George Jones Comments ERB-APA #6: A Reply

Thanks for reprinting page 41 of ERB Digest. March 1967. It is quite obvious Allan Tompkins has indeed happened upon one portion of Edgar Rice Burroughs' coding. It also appears he has done a tremendous amount of research. Tompkins is not the first to enter this direction of research, however.

ERB Digest March 1967

Similar formulas can be traced back to ERB-dom #5, October 1962. Here Alan Howard suggest that Edgar Rice Burroughs developed a variety of reasons. Burroughs picked them using analogy, association, sounds, expediency, whims, logic, and sheer inspiration.  In ERB-dom #8, December 1963, John Harwood expands Howard's theory, but pretty much sticks to the same principals.

ERB-dom #5

In my opinion, the most important discovery along that line of study appeared in ERB-dom #29, December 1969.  Patrick H. Adkins reveals a definite word construction pattern that the author uses. This inverted structure style was habitual to Burroughs and is important because it can be traced from writing to writing. Using this method, a clear means of authenticating the author's writings is possible.

ERB-dom #29

Patrick Dearen in ERB-dom #76, April 1974, reveals a similar formula. He points out another sentence construction pattern based on a method conceived by Robert Gunning. Using the fog index formula, Dearen points out a definite word construction pattern that Edgar Rice Burroughs uses. This method can also be traced from writing to writing, and is a means of authenticating the author's writings.

ERB-dom #76

It is interesting to note both Adkins and Dearen's formulas reveal that Tarzan And The Forbidden City follows Burroughs' style, and that The Red Star Of Tarzan differs drastically.

Red Star Of Tarzan (Tarzan And The Forbidden City)

About The Author

James Michael Moody is a lifelong fan and collector of Edger Rice Burroughs. Moody has contributed over two hundred articles to various ERB-related fanzines, over a span of forty-five years. 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 excepted date May 1888.

James Michael Moody is also the author of the action-packed Sci-Fi fantasy adventure Unium series. Pioneers On Unium, published December 31, 2019, and Exiled On Unium, published August 25, 2022. Swordsman On Unium is going through the publishing process.