Tanar of Pellucidar
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Publishing History/Plot Summary
The
story was written from September 13 to November 21, 1928 (77,825 words). This
was thirteen years after the second book of the series came out. Fans had to
wait a while for this one, but it and Tarzan at the Earth's Core were
written back to back and should be read that way for the complete story.
It
appeared first in the pulp magazine, Blue Book, as a six-part monthly
serial from March to August 1929. Blue Book paid $7,500 for the story; Argosy
had offered $6,000. It was illustrated throughout (fifty-four drawings) by Frank
Hoban, including color covers for the first five parts. The first three included
a map drawn by ERB. This is map #2 in
the article, No Homing Instinct Required.
It
was first published as a book May 29, 1930 by Metropolitan Books, Inc. It has a
dust jacket illustration and frontispiece by Paul F. Berdanier. The book cover
is blue with black lettering. It is dedicated to Joan Burroughs Pierce II, ERB's
granddaughter.
Newspaper
serializations:
q
The
Gazette,
Little Rock, Arkansas, 1931
q
The San
Francisco Chronicle,
San Francisco, California (Illustrator: “S” & G. Henderson), January 19,
1931
q
The
American,
Chicago, Illinois, 1931
q
The
News-Seminal,
Ft. Wayne, Indiana, 1931
q
The
Times,
Indianapolis, Indiana, 1931
q
The
Nonpareil,
Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1931
q
The
Messenger and Inquirer,
Owensboro, Kentucky, 1931
q
The
Times-Picayune,
New Orleans, Louisiana, 1931
q
The
Boston Globe,
Boston, Massachusetts (Illustrator: Gene Mack), July 13, 1930
q
The
Times, New
Bedford, Massachusetts, 1931
q
The
Independent,
Grand Island, Nebraska, 1931
q
The
Star,
Lincoln, Nebraska, 1931
q
The
News,
Buffalo, New York, 1931
q
The
Times, Troy,
New York, 1931
q
Toledo
Blade,
Toledo, Ohio, 1931
q
Philadelphia
Public Ledger,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1931
q
The
Record,
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, 1931
q
The
Pilot,
Norfolk, Virginia, 1931
q
Spokane
Daily Chronicle,
Spokane, Washington, 1931
q
The
Globe News,
Amarillo, Texas, 1932
Grosset
& Dunlap reprinted the book in 1931 and then again in 1934. The Paul F.
Berdanier dust jacket illustration and frontispiece from the first edition were
used. The book cover is red with black lettering.
1962
Canaveral Press hardcover with dust jacket and seven interior illustrations by
Mahlon Blaine - The book cover is tan with dark brown lettering.
1962
Ace paperback with cover and title page drawing by Roy Krenkel (three printings)
1963
Dover trade paperback with cover and twelve illustrations by St. John, and one
illustration by Paul Berdanier - This book contains map
#1. It also has the
stories: At the Earth's Core and Pellucidar (six printings).
1963
Peter Smith hardcover – This edition has no dust jacket and is identical to
the Dover paperback
1973
Ace paperback with cover by Frank Frazetta (seven printings)
1982
Castle hardback with dust jacket inspired by St. John and four interior plates
by St. John - ERB's map
is included. The
book’s cover is orange with black lettering. This book also contains
the stories Thuvia, Maid of Mars, Pellucidar, The Chessmen of
Mars, and The Master Mind of Mars.
The second, third, and fourth printings of the 1982 Castle hardcover have dust jacket illustrations by Kevin Johnson. The second printing’s cover is orange with black lettering on the spine. The third and fourth printing’s covers are maroon with gold lettering on the spine. They are otherwise identical to the first printing.
2006 Bison Books trade paperback with cover and frontispiece by Paul F. Berdanier - There is an introduction by Paul Cook.
Please send me any pictures I am missing. Thanks.
Jason
Gridley, radio bug and friend of Edgar Rice Burroughs, was experimenting with
radio static and discovered an undercurrent that operated according to no known
laws. While Burroughs is visiting, Jason picks up signals on the "Gridley
wave" from Abner Perry in Pellucidar who tells the story of Tanar.
An
unknown race of sea-faring pirates has been harassing some kingdoms of the
Empire. These colorful savages possess ships and guns. David Innes sends an army
to teach them a lesson. The pirates are forced to retreat, but they take
captives, including Tanar the Fleet One, Ghak's son. David, Ja, and one of the
captured pirates, Fitt, chase the departing Korsar horde across an unknown sea
to rescue their own.
Aboard
the Korsar flagship, Tanar and the other prisoners are afforded some comforts
since the leader, The Cid, wants the Sarians to help him make better gunpowder.
Also on board are Stellara, The Cid's stepdaughter, and Bohar the Bloody, his
lieutenant.
A
great sea storm decimates the Korsar fleet. All abandon the flagship for
lifeboats except Tanar and Stellara. The ship limps toward a landing on the
island of Amiocap, where the people of the village of Lar do not believe their
story. The two are thought to be Korsars and thus will be burned at the stake.
When
the village is attacked by two tandor, Tanar and Stellara make their escape
through the trees, a method of travel Tanar learned when he was once a captive
of the ape-men. Then the two are confronted by one of the Buried People and kill
him.
Tanar
then assists a lone warrior in killing a tandor. The fellow turns out to be
Fedol, Stellara's father, who welcomes them into his village.
A
band of Korsars raids the village and kidnaps Stellara. Tanar pursues them only
to be captured by the Buried People. With the help of fellow captives, Jude of
Hime and Mow, a Coripi from another grotto, an escape is executed, but Mow fails
to escape with his comrades.
Leaving
the underground world, Tanar and Jude discover Stellara with the Korsar, Bohar.
Tanar and Bohar fight to the death with Tanar the victor. He claims Stellara as
his mate.
While Tanar sleeps, Jude kidnaps Stellara and departs for Hime in a canoe. Tanar follows. On Hime, Tanar encounters the hateful people of Garb. The girl, Gura, is different from the rest of her people and agrees to lead Tanar to the people of Jude. Tanar rescues Stellara from Jude, but they are soon recaptured by Korsars. The pirates luckily hail another Korsar ship docked on the island, and the buccaneers return to Korsar.
Tanar
is thrown into a holding area where he is surprised to see David Innes and Ja.
The two were captured as they came in search of Tanar. The Korsars want the
group to improve their gunpowder. Eventually, David, Ja, Tanar, Stellara, and
Gura, all escape by first, swinging far to the north to throw off any pursuit.
The
land grows very cold, and they begin to leave the sun of Pellucidar behind. Then
it begins to warm again and they can see the light of another sun, that of the
outer world!
Links
chapter summary (ERBlist)
Tanar of Pellucidar (ERBzine # 743)
Mahlon Blaine Tanar illustrations (ERBzine #882)
Sources:
q The reproduction dust jacket pictures above are from Bruce Wood's site. These fine reproductions can be purchased there.
q Some of the magazine pictures are from Bill Hillman's Bibliography of Pulp Magazines, an excellent source of information.
q
The
Exhaustive Scholar's and Collector's Descriptive Bibliography
by Robert B. Zeuschner (1996)
q
Bibliography
of “Pre-war” ERB Grosset & Dunlap Editions 1918-1941 by Joe Lukes
(2004)
q
Guide
to the Edgar Rice Burroughs Paperbacks Issues
by Lee J. Barrie (1996)
q
A
Golden Anniversary Bibliography of Edgar Rice Burroughs
by Henry Hardy Heins (2001)
q
Newspaper
Serialization of Stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs by Brad Bowman from Tarzine
#41, 1985
q
Price
and Reference Guide to books written by Edgar Rice Burroughs
by James A. Bergen, Jr. (1991)
q
Findings
On Collecting Ace Paperback Books for 29 Years by Bill Ross from ERB
Collector #48
q
The
Edgar Rice Burroughs Collector's Pocket Checklist
by J. G. Huckenpöhler
q
The
Newspapering of Edgar Rice Burroughs
by Robert R. Barrett from the Burroughs Bulletin New Series #61, Winter
2005
q
The
Munsey Heading Artists and Illustrators by
Robert R. Barrett from the Burroughs Bulletin New Series #68, Fall 2006
q
ERB’s
Pulp Art Paychecks
by Robert R. Barrett from the Burroughs Bulletin New Series #69, Winter
2007
q
Edgar
Rice Burroughs: The Man Who Created Tarzan
by Irwin Porges (1976)
q
The
Burroughs Bulletin New Series #43
q
Rating
the ERB Books
by George Alonso from ERB-APA #40, Winter 1993
q
Master
of Adventure: The Worlds of Edgar Rice Burroughs
by Richard A. Lupoff (1965)
q
Bill
Ross allowed me to examine and photograph his copies of the Peter Smith and
Castle hardbacks. Thanks!
von Horst's Pellucidar was established 12-25-98 by David Critchfield. All rights reserved.
