Many Tarzan chronologists forget to use Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author's, writing journal as a dating tool. Instead, they will blindly follow the order in which the Tarzan books were published, instead of when they were written. One thing I have learned about ERB, the author, during my research is that he was a rapid writer. When he finished one story he immediately moved on to another. He hated to do a revision or rewrite.
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| Edgar Rice Burroughs |
The author's recounted storylines were the same way. Even if Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author, did not provide an event date, a chronologist can be assured that the missing date occurs seamlessly and immediately with before and after occurring events.
When you view Tarzan's storyline by ERB's writing dates, notice how the plot differs from a chronology produced by the published dates.
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| Edgar Rice Burroughs |
The most valuable information about this list, in my opinion as a Tarzan chronologist, are two things.
- I know the featured story has been completed before ERB, the narrator, recorded them. That means all the stories have come to a close before the dates shown in Burroughs's writing journal. Add this knowledge, with other researched information, and you can learn a lot.
- Because ERB is continuously writing his stories, they pretty much follow each other in a timeline. Meaning, that if an event date is not revealed we can rest assured that the missing date occurs very shortly after the last recorded event.
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| Tarzan Forever |
Here is Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author's, own notebook writing timeline for when the stories in the Tarzan series occurred. There is one exception, Jungle Tales Of Tarzan The events of Tarzan between age eighteen through twenty take place in chapter ten of Tarzan Of The Apes. Therefore, chronology-speaking these stories are considered to be a part of that adventure. For more interesting details about this subject see my article Inserting Jungle Tales Of Tarzan Into Tarzan Of The Apes.
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| Neal Adams |
Also keep in mind Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author, is presenting an 1888 Tarzan timeline. As in all 1888 chronologies, Tarzan Rescues The Moon in Jungle Tales Of Tarzan can not occur because there was no lunar eclipse during this period visible in Portuguese Angola. The 1888 presented timeline does not allow Korak in, The Son Of Tarzan, written between January 21 - May 11, 1915, to be the British lord's born son. If ERB completed The Son Of Tarzan in May 1915, how could the author write about Korak serving in The Muse - Argonne Offensive which took place from September 26, through November 11, 1918, and occurred three years later?
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| Edgar Rice Burroughs |
The first book in the Greystoke Chronicles is A Princess Of Mars. The Sci-Fi fantasy was written between August 11, through September 28, 1911. The John Carter story was first published in magazine form by All-Story Magazine and was serialized, from February through July 1912. The book version was published by A.C. McClurg on October 10, 1917.
The novel's lead character, John Carter, is not part of the Greystoke Chronology. Edgar Rice Burroughs the narrator, found in the forwards. This needs to be read first so the reader learns who John Carter's great-nephew is, and what this behind-the-scenes Virginian's role is in the Greystoke's world.
The second book about the Greystoke family is The Outlaw Of Torn. Written between November 5, 1911, through February 1912, this historical tale presents in the background the Greystoke's of the middle 1200s. Norman of Torn's story was first published as a five-part serial in New Story Magazine from January to May 1914. It was first published in book form by A.C. McClurg in 1927.
The story is set in 13th-century England. Here we learn King Henry III's second son, Prince Richard, is kidnapped by Simon de Montfort at a very young age. The boy who eventually forgets his beginning, is raised as a Frenchman and taught to hate all things English. In 1255 Norman, at age fifteen, kills Paul of Merely, Beauchamp, and Greystoke. In June 1262 at age twenty-two, Norman sacked the castle of Baron John de Grey for hanging two of his men. By seventeen, 1257, he was the most skilled swordsman in England. By age eighteen,1258, Norman the Devil had become a notorious outlaw with a massive bounty on his head.
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| N.C.Wyeth |
Book three featuring the Greystoke's, Tarzan Of The Apes, began on December 1, 1911. It was first published in magazine form in The All-Story where the adventure was serialized beginning in October 1912, and was put on sale September 10, 1912. The book version was released by A.C. McClurg in June 1914.
Here the narrator introduces us to John and Alice Clayton, the Greystoke's of 1888. Or, at least the author leads us to believe. Upon a deeper level of investigation, it is revealed that ERB the narrator from Virginia has moved the Greystoke's sailing date up sixteen years, and inserted modernization, all to protect Tarzan and Jane's privacy. John and Alice's actual sailing date from Dover, England was on May 14, 1872, as revealed in my article Tarzan's Mom And Dad.
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| Clinton Pettee |
Book four of the Greystoke Chronicles, The Return Of Tarzan, was begun by ERB in December 1912. It was first published by New Story Magazine and serialized from June through December 1913. The first book edition was published by A.C. McClurg on March 10, 1915.
In this adventure, the king of the jungle lands his first revealed employment. A spy job for the French government that took him to Algeria in North Africa. We also learn the ape-man has already become quite a linguist at age twenty-two. When La is about to sacrifice the jungle lord for the first time he addresses her in French, English, Arab, Waziri, and as a last resort, the mongrel tongue of the West Coast. By the book's end, the future Lord Greystoke rescues Jane, wins her love, and takes her hand in marriage. Like Tarzan Of The Apes, the events of The Return Of Tarzan have been pushed forward sixteen years, and modernized, to protect the Greystok'e true identity.
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| N.C. Wyeth |
The Beasts Of Tarzan is book five of the Greystoke Chronology. Burroughs began writing this story on January 7, 1914. The first publication was in magazine form by All-Story Cavalier and serialized May 16, through June 13, 1914. The first book publication was by A.C. McClurg on March 4, 1916.
We are introduced to Tarzan and Jane's son, who was born offstage. John Clayton III, whom the family called Jack. Like Tarzan Of The Apes and The Return Of Tarzan, the events recorded in The Beasts Of Tarzan have been modernized purposely to protect the Greystoke's identity.
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| F.W. Small |
The Son Of Tarzan is installment six of the Greystoke timeline. Burroughs wrote Korak's adventures between January 21 and May 11, 1915. It was first published in magazine form by All-Story Weekly in six installments from December 4, 1915, to January 8, 1916. It was first published in book form by A. C. McClurg on March 10, 1917.
The events of The Son Of Tarzan occur ten years after The Beasts Of Tarzan. Like the first three Tarzan stories The Son Of Tarzan was modernized by sixteen years to protect the Greystoke's true identity. Note that the events of The Son Of Tarzan fit into an 1872 timeline perfectly, but it won't fit into an 1888 timeline.
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| P.J.Monahan |
Tarzan And The Jewels Of Opar is number seven in the Greystoke saga. The author begins writing about the ape-man's return to Opar on September 6, 1915. The story first appeared in magazine format in All-Story Cavalier Weekly on November 18 and ran until December 16, 1916. The first book publication was by A.C. McClurg on April 20, 1918.
Suffering a financial set the jungle lord returns to Opar for another gold heist. Tarzan and Jane once more unexpectedly find themselves facing the vengeance of Queen La.
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| P.J.Monahan |
The Eternal Lover is story number eight of the Greystoke Chronology. The book edition is made up of two short stories published in magazine form by All-Story Weekly. Burroughs started working on the first adventure, Nu Of The Niocene, the working title, in November 1913. It was published on March 7, 1914, under the title The Eternal Lover.
In story one Barney and Victoria Custer of Beatrice, Nebraska are visiting the Greystoke's at their new ranch in British East Africa in the spring of 1913. The brother and sister were there to hunt big game, as well as other guests. By a dream of Victoria, or by time travel, Nu travels 100,000 years from the past to the present. Seeing Victoria as a reincarnation of lost love Nat-ul, Nu falls in love.
ERB began writing the second story Sweetheart Primeval, on August 21, 1914. The follow-up was released in four installments from January 23, 1915, to February 13, 1915, in All-Story Weekly. The book version was first published on October 3, 1925, by A.C. McClurg. In exploit two, sister Victoria, by dream or by time travel, is transported 100,000 years back to Nu's age, then eventually back to the present.
- It is important to note that The Eternal Lover is the first Tarzan-related story to take place in its publishing timeline which is the spring of 1913.
- We are introduced to Korak and Meriem's youthful son Jackie.
- Another guest visiting the Greystoke's at this time was Edgar Rice Burroughs: The Narrator whom we get the story from.
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| P.J. Monahan |
Burroughs started writing The Man-Eater, the ninth story in the Greystoke storyline on May 13, 1915. It was first published as a serial in the New York Evening World newspaper from November 15-20, 1915. Its first book publication was by Loyd Arthur Eshbach's Fantasy Press in 1955.
In chapter one on July 10, 19__, Jane Clayton and Charlotte were visiting the Scott residence in Scottsville, Virginia. The big question is, was it Jane Porter Clayton Tarzan's wife or a neighbor innocently sharing the same name? Check out my article The Man-Eater to find out much more.
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| Robert Kline |
Tarzan The Untamed is a W.W.I. story, the tenth in the Greystoke timeline which ERB began writing August 9, 1918. It was first published as two stories serialized in separate magazines. Tarzan And The Huns appeared in Redbook from March to August 1919. The second story, Tarzan And The Valley Of Luna appeared in All-Story Weekly from March 20 to April 17, 1920. Shortly afterward the two stories were combined in book form and published as Tarzan The Untamed by A, C, McClurg on April 30, 1920.
At the start of W.W. l invading German troops from Tanganyika raided the Greystoke plantation while Tarzan was visiting the coast on business. Upon his return, the British lord found his plantation burned to the ground. Many Waziri warriors lost their lives defending the farm. In chared embers he found an unrecognizable woman's body wearing his wedding ring, which he took to be his wife Jane. Insane in pain and rage the lord of the jungle set out to seek vengeance on the Germans. While doing so for many months the ape-man discovered the lost civilization of Xuja.
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| P.J. Monahan |
Tarzan The Terrible, the eleventh Greystoke venture, is an exploration escapade ERB began writing August 14, 1920. It was first published in magazine form as a serial in Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 12 through March 26, 1921. The first book edition was published by A. C. McClurg on June 20, 1921.
Two months have passed since the events of Tarzan The Untamed. The British lord discovers Jane is not dead and he begins to track her. During his search, the lord of the jungle happens upon a hidden valley called Pal-ul-don which harbors dinosaurs. It also harbors two primitive-tailed hominid civilizations. One white and hairless called Waz-don, and one black and hairy called Ho-don. At the book's end, son Jack aka Korak the Killer unexpectedly shows up and saves Mom and Dad from the Germans.
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| P.J. Monahan |
Tarzan And The Golden Lion is the twelfth installment of the Greystokes story. Burroughs began writing the African located tale on February 10, 1922. The magazine version was first published in Argosy All-Story Weekly as a seven-part serial beginning on December 9, 1922, through January 20, 1923. The first book publication was by A.C.McClurg on March 24, 1923.
This adventure is a continuation of Tarzan's The Terrible. On the trip home from Pal-ul-don to their former British East African plantation, Tarzan, Jane, and Korak, happen upon an orphaned lion cub. The jungle lord takes pity and takes the feline home and raises it. Two years later, casually speaking around 1935, The British lord once again finds himself financially depleted because of rebuilding his destroyed estate and supporting the war effort. In desperation, he returns a third time to rob Opar of its gold.
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| P.J. Monahan |
Edgar Rice Burroughs started writing the thirteenth Greystoke story, Tarzan And The Ant Men, on January 20, 1923. It was first published in magazine form by Argosy All-Story Weekly. The seven-part serial appeared February 2 through March 15, 1924. The first book publication was by A.C. McClurg on September 30, 1924.
This adventure begins one year after Tarzan And The Golden Lion, casually speaking 1936. The British lord for a third time finds out he is going to be a grandfather. John Clayton lV (Jack) in The Eternal Lover, and theoretical Charlotte in The Man-Eater.
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| Stockton Mulford |
Tarzan And The Tarzan Twins, the fourteenth Greystoke story, is a collection of two different adventures directed at younger readers. ERB began writing the first of these children's books on November 16, 1926. The first story is The Tarzan Twins. was published by Voland on October 10, 1927. The second, Tarzan And The Tarzan Twins, With Jad-bal-ja, The Golden Lion, was written on January 17, 1928. It was first published by Whitman on March 9, 1936. The two stories were combined and published by Canaveral Press on November 30, 1963. Although ERB wrote them at different periods the two stories, chronologically speaking, read as one. When the first story ends, the second picks up immediately.
In this children's book, we are introduced to Doctor Karl von Harben and his daughter Gretchen von Harben who is later featured in Tarzan And The Lost Empire. We are also introduced to a new Greystoke named Dick, who is related to Tarzan through his father. Dick and his look-alike cousin, Doc, visit Tarzan at his African estate.
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| Roy G. Krenkel |
Tarzan Lord Of The Jungle is the fifteenth book documenting the Greystokes. ERB began writing this exploit in June or July 1927. The first publication was a serial in Blue Book Magazine from December 1927 through May 1928. The first book edition was published by A.C. McClurg on September 15, 1928.
In this adventure, ERB abandons the old localities and characters that we have been familiar with since Tarzan Of The Apes. The ape-man has now become a wanderer with no ties. Jad-bal-ja the golden lion does make a minor appearance at the book's end.
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| Edmund Monroe |
Tarzan And The Lost Empire is the sixteenth outing of the Greystoke's. ERB began writing this exploration adventure on March 29, 1928. Its first publication was Blue Book Magazine as a serial from October 1928 through February 1929. The first book published was by Metropolitan Newspaper Services in September 1929.
Tarzan was approached by family members for help finding missing German archaeologist Eric von Harben. While searching for young Harben, Tarzan comes across two Roman Empire-type cities in a lost valley. The Waziri play a small rescue part at the book's end. There is a reintroduction of Muviro. We are introduced to a new Tarzan sidekick, Nkima the monkey.
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| The Blue Book Magazine |
On December 6, 1928, Burroughs began writing Tarzan At The Earth's Core. The seventieth book of the Greystoke family was serialized from September 19-29 through March 1930 in The Blue Book Magazine. The hardback publication was done by Metropolitan Books on November 18, 1930.
Tarzan and the Waziri warriors join Jason Gridley on a rescue mission to Pellucidar to find David Innes and Abner Perry in the interior of Earth.
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| Frank Hoban |
On March 18, 1930, ERB began writing the eighteenth Greystoke story Tarzan The Invincible. It was first published in magazine format in The Blue Book Magazine and appeared as a serial from October 1930 through April 1931. The book edition was published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on November 20, 1931.
ERB, the narrator, informs us that Tarzan returns to Opar for a fifth and final time in the canon writings. Familiar characters are Chief Muviro, Jad-bal-ja, Nikima, and La. In this adventure, La is ousted and Tarzan eventually returns her to power.
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| Laurence Herndon |
Burroughs began writing the nineteenth Greystoke adventure Tarzan Triumphant on February 27, 1931. It was first serialized in Blue Book Magazine from October 1931 through March 1932. The book edition was published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on September 1, 1932.
Another lost city story featuring old friends Chief Muviro and Waziri warriors.
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| Laurence Herndon |
The twentieth Greystoke adventure is Tarzan And The Leopard Men which Burroughs started writing on July 9, 1931. It was first published in magazine form by The Blue Book Magazine and serialized from August 1932 to January 1933. The book edition was published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. in 1932-1933.
Tarzan and Nkima take on a secret African society called the Leopard Men.
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| Joseph Chenoweth |
Tarzan And The City Of Gold, the twenty-first story of the Greystoke saga, was started by ERB on November 21, 1931. It was first published in magazine format and serialized by Argosy from March 12, through April 16, 1932. The book form was published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on September 1, 1932.
This is a lost city adventure where the ape-man meets Queen Nemone. At the book's end, Jad-bal-ja kills Nemone's lion, Belthar, rescuing Tarzan. The queen then commits suicide.
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| Paul Stahr |
Burroughs began writing the twenty-second installment of the Greystoke Chronicles, Tarzan And The Lion Man, on February 9, 1933. Its first publication was in magazine form by Liberty and serialized from November 11, 1933, through January 6, 1934. Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. published the book version on September 1, 1934.
This is another lost city adventure. Tarzan and Jad-bal-jal come across a city run by a mad scientist in control of talking gorillas. At the book's end, the jungle lord goes to Hollywood and screens for the Tarzan movie lead role. He is turned down as not being the type.
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| Tarzan And The Lion Man |
Burroughs started pinning Tarzan's Quest, on May 13, 1934, through January 1935. The twenty-third adventure of the Greystokes was first published in magazine format by The Blue Book Magazine where it was printed in a six-part serial from October 1935 to March 1936. The first book publication was by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on September 1, 1936.
This is a lost tribe adventure where Tarzan finds a tribe possessing an immortality drug. There are familiar characters from the past such as Jane, Hazel Strong, Chief Muviro, Waziri warriors, and Nkima,
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| Herbert Morton Stoops |
Tarzan The Magnificent, the twenty-fourth story of the Greystokes is a collection of two published magazine exploits. The first, Tarzan And The Magic Men was published in Argosy from September 19 to October 3, 1936. The second story, Tarzan And The Elephant Men was published in Blue Book from November 1937 to January 1938. The two stories were then combined and published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. as Tarzan The Magnificent in the first book edition on September 25, 1939.
Tarzan returns to Cathne and Athine with old friends Chief Muviro and the Waziri warriors.
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| Argosy Weekly |
Burroughs began writing the twenty-fifth Greystoke story Tarzan And The Forbidden City on October 10, 1937, and completed it on November 18, 1937. It was first published in magazine form by Argosy Weekly and appeared as a serial from March 19 through April 23, 1938. The book version was published by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on September 15, 1938.
This is a lost city adventure where Tarzan helps friends of D'Arnot locate their missing son in Africa. The magazine version is much different than the book version.
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| Rudolph Belarski |
The book edition of the twenty-sixth Greystoke outing Tarzan And The Castaways is a collection of three different magazine adventures. The stories were not published in the order of ERB's writing. The first book publication containing all three stories was produced by the Canaveral Press in 1965.
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| Frank Frazetta |
ERB began writing the first story Tarzan And The Jungle Murders in January 1939. It was first published in Thrilling Adventures in June 1940.
Tarzan finds a crashed airplane and sets out in search of survivors.
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| Tarzan And The Jungle Murders |
ERB began writing the second story, Tarzan And The Champion on July 17, 1939. It was first published in magazine form by Blue Book in April 1940.
The ape-man meets American prizefighter One-Punch Mullargan who is in Africa hunting game with a machine gun. That is a no-no and he is banned from Tarzan's jungle.
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| Blue Book |
The third story, using the magazine title, The Quest Of Tarzan, Burroughs began writing on January 10, 1939. The first publication was in Argosy Weekly and it appeared in a three-part serial from August 23 through September 6, 1940.
The jungle lord is stranded on an uncharted Pacific island inhabited by a lost Maya civilization.
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| Argosy Weekly |
Burroughs began writing the twenty-seventh Greystoke adventure Tarzan And The Mad Man on January 16, through February 1940. ERB did not live to see this book published. By passing magazine publication Canaveral Press produced the first edition in June 1964.
This is a lost city story where Tarzan is chasing a double.
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| Reed Crandall |
Burroughs wrote his last completed ape-man story, Tarzan And The Foreign Legion, between June 10, through September 1944. The twenty-eighth, and final cannon Greystoke adventure was written by ERB in Honolulu. The first publication was by Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. on August 22, 1947.
Tarzan is serving in the Royal Air Force in W.W. ll. He is shot down over the island of Sumatra in the Japanese-occupied Dutch East Indies.
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| John Coleman Burroughs |
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
James Michael Moody is a lifelong fan and collector of Edger Rice Burroughs. Over the past forty-five years, Moody has contributed over two hundred articles to various ERB-related fanzines. He also manages an unauthorized Tarzan blog titled Greystoke Chronologist: James Michael Moody. There, the researcher chronologies the Tarzan books starting in May 1872 (known as the pushback theory) instead of the more accepted date, May 1888.
James Michael Moody also authorizes the action-packed Sci-Fi fantasy adventure Unium series. Pioneers On Unium, published December 31, 2019, Exiled On Unium, published August 25, 2022, and Swordsman On Unium, published on July 15, 2024.
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