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About this book

What good are titles and money when your family is captive and your only way back runs through the jungle?

In The Beasts of Tarzan, Edgar Rice Burroughs sets Tarzan against an enemy who knows where to strike. Nikolas Rokoff, aided by Alexis Paulvitch, attacks him through Jane and their young son. Left on an island off the African coast, Tarzan must rely on the jungle skills that first kept him alive.

Survival is only the beginning. With animal allies beside him, Tarzan pursues his enemies through forests, rivers, and settlements on the African mainland. Distance and deception stand between him and his family. Meanwhile, Jane searches for her own chance to escape, weighing whom to trust and when to act under threat.

What you’ll discover

  • Survival without status Watch Tarzan face a wilderness where his place in English society offers no protection.
  • A dangerous animal alliance Meet Sheeta the panther and Akut, the great ape whose band joins Tarzan's journey.
  • Jane takes her chances Follow a captive who watches, judges, and seeks opportunities rather than simply waiting for rescue.
  • A warrior beside Tarzan Discover Mugambi, the African warrior who helps Tarzan manage his powerful and unusual companions.
  • A pursuit driven by family Feel the urgency of a chase against enemies who use lies and fear to keep control.

Who will love it

This book suits readers who love jungle adventure, daring escapes and clear heroes against cruel villains. If you enjoy a chase that changes scene every few pages, you will feel at home.

What’s inside

The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary

  1. Hope leads Tarzan into a trap
  2. Tarzan rebuilds through skill and kindness
  3. An unlikely crew gains a purpose
  4. Friendship succeeds where strength cannot
  5. Jane discovers kindness behind rough manners
  6. Kindness and courage keep escape possible
  7. Character matters more than civilized manners
  8. Separate journeys keep the danger close
  9. Rescue depends on more than strength

Who’s who

  • TarzanLord Greystoke, raised by apes, who fights through the African jungle to find his stolen son and rescue his wife.
  • Jane ClaytonTarzan's brave wife, who escapes captivity again and again and tries to protect a nameless baby that is not hers.
  • Nikolas RokoffA Russian villain and escaped prisoner who wants to punish Tarzan by stealing his son and tormenting his family.
  • Alexis PaulvitchRokoff's lieutenant, a treacherous schemer who lures Tarzan aboard the Kincaid and later plots his own revenge.
  • Sven AnderssenThe Kincaid's cook, who hides a kind heart behind a repulsive look and helps Jane escape.
  • MugambiA Wagambi chief spared by Tarzan, who becomes his devoted follower and fights by his side.
  • AkutA clever young ape, who becomes king of his tribe and Tarzan's ally.
  • SheetaA panther freed by Tarzan from a fallen tree, who becomes his hunting companion and fierce guardian.

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Adventure

The Beasts of Tarzan

by Edgar Rice Burroughs · 1914

Tarzan, stripped and marooned on an island, wins a panther and a tribe of apes to hunt the man who stole his son.

Medium level2–5 hours to read20 languages

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“Ay tank it blow purty soon purty hard.”
From the bookThe Beasts of Tarzan

In short

What would you do if the man you hate most stole your baby and left you naked on a strange shore? In The Beasts of Tarzan, Lord Greystoke answers the way the jungle taught him.

The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the cover

The Beasts of Tarzan at a glance

Reading time
About 4 h3 h 10 min fast, 4 h 45 min slow
Length
57,100 words
Library level
Medium longer sentences, everyday words
First published
1914by Edgar Rice Burroughs

Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated

From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1

A telegram and a trap at Dover

In Paris, Tarzan hears that Nikolas Rokoff has escaped from a French prison. He knows Rokoff will strike through the people Tarzan loves. Tarzan hurries to London to guard his wife Jane and his baby son Jack.

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15-minute summary
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Details
First published
1914
Language
English
Reading time
4 h 40 min
Level
Medium level

Cite this edition

Burroughs, Edgar Rice. The Beasts of Tarzan. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/the-beasts-of-tarzan.

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What is The Beasts of Tarzan about?

Tarzan's old enemy Rokoff steals his baby son and strands Tarzan on an island. Tarzan befriends apes and a panther, then follows Rokoff through the African jungle while Jane tries to escape on her own.

Who is Sheeta in The Beasts of Tarzan?

Sheeta is a panther whom Tarzan frees from beneath a fallen tree. The cat becomes his hunting partner and guardian, following him through the island, up the river and into battle.

Do I need to read the earlier Tarzan books first?

No. The story gives enough background about Rokoff, Jane, D'Arnot and Tarzan's past that you can follow it on its own, though fans of the earlier books will recognize old names.

The author

Edgar Rice Burroughs

1875–1950 · American adventure novelist

Edgar Rice Burroughs was an American writer born in Chicago in 1875. He wrote novels about Tarzan and novels set on Mars. His first Mars story appeared in 1912 and became the book A Princess of Mars in 1917. He later lived in California and died in Encino in 1950.

“Ay tank it blow purty soon purty hard.”
The Beasts of Tarzan, sven Anderssen, the Kincaid's cook

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