Tarzan: The Lost Adventure

by Joe R. Lansdale, Edgar Rice Burroughs (Creator), Tom Yeates (Illustrator)

For nearly half a century, Edgar Rice Burroughs' final work, an unfinished Tarzan novel, was locked in a vault where it became the stuff of legend. In 1995, Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan: The Lost Adventure enjoyed its Dark Horse debut as a series of four pulp-magazine format books. Now, one year later, the story has been collected and reformatted into an illustrated prose novel, in the classic tradition of those prized Tarzan first editions. The tale -- completed by famed horror writer Joe R. Lansdale -- is wrapped in a dust jacket featuring painted art by Disney artist Dean Williams. The book is illustrated throughout by such legends as Thomas Yeates, Charles Vess, Gary Gianni, and Michael Kaluta, and includes a reproduction of Edgar Rice Burroughs' personal bookplate, designed by Burroughs' nephew, Studley O. Burroughs.

Genres: Fiction, Adventure, Fantasy, Classics, Science Fiction, Africa, Pulp

208 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 1995

About the author

Champion Mojo Storyteller Joe R. Lansdale is the author of over forty novels and numerous short stories. His work has appeared in national anthologies, magazines, and collections, as well as numerous foreign publications. He has written for comics, television, film, newspapers, and Internet sites. His work has been collected in more than two dozen short-story collections, and he has edited or co-edited over a dozen anthologies. He has received the Edgar Award, eight Bram Stoker Awards, the Horror Writers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the British Fantasy Award, the Grinzani Cavour Prize for Literature, the Herodotus Historical Fiction Award, the Inkpot Award for Contributions to Science Fiction and Fantasy, and many others. His novella Bubba Ho-Tep was adapted to film by Don Coscarelli, starring Bruce Campbell and Ossie Davis. His story "Incident On and Off a Mountain Road" was adapted to film for Showtime's "Masters of Horror," and he adapted his short story "Christmas with the Dead" to film hisownself. The film adaptation of his novel Cold in July was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, and the Sundance Channel has adapted his Hap & Leonard novels for television.

He is currently co-producing several films, among them The Bottoms, based on his Edgar Award-winning novel, with Bill Paxton and Brad Wyman, and The Drive-In, with Greg Nicotero. He is Writer In Residence at Stephen F. Austin State University, and is the founder of the martial arts system Shen Chuan: Martial Science and its affiliate, Shen Chuan Family System. He is a member of both the United States and International Martial Arts Halls of Fame. He lives in Nacogdoches, Texas with his wife, dog, and two cats.

Reviews

[Dale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly marvelous final novel partially written by ERB!

When Edgar Rice Burroughs passed away he left an eighty-three page typed manuscript; a final story about his hero Tarzan of the Apes. The manuscript was untitled and in all actuality little more than an idea and notes. Many people wanted to have the honor of completing Burrough’s newly discovered manuscript. In the end, writer Joe R Lansdale was selected for the role.

The story originally appeared in a four part faux pulp magazine published by Dark Horse Comics. I also have a copy of the mass market paperback that was published later. This beautiful hardback copy of that story was published in 1995. It features a very pulp-like front cover and is illustrated throughout with art from the original Dark Horse Comic version.

It is my opinion that the prose flows very much like ERB’s novels and short stories featuring Tarzan. I could easily see this as being completely written by the creator of Tarzan. I have found this to be a great pleasure to read!

Tarzan runs into an explorer and his daughter who are in search of the lost city of Ur. Four deserters from the French Foreign Legion are also in the area and have stolen the pair’s entire safari. Meanwhile, the second half of the team has become lost while trying to rejoin the exploration.

The action is fast and furious as the bad guys are defeated once only to regroup and take over again. There is a terrific storm that rips through the jungle, tearing trees up by the roots and further confusing the matter. There are a thousand and one dangers to be faced, overcome, and traded for new problems.

Eventually, all parties are reunited in the lost city of Ur, some as prisoners, some having wandered there, and a few by following an ancient map. The city is ruled by a mad king who keeps lions as pets and practices human sacrifices to the evil God of Ur. The god of Ur is a horror known as Epoba, The Stick That Walks!

Such masterful writing has to be acknowledged, and I give the book five stars!

Quoth the Raven…

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a Tarzan adventure conceived by Burroughs and finished by Lansdale many years after the death of the creator. It's not a bad jungle story, but I never felt Lansdale really had the same grasp of the character that Burroughs brought to the work. (Or perhaps it's just that I disliked the ending...) Burroughs usually leavened the savage-jungle aspect of the character with some delightful humor which was missing entirely from this adventure. Good for jungle-story fans and Burroughs completists, but I don't consider it Greystoke canon.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this sometime ago and only now got around to reading it. I have Copy #67 of 1000 signed hardcover collectible editions of this book. It was done as a graphic novel as well which I never read. The best Tarzan (to me) novels were Tarzan of the Apes, The Return of Tarzan, The Beasts of Tarzan, Tarzan the Untamed, and Tarzan the Terrible, with honorable mention for The Son of Tarzan and Tarzan and the Golden Lion. The others to me were somewhat 2-3 stars in comparison, and I expected the same in the first half of this book. By the last half and especially the last third of the story it became something special. Hats off to Joe R Lansdale for taking the 83 page unfinished manuscript by ERB for what started as a mediocre Tarzan novel and making it truly memorable.

[Kevin Findley · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, but I'm rounding up.

A very good adaptation by Joe R. Lansdale of ERB's final Tarzan story. The only thing missing was Tarzan's sense of humor. I could easily see where the author could have inserted grabbing one of the Legion deserters from their camp and hanging him upside down farther down the trail. Covered in monkey-thrown fruit of course. This Lord of the Jungle was simply too morose.

In every other aspect, it was a good Tarzan story. Beautiful women, lost civilizations, otherworldly creatures, and truly evil men and women of every race. Accompanying our hero were Jad-bal-ja and Nkima, the two characters who appeared nearly as often as Lady Jane in the original novels.

Small spoilers ahead!

At the end of the tale, Tarzan decides to abandon this world and live in Pellucidar. While I would have preferred him to return to Jane and bring her back to Africa, this was a solid way to end the book and bring a nice close to the character, yet leave the Lord of the Jungle in a world where he can truly be himself, forever.

Find it! Buy it! Read it!

[Charles · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is supposedly an expansion of an 83 page Tarzan partial found in ERB's papers after his death. Joe Lansdale was selected to finish it.

Now, I love Joe Lansdale's work, and I love ERB's work, but I didn't find this posthumous collaboration to work very well. I just don't think the writing style of these two writers is compatible.

The book was mainly of interest to Burroughsphiles, I think.

[Rob Roy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Twenty years after Burroughs' death, a manuscript, basically an outline, for another Tarzan novel was found. This was taken, and fleshed out by another author, Joe Lansdale. The classic structure is Burroughs, but Lansdale has totally missed who Tarzan is. Much of the classic humor is gone, and replaced by a blood thirsty ape man. For all who love the Tarzan series, please don't inflict this on yourselves.

[Patty · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have the original 4-part version that Dark Horse Comics did of this series, it was a great re-introduction to fans of ERB's books or bringing in new fans.

[Jiří Pavlovský · Rating 3 out of 5]

Při natáčení Rudé žně na téma Joe R. Landsalea jsem si uvědomil, že mi jedna jeho česky vydaná kniha chybí – a sice jeho Tarzan: Ztracené dobrodružství. Normálně by to šlo mimo mě, nejsem zase takový fanoušek opičího muže, ale jak už mám Landsalea skoro komplet, bylo by blbý, aby mi něco chybělo.

Ono to celé vzniklo na základě v šuplíku nalezeného nedopsaného románu od Edgara Rice Burroughse, kdy Lansdale (za pomoci nakladatelství Dark Horse) získal právo tohle dílo dokončit. Rovnou říkám, že od Burroughse jsem toho moc nepřečetl, možná tak jednu knížku, a to ještě v tak dávné minulosti, čili nedokážu posoudit, jak moc se Lansdale zvládl přiblížit originálu. Rozhodně je vidět, že se hodně krotil, byť na starý dobrodružný román je tu poněkud moc vyhřezlých vnitřností, podříznutých krků, mrtvol, uřezaných prstů a jiného mučení. Taky mi chyběla jeho typická vypravěčská rozevlátost, zbyla tu jen občas nějaká hláška.

Příběhově je to ale rozevláté ažaž. Tarzan je tu vlastně jen jednou z postav. Máte tu několik týmů archeologů, které jdou hledat ztracené město Ur, pak jsou tu zběhové z cizinecké legie, kteří hledají to samé město (ovšem za účelem obohacení). Máte tu prastaré monstrum, žijící v hlubinách, krvelačné domorodce, ničivá tornáda, tajemné město s podzemními labyrinty, mučení u kůlu, krokodýly, hady a jinou divou zvěř. Lansdale má pulp rád, užívá si rekvizity... a moc se nemaže s příběhem ani postavami. Občas nechává i figury, u kterých čekáte, že budou hrát větší roli, zemřít jen tak mimochodem… nebo naopak, někoho, u koho čekáte brutální smrt, jen tak odmázne či nechá v pohodě přežít.

Asi celkově to bude pro příznivce Tarzana moc temné a brutální, a pro příznivce Lansdalea zase moc krotké a uhlazené, ale přesto to má svůj pulpový půvab. Ten dokreslují i černobílé ilustrace komiksových borců jako je Michael Kaluta, Charles Vess, Thomas Yeates či Gary Gianni.

Škoda, že se Lansdale k Tarzanovi nevrátil (kromě tedy nekanonické povídky), docela rád bych si přečetl, jak to bylo dál.

[Fernando Cignola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lansdale torna in modalità pulp sfrenato e, stavolta, trascina il lettore nella giungla di Tarzan: un luogo dove il tempo si è fermato e la logica ha preso un volo di sola andata.

La trama segue (più o meno) gli stilemi dell’avventura classica, ma li filtra con la lente deformante dell’autore: incontri fortuiti che, in una giungla impenetrabile e priva di mappe, avvengono con la stessa facilità con cui ci si trovava in centro a Belluno il sabato sera prima dell’era dei cellulari; spedizioni affidate a esploratori che si perderebbero alla Nave de Vero di Marghera; e un Tarzan che, oltre a essere stato allevato dalle scimmie, pare abbia ricevuto un upgrade genetico da supereroe Marvel, capace di piegare con le mani fasce di metallo come fossero stagnola.

Il body count, rispetto ai noir di Lansdale, qui è più clemente con i buoni (il che è già un evento), ma resta generoso con le morti assurde — alcune talmente improbabili da far ridere a crepapelle — e con sopravvivenze da manuale della pallottola spuntata.

In sintesi: un libretto rapido e spassoso, strapieno di situazioni sopra le righe, più vicino a una parodia d’avventura che a un romanzo “serio”. Perfetto se avete voglia di leggere Lansdale in versione popcorn: zero pretese di realismo, tanto ritmo e il gusto di raccontare un gioco letterario.

[LadyCalico · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the only one of the series that I hadn't read, but since I did not consider it a real Tarzan story, being more Joe Lansdale than Edgar Rice Burroughs, I was not willing to put forth time and money to track down an out-of-print book for something that could be an inferior re-do of an incomplete work. I was so pleased when I stumbled upon this book without effort. It was not among the best, and parts of it had been worked into other Tarzan books, but nevertheless there was enough of the Tarzan personality, ethos, and dialogue to make the book better than I expected. However, Lansdale is a writer from another time and place, with less humor and more overt sexuality and violence in his style, so it was not difficult to recognize the Burroughs parts from the Lansdale parts. Yet I liked the ending and felt it worthy of Burroughs and Tarzan, since we've seen in the later Tarzan books, our favorite apeman growing uncomfortable with the ways the jungle is changing as Western civilization more and more encroaches on Africa in ways that Tarzan does not approve. Besides, we know Tarzan will eventually run into Innes and Perry and hitch a ride back to Jane!

[Nickolai · Rating 2 out of 5]

Увы, это и близко не Берроуз. В отличие от простоты и элегантности последнего, тут автор облекает сюжет в форму дешевенького боевичка категории В. Чего стоит Тарзан, скачущий на зебре, который, достигнув ��еста назначения, убивает ее, а затем пьет кровь и пожирает ее. Или Тарзан, ловящий летящую со всей скоростью стрелу, и тут же запускающий ее в противника и пронзающий того насквозь. И таких «шедевров» тут, к сожалению, немало.

[Brian Grouhel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! Just as should anyone who has ever read a Tarzan, Venus, Mars, Pellucidar or any of the other Burroughs' stories. Even though several decades past the age of fourteen whereabouts I discovered all of those worlds, this book brought back the enchantments felt back then. Mr. Lansdale did a remarkable job and the story reads as fast and thrilling as ever!

[Fred · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was fun, but it didn't break any new ground in Tarzan's development as a character. It read like fragments of past stories pulled together and patched into a "new" story. I was very disappointed.

[Dan Blackley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last adventure that ERB did for Tarzan. It remained unfinished and the estate asked for it to be finished by another writer. It is not bad.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guess I was expecting more. Nothing like anything written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

[Geoffrey Greeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting ending to the Tarzan stories

[Conan Tigard · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Edgar Rice Burroughs died in the 1960's, a manuscript for his next Tarzan novel was found locked away. Now, over thirty years later, acclaimed horror novel Joe R. Lansdale has finished the uncompleted 83-page manuscript. Originally marketed as a 4-part miniseries by Dark Horse Comics, the story now appears in book format. It is hard to define where this Tarzan book takes place in the Tarzan timeline. During the ERB part of the book, no mention is really made about his previous time, except for the fact that he has been too long out of the jungle, presumable with Jane in England. Other references by Mr. Lansdale refer to Pellucidar and Jane, but nothing about their son. So, is this book 25? I cannot say.

I found it quite enjoyable to sit down with the first writer that I truly fell in love with. Being familiar with every ERB Tarzan book, along with his John Carter of Mars, Pellucidar, Carson of Venus, and probably every book that he has ever written, I was not disappointed with the beginning of Tarzan: The Lost Adventure.

When Lansdale takes over the writing, I can not exactly tell, but I did notice the change. Not to say that it is a bad thing, it is just a different style of writing. For all of the ERB fans out there, the main difference that I noticed was this: the violence. One of the minor “good” characters dies and Tarzan is a little more ruthless then he normally is. I found that to be very un-ERB-like. Also, some of the dialog is a little too modern. But, this is still a good story and shouldn’t be missed if you love Tarzan.

Since most of the foundation of Tarzan: The Lost Adventure was laid by ERB, I wonder how he intended for this story to end. But that is a question that can never be answered.

I rated this book an 8 out of 10.

[Craig Childs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a satisfying finale to the Tarzan oeuvre. Joe R. Lansdale was given the (thankless) task of fleshing out Edgar Rice Burroughs' final 83-page outline, the last unfinished Tarzan novel before his death.

Lansdale created (or, at least, augmented) a vintage Tarzan plot. This was Burrough's imagined Africa: an unexplored dark continent of hidden kingdoms, savage cannibals, and lost treasure. It was a compelling, exciting adventure yarn. Lansdale brought back many secondary series characters for a final swan song, including Jad-bal-ja, the golden lion, and Nkima, the braggart monkey. Even the fictional underground world of Pellucidar plays a prominent role.

Judging from other online reviews, I don't think this book ever found its natural audience. Lansdale wrote his novel in a contemporary voice that reflected the 1990's, instead of the 1940's when the other Tarzan novels were published. Hardcore ERB fans weren't satisfied; they wanted Burrough's signature, but decidedly outdated, prose. They didn't appreciate Lansdale's signature violence or the sometimes sarcastic dialogue. They also complained that Lansdale's Tarzan didn't seem to care when he was separated from his wife, Jane.

But other than simply mimicking an old style of fiction, this was as much of an homage to Burroughs as any writer could provide. Lansdale created a fun, entertaining story from ERB's outline, making the story and characters his own, while at the same time honoring the traditions of the series and the essence of the characters.

[Kristen (belles_bookshelves) · Rating 2 out of 5]

"Nothing is ever completely true about a legend."

And so I finally come to the end of what was a much longer than anticipated journey to finish the Tarzan novels. For being found as a manuscript and finished later, it reads precisely like many of the Tarzan novels previously read. But there is a tone of finality about it, especially towards the end.

Lost civilizations + lost safari + woman kidnapped by inhabitants of city + the Golden Lion = a typical Tarzan novel. But add in some sort of Cthulhu-esque praying mantis monster from Pellicular and it's a little reminiscent of Tarzan at the Earth's Core.

The ending seems fairly final, what with Tarzan final choosing to be like "oh well, Jane, see ya." It feels to me like, after the original novel, Burroughs really wasn't a fan of Jane, so that's not a surprise at all.

The sketches are pretty decent though, I wish more of the novels had them.

[Andy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't remember where I came across this but was intrigued that there was a manuscript that was found and completed 50 years later. And they had it sitting there for 30 years before they decided on someone to complete it. I personally think they could have waited even longer in order to find someone that would have done it justice though. Joe's writing style didn't impress me and I really feel he portrayed Lord Greystoke rather poorly in several places in the book, not at all in the way that E.R.B. would have done it. The story basically had all the elements of a typical Tarzan novel with a lost city, fantastic creature, mad king and the damsel in distress so it satisfied from that aspect. The ending definitely needed something more being entirely lackluster.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this tale. My main comments have to do with the ending, which works on two levels. If you view this as Burroughs' 25th and final Tarzan novel, the ending is a perfect finish to Tarzan's adventures. If you view this as simply another entry in a continuing series, it is a good cliffhanger that begs for a resolution. With the Tarzan series currently continuing, maybe someone could write the next part of this story and fill in the gap.

[Garett Drake · Rating 1 out of 5]

It would be much higher except for the fact that some dumb comic book reader finished the book and changed the rules that Mr. Burroughs set up. Ed couldn't finish it due to his death, so some nut comes along and finishes it and ruined it. So, Edgar's part gets a 4, and the dope gets a -3 which equals up to a score of 1.

[Ira Livingston · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was good to see that another story ERB was working on, but the other author totally missed the feel of the previous books in the series. I guess bottom line is I wished they would have never have found. Please stop at #24 instead of reading this book.

[Pat Landers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not bad.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

the end of a most wonderful series, loved it but not so good to end on this one!!!

[Timo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ei musta taida olla viidakon kuninkaan ystäväksi vaikka Lansdalen kirjoista olenkin kovasti pitänyt.

[Harold · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read and enjoyed all of these Tarzan books!

[Mattia Carlini · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sembra di leggere Tarzan, con sotto la colonna sonora di Indiana Jones mentre alla TV trasmettono Apocalypto. Magari detta così vi può stuzzicare, ma se volete un consiglio, lasciate perdere.