Tarzan’s adopted lion Jad-bal-ja becomes a powerful companion as plots around Opar and the priestess La draw the ape-man back into danger. Esteban Miranda, a criminal who closely resembles Tarzan, uses that resemblance for deception while treasure hunters and rivals pursue wealth and power.
The story belongs to the early twentieth-century world of African estates, expeditions, motor travel and railways, even as it returns to the fantasy kingdom of Opar. Burroughs contrasts that modern mobility with ancient ritual, hidden wealth and personal rivalry, giving Jad-bal-ja and the Tarzan impostor central roles in a story about loyalty and identity.
The impostor plot makes identity itself a weapon. Esteban Miranda can exploit Tarzan’s reputation without possessing his loyalties, creating danger for people who assume the familiar appearance proves the familiar man. Jad-bal-ja provides a contrasting form of recognition based on trust rather than outward resemblance, while Opar’s internal politics once again turn treasure into a source of instability.
Louis L’Amour
97 books
Christopher Nicole
49 books
Colin Falconer
22 books