming the victim! It's probably the second-most problematic feature of this author, right after the horrid racism. I'm not saying that chastity and morality have no meaning, but I'm so glad we have evolved away from the idea that your sexual purity is more important than your life.
This is not a great book, it's probably not even a good book, but there are good moments in it and a nice comeuppance for some bad guys. There are glaring plot holes, including the reason for why the imposter can talk to the apes, that are never explained. The ends get tied up much too neatly even for an ERB novel and Tarzan doesn't get much chance to shine in this one. It's worth reading if you are, like me, a completist and a Tarzan fan, but it won't hurt you to miss it if you can't get your hands on a copy.
I'm giving it four stars, mostly because I'm so sad the series is over. Don't judge me!
It has been a long, sometimes bumpy, road from Tarzan of the Apes to Tarzan and the Madman. Along the way, especially around the Tarzan and the Ant Men mark, I wondered if I would ever get through, but I persevered and rediscovered my love for this character and his world. Yes, the books are racist, sexist, and dated, but Tarzan rises above it all and has stayed firmly lodged in my heart.
Now that I have finished the last of the original Tarzan books and am left with nothing but tales told by other authors, I find myself more melancholy than relieved. It reminds me of when I read the series for the first time in 1975. I finished the last book and immediately started over with book one and read all the way through to the end again. Then I went back and read the first six about four more times each. I'm too old and busy to do that now, but I understand the impulse. I don't want to leave Tarzan's company, life is just richer with him in it.
Enough fangirling, let me talk a little bit about this book. Tarzan and the Madman gives us yet another Tarzan imposter. This time around he doesn't look much like Tarzan but he runs around clad in a g-string and carrying Tarzan's weapons while accompanied by the great apes. This Tarzan isn't a good guy, however, he's stealing women and children and carrying them off into the jungle never to be seen again. By the time Tarzan learns of this imposter's antics he has stolen a white girl from her father's safari. Tarzan sets out to kill the imposter and rescue the white girl. As was sadly typical of ERB, he ignores the fate of the black captives and only concerns himself with the white prisoners. There are evil white men, heroic white men, and a helpless white woman whom every male wants, even the apes. What is with the apes and their desire for white girls? There is something very weird about that.
I won't spoil the ending for you but I'm reminded of a lesson learned in earlier ERB books, be careful who you fall in love with because if there are two of you in love with the same girl, one of you will definitely die. It's not possible for you to go off and love another, you must win the love race or croak, those are your only options.
Let's talk about something else that happens over and over again in ERB's books. If you are a woman and you are about to be dishonored (no one in an ERB book would use the word rape) you are honor-bound to kill yourself. They don't call it a fate worse than death for nothing. Talk about blaming the victim! It's probably the second-most problematic feature of this author, right after the horrid racism. I'm not saying that chastity and morality have no meaning, but I'm so glad we have evolved away from the idea that your sexual purity is more important than your life.
This is not a great book, it's probably not even a good book, but there are good moments in it and a nice comeuppance for some bad guys. There are glaring plot holes, including the reason for why the imposter can talk to the apes, that are never explained. The ends get tied up much too neatly even for an ERB novel and Tarzan doesn't get much chance to shine in this one. It's worth reading if you are, like me, a completist and a Tarzan fan, but it won't hurt you to miss it if you can't get your hands on a copy.
I'm giving it four stars, mostly because I'm so sad the series is over. Don't judge me!
December 26, 2019
Tarzan is being impersonated by somebody else, who has kidnapped a white girl from her father's safari and Tarzan's reputation is being ruined - her father blames Tarzan and puts a bounty on his head. There is also a tribe of cannibals in the area. He must fight back, and he does, against both the bounty hunters and cannibals.
December 31, 2024
In which Tarzan once again comes across a lookalike who had delusions of being him and is living in a lost city.
The Tarzan lookalikes and lost city plot devices are wearing pretty thin at this point.
One more in the Tarzan series to go.
The Tarzan lookalikes and lost city plot devices are wearing pretty thin at this point.
One more in the Tarzan series to go.
June 10, 2019
Complete piece of cliche'd fluff that reads like an old cliff hanger serial.
It's slightly racist, pretty sexist, goofy as all get out and a lot of fun.
Tarzan is such a distinct, well written character that he works no matter what situation ( and cliche) is thrown his way.
Plus, we encounter yet another lost city and it has an interesting backstory.
It's slightly racist, pretty sexist, goofy as all get out and a lot of fun.
Tarzan is such a distinct, well written character that he works no matter what situation ( and cliche) is thrown his way.
Plus, we encounter yet another lost city and it has an interesting backstory.
March 11, 2016
Tarzan and The Madman has the reputation of being the worst book Edgar Rice Burroughs ever wrote, a book so bad he was unable to find a publisher (despite the fact he often published his own books himself) and that so it languished unknown and unread until twenty years after Burroughs death. The book isn't good, but no worse than many other late books by Burroughs, in fact it gets off to quite a lively start. It doesn't last though and becomes just a recycling of ideas by Burroughs had already used, in some cases many, many times before.
January 13, 2021
Tarzan jumped the shark so many reads ago. I read most of these in my youth nearly 60 years ago. I've been re-reading them during this COVID-19 pandemic. Twenty-three down, one to go. This is certainly not one of the better books in this series. Pretty much the same story line and action found in other Tarzan books. Who knew there were so many lost cities and civilizations in Africa? Tarzan doesn't get amnesia in this one but the guy posing as him does. And once again, no Jane. Such a pity.
November 23, 2016
only one more book to go and The series will be complete, bittersweet, I never want it to end, but thoroughly enjoyed the adventures- each and every one!!! will have to savor the last one
September 28, 2018
Corny and trite, too repetitive of previous plots. So obvious that it’s written for pure sensationalism that it makes me wonder if Burroughs even wrote it. After all he did write a lot of books. Obviously this is just a quick write. Fortunately it’s short.
It’s about a daffy man who has been told by the king of a lost city of Portuguese that he was Tarzan and a god and that he needed to acquire a white goddess. So he kidnaps a woman on a safari and takes her back to their hidden mountaintop. Meanwhile the real Tarzan is being blamed and shot at, so he sets out to find out the truth and clear his name.
Footnote: 1) Glad the books got shorter toward the end of the series as I was getting tired of the repeating plots.
Fave scenes: Sandra’s rescue from the Cannibals, Dutton’s reaction to being with the Great Apes, Dutton and Tarzan climbing the vertical cliff and finding the ship.
It’s about a daffy man who has been told by the king of a lost city of Portuguese that he was Tarzan and a god and that he needed to acquire a white goddess. So he kidnaps a woman on a safari and takes her back to their hidden mountaintop. Meanwhile the real Tarzan is being blamed and shot at, so he sets out to find out the truth and clear his name.
Footnote: 1) Glad the books got shorter toward the end of the series as I was getting tired of the repeating plots.
Fave scenes: Sandra’s rescue from the Cannibals, Dutton’s reaction to being with the Great Apes, Dutton and Tarzan climbing the vertical cliff and finding the ship.
January 13, 2026
Well, I'm certainly over the series in a general sense, but this book wasn't as difficult to get through as I thought it would be. In general, all the Tarzan stories from ERB are fairly short and can be read on a cross country plane flight. There is certainly a recycling of plot devices from previous books, and various villain characters are recycles as well, but in the "world of Tarzan" it is all pretty consistent and fitting. If you like the previous Tarzan books and have made it this far, then you'll probably like this book too. If you're trying to read the entire series and it has become a chore by this point, your light at the end of the tunnel is that there is only one more ERB book to go.
There are a few books in the series that I haven't read, which is fine by me, but I'm also not bothered by having read so much of the series. In general, these books are a way to connect with a friend who passed on, and for that I am grateful.
There are a few books in the series that I haven't read, which is fine by me, but I'm also not bothered by having read so much of the series. In general, these books are a way to connect with a friend who passed on, and for that I am grateful.
June 25, 2018
I can understand that Edgar didn't find a publisher for this tale in his lifetime. It's not one of his best. When it was published it was included with two short tales that sound much more fun (a murder mystery and Tarzan teaming up with a machine-gun toting prize fighter)
As to this tale; The lost civilisation card is played again but Tarzan himself doesn't appear until the reader is truly bored by the amnesiac stand in. Avoid this dullness or just read the last 20 or pages.
(It reads as if Burroughs himself gets bored and wraps up the tale with a wonderfully imaginative escape from the jungle and the dullness of his story.)
As to this tale; The lost civilisation card is played again but Tarzan himself doesn't appear until the reader is truly bored by the amnesiac stand in. Avoid this dullness or just read the last 20 or pages.
(It reads as if Burroughs himself gets bored and wraps up the tale with a wonderfully imaginative escape from the jungle and the dullness of his story.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2021
This was a rather enjoyable and pleasant book to read, basic, simple, easy flowing. In this story there are two Tarzan’s, one fake one real. The real Tarzan goes in pursuit of the fake Tarzan. Don’t really need to know more than that. The actual Tarzan holds up well in this story, for once.
Within this story we see similar themes to other previous works, a damsel in distress, love, greed, death, and yes of course, another group of European descendants living remotely in a castle. By reading Burroughs, you would be lead to believe Africa is full of Romans, Brittons, Europeans, Castles, the full works.
This time, this story settles far better on you than other Tarzan Stories.
Within this story we see similar themes to other previous works, a damsel in distress, love, greed, death, and yes of course, another group of European descendants living remotely in a castle. By reading Burroughs, you would be lead to believe Africa is full of Romans, Brittons, Europeans, Castles, the full works.
This time, this story settles far better on you than other Tarzan Stories.
May 30, 2020
23rd in the series. This one stayed with me not because of the story, but in finding a copy of this adventure. For some reason, this was the hardest one that I could find. Took me years to finally find a copy to complete my set.
It's another adventure with Tarzan tracking a guy in the Jungle. It's fine and the last of the complete novels. Castaways, the last in the series, is a bunch of short stories.
It's another adventure with Tarzan tracking a guy in the Jungle. It's fine and the last of the complete novels. Castaways, the last in the series, is a bunch of short stories.
July 31, 2024
Tarzan remains one of the best conceived characters in the world of pulp fiction.
While this final book in the series uses some of the same plot devices that Burroughs has used in the past; a mysterious civilization in the jungle and mistaken identity. The nearly superhuman Tarzan is still interesting enough to carry the story.
While this final book in the series uses some of the same plot devices that Burroughs has used in the past; a mysterious civilization in the jungle and mistaken identity. The nearly superhuman Tarzan is still interesting enough to carry the story.
February 28, 2025
A pretty standard late period entry in Burroughs Tarzan series but still a fun read! I enjoyed the element of this one having a Tarzan imposter alongside the typical lost city/civilization in the jungle!
June 22, 2025
This was written in 1940. It wasn’t published until 25 years later, which was 15 years after Burroughs death. The madman is a Tarzan doppelganger who believes he is the Lord of the Jungle. Burroughs had done all of this before, and he had done it better.
December 12, 2025
I've come across several Tarzan imitations so far, but this one was probably my favorite. This followed Burroughs' typical story format, but I felt it was better developed. Can't believe I'm almost done reading all of them.
April 5, 2020
A mysterious guy seems to have Tarzan’s powers, but uses them to kidnap people for nefarious purposes. Tarzan investigates while a group of people is in search of a woman who has been kidnapped by Evil Tarzan.
I don’t know if it’s familiarity or what, but I enjoyed the book despite the scripted nature of the plot, which is the same plot as a lot of the later Tarzan novels. Meanders a bit after the climactic scene.
I don’t know if it’s familiarity or what, but I enjoyed the book despite the scripted nature of the plot, which is the same plot as a lot of the later Tarzan novels. Meanders a bit after the climactic scene.
September 27, 2020
#23 in the Tarzan series. A Tarzan imposter is kidnapping women for use as slaves.
June 3, 2022
Tarzan seems to have a lot of impersonators.
May 15, 2025
The book was alright until you got to the ending. It was quite the let down. This is not my favorite book of the series.
October 22, 2025
Очередная книга повторов и компиляций из предыдущих романов о Тарзане. Понравилась только сюжетная линия сумасшедшего. Да и романтическая составляющая довольно необычна.
August 21, 2015
These are harder times than usual for the Lord of the Jungle.
Someone who calls himself "Tarzan" has been kidnapping girls and women from the local tribes, never to be seen again. It is causing Tarzan's usual allies, both human and animal, to turn their backs on him. The latest kidnap victim is Sandra Pickerall, a white woman from Scotland. A couple of bounty hunters are very interested in the reward offered by Sandra's father for her safe return. They certainly won't ignore the reward for delivering Tarzan, dead or alive, also to Sandra's father. As an added complication, there is a tribe of cannibals in the area who are best avoided at all costs.
Sandra is rescued from the cannibals by Tarzan, and he is shot, and severely injured, by one of the bounty hunters. In their travels, the bounty hunters discover that the cannibals wear lots of gold jewelry. A person can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes; there has to be an incredible gold mine somewhere nearby. Meantime, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the bounty hunters, and takes her to the top of a high mesa, where God rules in real medieval castle. He isn't really God, just the leader of a group of Portuguese soldiers. Sandra is very uninterested in becoming a goddess.
Later, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the Portuguese, after learning the truth about them. As time goes on, she begins to have feelings for him. She realizes that he is not insane or a psychopath, but an average guy with a case of total amnesia. When the Tarzans meet, can Sandra keep Tarzan from killing "Tarzan?" The bounty hunters find the mine, with chunks of gold just lying on the ground. Do they make it back to civilization with their new riches?
This is a lesser-known, but pretty good part of the Tarzan series. It's easy to read, with plenty of action, and will keep the reader entertained. Yes, it's worth reading.
Someone who calls himself "Tarzan" has been kidnapping girls and women from the local tribes, never to be seen again. It is causing Tarzan's usual allies, both human and animal, to turn their backs on him. The latest kidnap victim is Sandra Pickerall, a white woman from Scotland. A couple of bounty hunters are very interested in the reward offered by Sandra's father for her safe return. They certainly won't ignore the reward for delivering Tarzan, dead or alive, also to Sandra's father. As an added complication, there is a tribe of cannibals in the area who are best avoided at all costs.
Sandra is rescued from the cannibals by Tarzan, and he is shot, and severely injured, by one of the bounty hunters. In their travels, the bounty hunters discover that the cannibals wear lots of gold jewelry. A person can almost see the dollar signs in their eyes; there has to be an incredible gold mine somewhere nearby. Meantime, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the bounty hunters, and takes her to the top of a high mesa, where God rules in real medieval castle. He isn't really God, just the leader of a group of Portuguese soldiers. Sandra is very uninterested in becoming a goddess.
Later, "Tarzan" rescues Sandra from the Portuguese, after learning the truth about them. As time goes on, she begins to have feelings for him. She realizes that he is not insane or a psychopath, but an average guy with a case of total amnesia. When the Tarzans meet, can Sandra keep Tarzan from killing "Tarzan?" The bounty hunters find the mine, with chunks of gold just lying on the ground. Do they make it back to civilization with their new riches?
This is a lesser-known, but pretty good part of the Tarzan series. It's easy to read, with plenty of action, and will keep the reader entertained. Yes, it's worth reading.
October 29, 2020
The FINAL, final book in the series. I understand why some ERB fan purists do not like this book and the two prior, but they appeal to me. The framing is a bit different, but at the time of writing, Burroughs had been working on other characters and was certainly influenced by all the screenwriters he dealt with in Hollywood. This Tarzan is a bit more of the Jungle Lord and less Lord Greystoke, which is fine. The imposter is an example of just how serious some fans were back then and why the idea of raising a 'wild child' is still appealing today. I like it.
What I did not like is, once again, no mention of Jane Clayton. I have to wonder if ERB was going to have Jane disappear over several books or even kill her off, only to change his mind. Another theory I've heard (over copious amounts of alcohol to be certain) was that the great man simply did it to tease his fans. Whatever the reason, it makes for an interesting mystery, but I'll leave that to the purists. Still, it would make an interesting paper for an English Lit class.
Even with all that, this is still a good Tarzan story. Hidden cities, beautiful women, man's greed for gold, and the idea of the noble savage are all here for you. Enjoy them with the usual sense of wonder and a little sadness for the end.
Find it! Buy it! Read it!
What I did not like is, once again, no mention of Jane Clayton. I have to wonder if ERB was going to have Jane disappear over several books or even kill her off, only to change his mind. Another theory I've heard (over copious amounts of alcohol to be certain) was that the great man simply did it to tease his fans. Whatever the reason, it makes for an interesting mystery, but I'll leave that to the purists. Still, it would make an interesting paper for an English Lit class.
Even with all that, this is still a good Tarzan story. Hidden cities, beautiful women, man's greed for gold, and the idea of the noble savage are all here for you. Enjoy them with the usual sense of wonder and a little sadness for the end.
Find it! Buy it! Read it!
May 22, 2023
Pretty good story
I enjoyed reading about the original Tarzan. After seeing the show for years, it was nice to read Edgar Rice Burrough's version of the man. The story has a good plot with many realistic moments of hunting, survival, and death. Some of the deaths are pretty gory so I would not recommend for young readers especially less than 12 or 13 years of age. Like many books of his time, there are many coincidences that make the story threads tie up nicely but they are also somewhat annoying and a bit hard to swallow. Overall, it is a very worthwhile read.
I enjoyed reading about the original Tarzan. After seeing the show for years, it was nice to read Edgar Rice Burrough's version of the man. The story has a good plot with many realistic moments of hunting, survival, and death. Some of the deaths are pretty gory so I would not recommend for young readers especially less than 12 or 13 years of age. Like many books of his time, there are many coincidences that make the story threads tie up nicely but they are also somewhat annoying and a bit hard to swallow. Overall, it is a very worthwhile read.
August 1, 2015
I have read all 24 of the Tarzan books. Read dates are from the mid 1970s through 1982. I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Tarzan books. They made a great escape from high school and college. I still have all 24 books and they are at the top of my book shelf. I thought it was pretty neat to find the actual covers listed on Goodreads and there are no barcodes on the books, plus the cover price ranged from $1.50-1.95 for each book.
October 20, 2023
"There is nothing in all the world I would not do for you."
I mean, same old, same old in the Tarzan world: an imposter, an abducted girl, some people only out for money, and a lost city.
My biggest question is: When the history of the Tarzan imposter is revealed, it is NEVER explained how he can talk to apes? Like, I went back and reread that part, and... nothing! Not even a cursory explanation. Like, what?
I mean, same old, same old in the Tarzan world: an imposter, an abducted girl, some people only out for money, and a lost city.
My biggest question is: When the history of the Tarzan imposter is revealed, it is NEVER explained how he can talk to apes? Like, I went back and reread that part, and... nothing! Not even a cursory explanation. Like, what?
December 5, 2015
Tarzan and the Madman (Tarzan #24) by Edgar Rice Burroughs (Ballantine 1964) (Fiction). There's an impostor in the jungle who says he's Tarzan. He's stealing women and children, and he is hated with good reason. But he's not Tarzan! The ape man flies in with his panties in a bunch, and he tries to reclaim his good name. My rating: 7/10, finished 1973.
July 19, 2020
The formula tweeked just a little. This is shorter than most and a quick read. There is a tiger and another male ape to be dealt with, which follows the pattern, but the ending has a little change that was entertaining.
July 23, 2010
Number 23 in the Tarzan series. By this time I think ERB was getting pretty tired of Tarzan. It still has narrative power but it's not as good as earlier volumes.
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