Tarzan’s adopted lion Jad-bal-ja becomes a powerful companion as plots around Opar and the priestess La draw the ape-man back into danger. Esteban Miranda, a criminal who closely resembles Tarzan, uses that resemblance for deception while treasure hunters and rivals pursue wealth and power.
The story belongs to the early twentieth-century world of African estates, expeditions, motor travel and railways, even as it returns to the fantasy kingdom of Opar. Burroughs contrasts that modern mobility with ancient ritual, hidden wealth and personal rivalry, giving Jad-bal-ja and the Tarzan impostor central roles in a story about loyalty and identity.
