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Tarzan and the Jewels of Opar by Edgar Rice Burroughs
This is the fifth of Burrough’s Tarzan novels. Tarzan finds himself bereft of his fortune and resolves to return to the jewel-room of Opar, leaving Jane to face unexpected danger at home.
Robinson Crusoe Written Anew for Children by Daniel Defoe
First published in 1719, Robinson Crusoe is a book that marks the beginning of realistic fiction writing in English. Its simple, linear narrative style and the semblance of being a true account and autobiographical in nature led to its great popularity when it first came out. Its original title The Life and Strange Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe of York: Mariner, Who Lived Eight and Twenty Years all alone in an Uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, Near the Mouth of the Great River of Ooronoque, Having Been Cast Ashore By Shipwreck, Wherein All the Men Perished But Himself; With an Account How He Was At Last Strangely Deliver'd By Pyrates pretty much sums up the entire plot! Daniel Defoe the author is said to have been greatly inspired by the newspaper and journal accounts he had read about the explorer Alexander Selkirk, a Scottish seaman who was marooned on a Pacific Island. Other scholars identify the root of the story in various other sources, but whatever its origin, Robinson Crusoe became a runaway best seller and continues to remain one of the most popular and widely read adventure stories in English. The story tells of young Crusoe who is passionate about a career on board a ship. He runs away from home and after a couple of false starts, joins an expedition to transport slaves from Africa and South America. Following a storm that destroys the ship and all its crew except Crusoe, he swims to safety to a desert island. His adventures on the island and how he survives, using the meager tools and resources available to him, form the rest of the plot. Defoe himself was a man of many talents. He was a writer, trader and also a spy! He was also a prolific producer of thousands of pamphlets on the topic of the day, apart from some 500 books, most of which are unknown to modern readers today. However, Robinson Crusoe has rendered him immortal and generations of readers have read the novel, enthralled and captivated by the amazing adventure story. In fact, the footprint scene is one that's truly worthy of goose bumps and writers like Robert Louis Stevenson have called it one of the four most unforgettable scenes in English literature. In this edition created especially for children, there are plenty of illustrations and the text has been adapted to suit younger readers.
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
Call of the Wild is an emotional rollercoaster of a novel set during the late 19th century Klondike Gold Rush. The central character is Buck, an Alaskan sled dog who is forced to adjust to the cruel climate in order to survive. If you have even a remote love of dogs then you will fall head over heels in love with this book. In fact, take away the fact that Buck is a dog and the story is the same, a struggle against greed and to live a life of freedom. London spent a year in Yokel researching the book, making it extremely detailed, very simplistic in its descriptions and genuinely heartfelt. Essentially the book explores the concept of survival of the fittest, as we join Buck’s fall from grace, when he is kidnapped for work, and the desire to rise again. Power struggles ensue when we meet Buck’s rival Spritze and we see how brutal the world can be. The vivid descriptions of nature are where this book excels. London is an expert at writing about survival in a natural world. When we are forced into extreme condition, we have to rely on our instinct, what is primitive to us, themes mirrored in Buck’s journey throughout the book. On the surface, Call to the Wild is a simple adventure story, much like London’s other works such as ‘ White Fang’ but underneath there are layers upon layers of questions and thought provoking statements that make us stand up and think about how humans can have a negative impact on nature. A book to open your mind, make you think and to connect with characters that you never thought you could talk to.
The Beasts of Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Originally featured as a five-part serial in All-Story Cavalier magazine in 1914 and later published in book form in 1916, The Beasts of Tarzan is the third book in the gripping Tarzan series. Shifting from London to the natural African scenery, the novel follows Tarzan as he finds himself in the wicked ploy of old enemies, which launches him into a mission to save his beloved wife and son, while also caring for his own welfare. Furthermore, he must go back to his previous life and reclaim his position as king of the jungle. The novel begins with the escape of Tarzan’s archenemy Nikolas Rokoff from prison, who is intent on getting his revenge. The events in the novel are set shortly after Tarzan has settled in to his new life as Lord Greystroke, a married man and father to baby Jack. Just when things seem to have stabilized, Tarzan once again is faced with unease, as his infant son is kidnapped by Rokoff and his henchman Alexis Paulvich. Subsequently, Tarzan follows a trail supposedly leading to the whereabouts of his son, but instead it leads him straight into Rokoff’s trap. Accordingly, Tarzan finds himself imprisoned on a ship bound for the African east coast. At the same time, Jane suspects that Tarzan might be entering a trap and decides to go after her him. Needless to say, things do not go well for her either, as she too is imprisoned aboard the ship and caught up in Rokoff’s mischievous scheme of revenge. Upon reaching a deserted island, Rokoff abandons Tarzan on its shores, while telling him of his plans to leave infant Jack to be raised among cannibals as one of their own. Marooned, Tarzan must join forces with the animal inhabitants of the island in order to safely reunite his family and free them from the evil grasp of Rokoff. A riveting continuation of the audacious adventures of Tarzan, the novel effectively carries on Burroughs’ reputation as an imaginative novelist as he presents a refreshing take on the already well-known characters, as well as introducing a new set of characters. Additionally, he creates a distinctive plot by incorporating a vivid setting and applying evocative imagery. An action-packed installment, the piece promises satisfaction for any fan of the Tarzan series.
The Angel of Terror by Edgar Wallace
Conventional ideas of beauty are typically associate it with goodness and kindness. However, appearances can be deceptive. Jean Briggerland is exquisitely lovely, but few know that this ethereal, angelic facade hides an utterly immoral and cruel heart within. Her insatiable lust for power and money claim many an innocent victim till one day, a lawyer named Jack Glover is called upon to defend his best friend and cousin, James Meredith in a murder trial. Meredith is alleged to have murdered a young man in a fit of jealous rage because he objected to the man's friendship with Meredith's lovely fiancée. The lady in question turns out to be Jean Briggerland. The Angel of Terror by Edgar Wallace was published in 1922. Like almost all of Wallace's novels, it was an immediate bestseller. The exciting plot, impeccable writing style and memorable characters make his books timeless classics that are still enjoyed by modern readers the world over. Richard Horatio Edgar Wallace came from an extremely deprived background, but rose to become one of the richest and most widely read English writers of his time. He was also one of the most prolific writers in English, having produced more than 120 novels, nearly a thousand short stories, 18 stage plays and innumerable poems and non-fiction articles. He developed an extremely efficient writing style which consisted of dictating his works into wax cylinders (Dictaphones) which were then transcribed by a team of secretaries. He would lock himself up in his bedroom with cigarettes and pots of scalding hot, sweet tea for up to 72 hours, continuously dictating his stories. This gave his work the tight plots, their almost seamless narrative quality and their ambiance. Though critics slammed him for churning out endless potboilers, Wallace remained unfazed. His continuous financial problems compelled him to adopt this style, but his unerring eye for detail, dialog and well researched knowledge of police methods and crime investigation set him apart from ordinary pulp writers of the day. Wallace is also famous for being the creator of the screenplay of King Kong and other characters like Sanders of the River, JG Reeder and Smithy. He also produced a host of sci-fi stories, The Four Just Men series, the Inspector Elk series and hundreds of screenplays for Hollywood films. The Angel of Terror is an almost formulaic crime thriller, but the brilliant characterization and unusual twists and turns make it a gripping read for a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Boujee Best Friend by Kornelija Slunjski
Kornelija Slunjski (Koko) is known for helping women to raise their standards in all relationships, including the most important one; the one with yourself (while loving all things boujee). Luxurious in lifestyle, yet humble in character. What can you expect as a listener? A direct and honest approach when it comes to lifestyle, dating and all things female. No sugarcoating and straight to the point. The conversations people have in private, we have in public on the “Boujee Best Friend” podcast. Tune in every MONDAY for new episodes + every 15th of the month for a bonus episode in Croatian!
His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The disappearance of a German spy and the gathering storm that foretells the prelude to World War I is what greets you in this riveting book. The further you read the more mysteries unfold like secret submarine plans with some pages missing found in the hands of a corpse. There's also family insanity in Cornwall, a dead Spaniard and mafia hiding in an empty London flat. His Last Bow was published in the Strand Magazine circa 1908 and included several other short stories as well. Even during Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's own lifetime, Holmes had acquired cult status. His deductive methods, brilliant powers of observation, eccentric habits, occasional dabbling in drugs, strange and exotic clients and his connections among the high and mighty across many countries and continents went on to attain legendary fame. In His Last Bow, Holmes tackles themes like adultery (in The Adventure of the Cardboard Box) which resulted in this particular story being left out of American editions. Holmes' enigmatic and secretive brother Mycroft makes a rare appearance in The Adventure of the Bruce-Partington Plans and Holmes famously remarks, “... that Mycroft should break out in this erratic fashion... A planet may well leave its orbit!” This is also the story where one of Holmes' most famous axioms appears, “...when all other contingencies fail, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.” The title story is somewhat different from the others. This spy story turned murder mystery is not narrated by Dr. Watson. Conan Doyle experts have dubbed it a propaganda tool written to boost the morale of British soldiers in WWI. There are the famous concluding lines which are often mistakenly attributed to Churchill, “There is an east wind coming, Watson... But it is God's own wind, nonetheless...” For Sherlock Holmes fans, His Last Bow by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is indeed a thrilling and compelling read from the master of detective fiction.
The Last Trail by Zane Grey
Return with us to those thrilling days of yesteryear as Mike Vendetti narrates this early Zane Grey novel of hardy pioneers taming the wild west. Yes, despite the difficult times, romance flourishes and the bad guys are eliminated almost single handedly as our heroes Jonathan Zane and his sidekick Lew “Deathwind” Wetzel fight their way through mud, blood, gore, savage Indians, and despicable outlaws, to make the land safe for pioneer families as they settle the wild west.
The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells
Written nearly seven decades before Neil Armstrong's historic “Giant leap for Mankind” this book by one of the most influential sci-fi writers in English is an interesting read. The First Men in the Moon by Herbert George Wells, the English author who is today called the Father of Science Fiction, describes a strange and fantastic voyage. Businessman and budding playwright, John Bedford takes a sabbatical from his work and decides to write a play. He moves to a lonely cottage in Kent where he hopes to come up with a theatrical masterpiece. However, strange events interrupt his progress. A mysterious stranger accosts him and insists on sharing a brilliant scientific discovery with Bedford. The man is a physicist named Cavor who has developed a novel new anti-gravity material that he has named Cavorite. With the aid of this material, he plans to explore space and wants to undertake an experimental journey to the moon. Bedford is excited by this and immediately sees the commercial value of Cavorite. Together the two launch into a moon voyage. However when they get there, they discover that the moon is not an uninhabited satellite as was hitherto assumed. What follows is classic sci-fi with a twist of romance. Scholars have dubbed The First Men in the Moon as the first alien dystopia, where the denizens of another world are hostile to humans. The book probably launched a whole new genre of sci-fi horror fiction and has had a huge influence on films, TV, stage, animation, video-games and comics. It has been adapted to film four times. A scandal erupted when Wells was accused of plagiarism by an Irish writer, but no evidence was found for the charges. Though modern-day readers may find some of the scientific concepts quaint and outdated, the plot and characters more than make up for any such shortcomings. A great read for young and old alike!