The Tarzan Series in Order

About the Tarzan series

Series Premise

The series follows the life of John Clayton, Lord Greystoke, known to the world as Tarzan. Born to British aristocratic parents who are marooned on the uncharted west coast of Africa in the late 1880s, the infant John is orphaned when his parents are killed by the great ape Kerchak. The baby is adopted and raised by the ape tribe of Kerchak, where he grows into an extraordinarily strong, agile, and intelligent young man who eventually becomes lord of the jungle. Tarzan teaches himself to read from books left by his parents, masters the jungle, and develops a personal code of honor that combines primal strength with civilized morality. The overarching narrative tracks Tarzan’s dual identity: the savage jungle lord who speaks the language of the great apes and rules by strength, and the cultured, educated Englishman who can move in the highest circles of European society. Most books follow one of two patterns: - Tarzan returns to civilization (London, Paris, New York) to protect his title, estate, or loved ones, confronting scheming relatives, criminals, or colonial intrigue. - He remains in Africa (or other exotic locales) to defend his jungle kingdom, rescue captives, battle lost civilizations, or face ancient threats. Recurring elements include Tarzan’s superhuman abilities (strength, speed, senses, jungle survival), his unbreakable bond with his ape family, and his deep love for Jane Porter (later Lady Greystoke), whom he marries early in the series. The books explore the tension between nature and civilization, instinct and reason, savagery and nobility.

Main Characters

Tarzan (John Clayton, Lord Greystoke) — The central protagonist. Raised by apes after his parents’ death, he becomes the ultimate jungle lord: superhumanly strong, agile, intelligent, and morally noble. He speaks the language of the great apes, English, French, and other tongues he learns later. He is fiercely loyal to those he loves, merciless to enemies, and lives by a personal code of honor.
- Jane Porter (later Lady Greystoke) — Tarzan’s wife and great love. Beautiful, intelligent, courageous American woman who first meets Tarzan in the jungle. She represents civilization and refinement; their love is passionate and unbreakable.
- Korak (Jack Clayton) — Tarzan and Jane’s son, who has his own adventures (in later books and spin-offs).
- Supporting/recurring:
- Kala — Tarzan’s ape mother, who raised him with love.
- Kerchak — The great ape leader who killed Tarzan’s father.
- Paul D’Arnot — French naval officer who teaches Tarzan civilized ways and becomes his friend.
- Various villains — Greedy treasure hunters, mad scientists, lost tribes, rival kings, and scheming relatives who threaten Tarzan’s family or honor.

Setting

The primary setting is the jungles of equatorial Africa, particularly the uncharted, primeval forests along the west coast (inspired by real regions like the Congo Basin and Gabon). Burroughs describes a lush, dangerous, Eden-like wilderness filled with giant apes, lions, elephants, pythons, savage tribes, lost civilizations, hidden cities, and ancient ruins. The jungle is both paradise and peril—beautiful, mysterious, and deadly.

Tarzan’s adventures frequently take him beyond Africa:
- London and English country estates (for inheritance and society plots).
- Paris, New York, and other Western cities.
- Lost worlds (Opar, the City of the Dead, Pellucidar crossovers).
- Jungles of South America, Asia, and the Pacific.
- The Sahara Desert and other exotic locales.

The historical period spans roughly 1880s–1920s, with the early books set in the late Victorian/Edwardian era and later ones moving into the 20th century. The world feels timeless and mythic—Africa is portrayed as a primal, unchanging Eden, while civilization is both sophisticated and corrupt.

Tone & Themes

The tone is adventurous, romantic, and idealistic—classic pulp adventure with a strong romantic and heroic undercurrent. Burroughs writes in a clear, vigorous, almost mythic style that evokes wonder, excitement, and moral clarity. The prose is vivid and descriptive, especially when portraying jungle scenes, animal behavior, and Tarzan’s physical prowess. Violence is frequent and often brutal (battles with apes, lions, cannibals, lost tribes), but it is never gratuitous; Tarzan kills only when necessary, and his actions are always framed as righteous defense of the innocent. The series is optimistic and romantic at its core: love is pure and eternal (Tarzan and Jane’s devotion is unbreakable), good ultimately triumphs over evil, and Tarzan’s innate nobility shines through every trial. There is little cynicism or moral ambiguity; villains are clear (greedy whites, savage tribes, treacherous Europeans), and heroes are heroic. Humor is light and situational—often arising from Tarzan’s misunderstanding of civilized customs or his blunt honesty. The books feel like modern myths: larger-than-life, emotionally satisfying, and designed to inspire awe at both the wild beauty of nature and the power of human courage and love.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan series is a foundational work of 20th-century adventure fiction—24 novels that follow the mythic journey of Tarzan, Lord of the Jungle, from feral child to civilized nobleman and back again. Across Africa’s primeval forests, London’s drawing rooms, lost cities, and the open sea, Tarzan embodies the tension between savagery and civilization, instinct and reason, nature and society. With his unmatched strength, unyielding honor, and eternal love for Jane, he remains one of literature’s greatest heroes—protector of the weak, avenger of the wronged, and symbol of the wild spirit that lives in every human heart. The books are thrilling, romantic, and timeless—proof that a single character, born from the imagination of one writer, can capture the world’s imagination for more than a century. Tarzan endures, swinging through the jungle of our collective memory, forever lord of his domain and forever free.