This is it: The most eagerly
awaited team-up of all time. The Lord of the Jungle meets the Warlord
of Mars!
I’m
not going to tell you tell you how that
meeting comes about –
or what sort of ruckus
erupts when it does – but I’ll tell you this: It was well worth
the wait. I found Tarzan,
Conqueror of Mars
faithful in every way to the spirit and tradition of Edgar Rice
Burroughs, and a thoroughly entertaining adventure.
I
have only one complaint. After 437 pages, it ended. I wanted the
story to go on and on.
Having proven his ability to channel Lester Dent in the Wild Adventures of Doc Savage, Will Murray demonstrates he’s also up to filling the dusty boots of Edgar Rice Burroughs.
I was impressed with his deft handling of both main characters. Tarzan is as fierce as ever, half-savage and half-civilized, and loyal to Jane and all who depend on him. John Carter is proud, fair-minded, considerate, and a great strategist. Both, of course, are self-sacrificing and utterly fearless. To add to the authenticity, Tarzan’s point of view is narrated in third person, while John Carter’s is in first, just like the Burroughs’ books.
In
typical Burroughs fashion, Tarzan finds himself mysteriously
transported to Barsoom, and sets about dealing with his strange new
environment. He encounters beasts, peoples and circumstances wholly
outside his experience, and – in typical Tarzan fashion – makes
himself master of this new domain. He turns enemies into allies and
embarks on an unrelenting quest to find his way back to home and
family.
Along
the way, there are typically ferocious battles, cool plot twists and a
host of engaging characters – both old and new. For those of us
who’ve read both the Tarzan and Mars series, this is a joyous
reunion with many of the characters and concepts we’ve come to
love. For those acquainted only with Tarzan, it’s a great
introduction to the world of Barsoom, opening up a whole new world of
adventure.
The
battle scenes are all nicely handled, and one in particular was so
good it made me want to stand up and cheer.
It’s
rare these days for me to find a book I don’t want to put down, but
this one was exactly that. The narrative drive kept me turning those
pages until my eyeballs gave out, and left me eager to start again.
Bravo,
Mr. Murray! Tarzan,
Conqueror of Mars
is an instant classic.
