Tarzan and the Lost Empire

Last updated
Tarzan and the Lost Empire
Tarzan and the lost empire.jpg
Dust-jacket illustration of Tarzan and the Lost Empire
Author Edgar Rice Burroughs
Illustrator A. W. Sperry
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
SeriesTarzan series
Genre Adventure
PublisherMetropolitan Newspaper Services
Publication date
1928-1929
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pagesiii, 313
Preceded by Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle  
Followed by Tarzan at the Earth's Core  

Tarzan and the Lost Empire is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the twelfth in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. The story was first published as a serial in Blue Book Magazine from October 1928 through February 1929; it first appeared in book form in a hardcover edition from Metropolitan Newspaper Services in September 1929. This was the first Edgar Rice Burroughs book not published by A. C. McClurg, with whom Burroughs had cut off business ties due to a dispute over royalties. [1]

Contents

Plot

Erich von Harben, a young German specialized in archaeology and dead languages, with a passion for mountain climbing starts investigating the legend of The Lost Tribe of the Wiramwazi Mountains and disappears. His father meets and asks Tarzan for help.

Tarzan in his search for Erich von Harben finds a lost remnant of the Roman Empire hidden in the mountains of Africa. They are inhabitants of two rival cities Castra Sanguinarius, ruled by Sublatus Imperator, and Castrum Mare, ruled by Validus Augustus.

Erich von Harben was captured and brought to Castrum Mare, where he meets Mallius Lepus, who takes him to his uncle, Septimus Favonius, introducing him as a barbarian from Germany. Erich von Harben falls in love with Favonia, the daughter of Septimus Favonius and makes an enemy of Fulvus Fupus.

Tarzan reaches Castra Sanguinarius, the city being ruled by Sublatus Imperator. Trying to get information about von Harben, Tarzan makes an enemy of the Emperor and his son Fastus. Protecting Dilecta, the daughter of Dion Splendidus, from Fastus he makes a friend out of Maximus Praeclarus, the young patrician officer who brought him to Castra Sanguinarius. Maximus hides him in his house.

Betrayed by a servant, Tarzan and Maximus Praeclarus are captured and chained in the dungeons beneath the Colosseum of Castra Sanguinarius. Here he meets Cassius Hasta, the nephew of Validus Augustus. They fight as gladiators against man and beast and win in the end. Still the emperor does not grant them their freedom. With help of Appius Applosus, a friend of Maximus they escape and lead a revolution against Sublatus with help of the slaves from the nearby villages and the Waziri, brought by Nkima. Once Sublatus is defeated, Tarzan installs Dion Splendidus as Emperor and leaves for Castrum Mare to find Erich and support Cassius Hasta in ascending to the Throne.

In the meantime Erich von Harben and Mallius Lepus were taken prisoners due to the intrigues of Fulvus Fupus. They were brought to the arena as participants to the games. Just before the games start, Gabula, a companion black slave of Erich slays Sublatus in his imperial loge and in the confusion Erich and Mallius escape and take refuge in a deserted house near the Colosseum. Favonia, abducted by few thieves is brought by chance to the same location where Erich and Mallius free her.

Cassius Hasta returns to Castrum Mare together with Tarzan and the Waziri and encounters no resistance, since without Sublatus, Cassius is the rightful ruler. Tarzan finishes this quest by meeting Erich von Harben.

This novel is notable for the introduction of Nkima, who serves as Tarzan's monkey companion in it and a number of later Tarzan stories. It also reintroduces Muviro, first seen in Tarzan and the Golden Lion , as sub-chief of Tarzan's Waziri warriors.

Comic adaptations

The book has been adapted into comic form by Gold Key Comics in Tarzan nos. 194-195, dated February–March 1971, with a script by Gaylord DuBois and art by Paul Norris and Mike Royer (Inker).

Related Research Articles

<i>Pellucidar</i> Fictional Hollow Earth invented by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Pellucidar is a fictional Hollow Earth invented by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs for a series of action adventure stories. In a crossover event, Tarzan, who was also created by Burroughs, visits Pellucidar.

<i>The Legend of Tarzan</i> (TV series) 2001-2003 animated TV series

The Legend of Tarzan is an American animated television series produced by Walt Disney Television Animation, based on Tarzan from the novels written by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the character's original creator who appears in one episode of the series. The series is also based on Disney's 1999 animated feature film Tarzan by Walt Disney Pictures and aired initially on the Disney's One Too block on UPN. However, reruns were broadcast shortly after on Toon Disney.

Robert Kennedy Abbett was an American artist and illustrator.

Mangani is the name of a fictional species of great apes in the Tarzan novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs, and of the invented language used by these apes. In the invented language, Mangani is the apes' word for their own kind, although the term is also applied to humans. The Mangani are represented as the apes who foster and raise Tarzan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La (Tarzan)</span> Fictional character

La is a character in Edgar Rice Burroughs's series of Tarzan novels, the queen and high priestess of Opar, a lost city in the jungles of Africa.Opar is portrayed as a surviving colony of ancient Atlantis in which incredible riches have been stockpiled down through the ages. The city's population exhibits extreme sexual dimorphism caused by a combination of excessive inbreeding, cross-breeding with apes, and selective culling of offspring. Consequently, female Oparians are physically perfect, while male Oparians are hideous bestial creatures.

<i>Tarzan the Untamed</i>

Tarzan the Untamed is a book by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the seventh in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. It was originally published as two separate stories serialized in different pulp magazines; "Tarzan the Untamed" in Redbook from March to August, 1919, and "Tarzan and the Valley of Luna" in All-Story Weekly from March to April 1920. The two stories were combined under the title of the first in the first book edition, published in 1920 by A. C. McClurg. In order of writing, the book follows Jungle Tales of Tarzan, a collection of short stories about the ape-man's youth. Chronologically, it follows Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar.

<i>Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle</i> (novel) Novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, generally considered the eleventh in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. The story was first published as a serial in Blue Book Magazine from December 1927 through May 1928; it first appeared in book form in a hardcover edition from A. C. McClurg in September 1928.

<i>Tarzan at the Earths Core</i> 1930 novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan at the Earth's Core is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, serialized in September 1929 to March 1930, the thirteenth in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan and the fourth in his series set in the interior world of Pellucidar.

<i>Tarzan the Invincible</i> Novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan the Invincible is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the fourteenth in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. The novel was originally serialized in the magazine Blue Book from October, 1930 through April, 1931 as Tarzan, Guard of the Jungle.

<i>Tarzans Quest</i> 1936 novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan's Quest is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the nineteenth in his series of twenty-four books about the title character Tarzan. Originally serialized in six parts, as Tarzan and the Immortal Men, in The Blue Book Magazine, from October 1935 to March 1936; the first collected edition was published as the 1936 novel Tarzan’s Quest by Burroughs’ own publishing company.

<i>Tarzan and the Castaways</i>

Tarzan and the Castaways is a collection of three stories by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the 24th and final in his series of twenty-four books about the jungle hero Tarzan. The title novella, and the two short stories were first published in pulp magazines in 1940 and 1941. The combined book was published first as a hardcover by Canaveral Press in early 1965, and as a paperback by Ballantine Books in July 1965.

Muviro, chief of the Waziri, is a character in the Tarzan saga created by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

<i>Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins</i>

Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins is a collection of two Tarzan novellas by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, for younger readers. It was originally published as two children's books, The Tarzan Twins by Voland in October 1927, and Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins, with Jad-bal-ja, the Golden Lion, by Whitman in March 1936. These were brought together in November 1963 under the title of Tarzan and the Tarzan Twins in the first complete edition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarzan in comics</span>

Tarzan, a fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, first appeared in the 1912 novel Tarzan of the Apes, and then in 23 sequels. The character proved immensely popular and quickly made the jump to other media, including comics.

<i>Back to the Stone Age</i> 1937 Book by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Back to the Stone Age is a novel by American writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, the fifth in his series set in the lost world of Pellucidar. It first appeared as a six-part serial in Argosy Weekly from January 9 to February 13, 1937, under the title Seven Worlds to Conquer. It was first published in book form in hardcover by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. in September, 1937 under the present title, and has been reissued a number of times since by various publishers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nkima</span> Fictional character

Nkima is a fictional character in Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan novels, and in adaptations of the saga to other media, particularly comics. His name comes from either the word N'kima, or, after the Meru language nickname for Ugali, a dish popular in Kenya and Tanzania made from maize flour.

The Waziri are a fictional African tribe created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in his Tarzan novels. Burroughs characterizes the Waziri as the greatest warriors in Africa, though small in numbers. They are feared by Arabic ivory and slave traders as well as cannibal tribes, and known from western to eastern Africa. The Waziri also appear in other media based on the novels.

<i>Tarzan</i> (book series) Books of the Tarzan series of Edgar Rice Burroughs

Tarzan is a series of 24 adventure novels written by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875–1950) and published between 1912 and 1966, followed by several novels either co-written by Burroughs, or officially authorized by his estate. There are also two works written by Burroughs especially for children that are not considered part of the main series.

References

  1. Bleiler, Everett (1948). The Checklist of Fantastic Literature . Chicago: Shasta Publishers. pp.  67.
Preceded by Tarzan series
Tarzan and the Lost Empire
Succeeded by