Tarzan’s Quest

Tarzan’s Quest was published in 1936 and brings Jane back to a significant role in the series, which she had largely been absent from for years. The novel begins in London, where Tarzan and Jane are visiting and discussing a botched aerial-mapping expedition that has lost contact in central Africa. Jane decides to join the rescue mission, and her plane crashes deep in the jungle.

The quest of the title is twofold. Tarzan is searching for Jane. Meanwhile, several converging parties are searching for the legendary immortality pills produced by the witch-doctor of the Kavuru, a remote tribe whose elixir of life uses a horrifying secret ingredient. Jane survives her crash, falls in with the rescue party, and eventually with the Kavuru, where she becomes their intended sacrifice. The book is one of the few late Tarzan novels with substantial Jane characterization. The Kavuru immortality plot has interesting science-fictional implications. A strong entry, particularly for Jane fans.