Tarzan’s Quest (1936) by Edgar Rice Burroughs is the 19th installment in the iconic Tarzan series, marking a bold departure from the jungle adventures that made the Ape-Man famous. Published by Metropolitan Books in the twilight of Burroughs’ career, this novel blends classic pulp action with surprising occult elements as Tarzan and Jane investigate an immortality serum hidden in the African interior. The story follows the Lord of the Jungle’s encounter with a mysterious tribe of diminutive “little men” who possess the secret to eternal youth—a MacGuffin that draws European interlopers, including a vengeful Nazi anthropologist, into deadly competition.
The 1936 first edition, bound in vivid scarlet cloth with gilt lettering, features the dynamic jacket art by J. Allen St. John depicting Tarzan battling a tribal warrior amid stylized Art Deco flora. This volume holds particular significance for Burroughs scholars as his last major Tarzan work before turning to science fiction, showcasing his late-career experimentation with mystical themes. Rare points of issue include the Metropolitan colophon on the copyright page and the original $2.00 price on the dust jacket—a steep sum during the Depression that limited initial sales.
