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King Solomon's Mines (Allan Quatermain #1)

3.74 of 5 stars 3.74 · rating details · 15,773 ratings · 686 reviews

The first great "Lost World" action-adventure-a precursor to Indiana Jones

H. Rider Haggard's King Solomon's Mines has entertained generations of readers since its first publication in 1885. Following a mysterious map of dubious reliability, a small group of men trek into southern Africa in search of a lost friend-and a lost treasure, the fabled mines of King Solomon. Led...more

Paperback, 320 pages

Published January 29th 2008 by Penguin Classics (first published 1885)

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Nov 13, 2012 Henry Avila rated it 4 of 5 stars

Allan Quatermain, is hired by Sir Henry Curtis, to find his younger brother, George. Quatermain, a hunter among other things, could use the money and agrees to guide the dangerous expedition. Along with Sir Henry, is Captain John Good, former British navy officer and a close friend of Curtis. Both believe George, has traveled to the interior of Africa,(set in late 1800's) seeking his fortune. Having quarreled with Sir Henry , the penniless and proud man left England, not wanting to depend on his...more

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Sep 19, 2011 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011, reading-through-history

Well, this book is a ton of fun.

Haggard was enormously popular in his time; he and Robert Louis Stevenson were the two dominant adventure writers. (Trivia: this book is the response to a five-shilling dare from Haggard's brother that he couldn't write a book half as good as Treasure Island.)

It's enormously imaginative. Alan Quatermain is a brilliant character, a wiry and wily old Ulysses who describes himself as a coward. There's a scene near the end involving artificial stalagmites that's exhil...more Well, this book is a ton of fun.

Haggard was enormously popular in his time; he and Robert Louis Stevenson were the two dominant adventure writers. (Trivia: this book is the response to a five-shilling dare from Haggard's brother that he couldn't write a book half as good as Treasure Island.)

It's enormously imaginative. Alan Quatermain is a brilliant character, a wiry and wily old Ulysses who describes himself as a coward. There's a scene near the end involving artificial stalagmites that's exhilaratingly evocative and creative (and creepy). And at the same time, you see a bunch of now-familiar bits appearing for the first time; it's impossible to miss the gleam of Indiana Jones in Quatermain's eye.

So why isn't Haggard as well-loved today as he was back then? It might be consistency; Stevenson has Kidnapped, Treasure Island and Jekyll & Hyde as three classics, and Haggard only has this and maybe She, which I haven't read. And Jekyll & Hyde is kindof on a level slightly higher than any of these pure adventure stories, as fun as they are.

But it's probably also due to Haggard's awkward views on race. This is a novel of the colonial era. It depicts white men exploiting native populations for treasure, and it has a reputation as racist.

Is it actually racist? Er...how's "not as racist as people seem to think" sound? Like I'm equivocating?

Okay, to get into this you're gonna have to (view spoiler)[: Quatermain and his men arrive in a fictional African nation and promptly exploit local politics to overthrow the local king and install one more friendly to their mission, which is to loot the kingdom of its treasure. They cheerfully present themselves as gods and take advantage of the locals' superstition, and it's quite clear that the natives need the intervention of the white gods to bring justice to their kingdom. So far, so bad.

On the other hand: they unknowingly bring with them the exiled, rightful ruler of the kingdom, who is in fact exploiting them in order to return to power. This guy knows perfectly well they're not gods, and is alternately amused and annoyed at their charades. He, and several other native characters, are presented as shrewd, tactically adept, dignified men. Quatermain's crew help him back to the throne and then leave, under stern orders that white people (and particularly their missionaries) are never to set foot in his land again. This, then, is clearly not a colonialist book. Both the locals and the whites are in accordance that continued white interference would be annoying at best and catastrophic at worst. Given the times, and that Haggard was himself part of the colonial infrastructure, one could argue that this is a pretty liberal view.

Haggard repeatedly compares this African society to European society: "In Kukualand, as among the Germans [...], every able-bodied man is a soldier" (Ch. IX). Cruel Africans are compared to cruel Europeans: "'One,' counted Twala the king, just like a black Madame DeFarge," before doing something particularly ghastly (Ch. X). (Yeah, I kinda loved that Tale of Two Cities reference.) In both cases, the message is that this is a savage, cruel land, and so is Europe. And listen to the tone of contempt in the king's farewell speech: "Ye have the stones; now you would go to Natal and across the moving black water and sell them, and be rich, as it is the desire of the white man's heart to be." (Ch. XIX)

It's not perfect. Quatermain's crew make the new king promise not to go indiscriminately slaughtering his people like the old one did, and he sortof grumbles about it, although you never have the impression he was planning on doing that anyway. The view here seems to be of an Africa that could use a little interference from Europe - but temporary and wise interference. So, y'know, that's not how Africa has ever seen it. But it's also not how many Europeans of the time saw it. Honestly, I was more troubled by Quatermain's tendency to shoot every animal he saw than by his behavior toward the locals. (hide spoiler)]

That may have been more discussion of race than you really wanted, but I'm trying to rescue this book here. Like Heart of Darkness, it's troubling, but it's also better than its reputation. And it's so much fucking fun to read, man. It's worth a little rehabilitation.(less)

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Mar 08, 2011 Mike (the Paladin) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay, good adventure story that has been around for a long time. it's been made into several movies (none of which actually resemble the book all that much. For one thing, there's no heroine...at all. There's only two semi-main female characters in the entire book).

First, there are things in this book that will offend some readers. They are "unintentional" the book is a product of it's time, the late 1800s. The racial attitudes here are from that era and anyone picking up the book should be awar...more

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Jul 11, 2009 Ilze rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've read this book before: many years ago, my brother was given the picture version as a gift. The two of us paged through it for hours. But it echoes other memories; of Herman Charles Bosman's fictious character, Oom Schalk Lourens (because of the language use) and Mr Bones - even if it's only because Kuvukiland sounds just like "Kukuanaland", the place where King Solomon's Mines are. A lot of Schuster's movie is based on the idea of Kukuanaland and the way it's run.

That said, this tale is eve...more I've read this book before: many years ago, my brother was given the picture version as a gift. The two of us paged through it for hours. But it echoes other memories; of Herman Charles Bosman's fictious character, Oom Schalk Lourens (because of the language use) and Mr Bones - even if it's only because Kuvukiland sounds just like "Kukuanaland", the place where King Solomon's Mines are. A lot of Schuster's movie is based on the idea of Kukuanaland and the way it's run.

That said, this tale is everything but humorous! It's serious, life and death stuff, with the adventures of Sir Henry Curtis, Capt. Good (a seaman) and the narrator, Allan Quatermain, bringing them to the coalface of death. They travel through a desert, end up in snow-covered mountains, almost starve to death, only to be faced by an army of angry men ready to kill them.

If the story in and of itself isn't too interesting, the language and culture pictured here is. We have that word abhorred by all who live in Africa: "Kafir" - and I'm surprised that the book hasn't been banned because of it! Besides the fact that the black people are treated with a lot of respect - even as servants - their role in the tale is crucial. In fact, the face and body of "Umbopa", who also travels to King Solomon's Mines, is often admired by the narrator. The main villain, besides King Twala (who reigns in Kukuanaland), is Gagool the witch (an ancient black woman). Now, placed in another story, Gagool could easily be Gollum and the three white men Bilbo and his companions, though we're not entering a gold mine protected by a dragon, but a diamond mine filled with death. Seen from Haggard's point of view, her time and culture at the time of writing, it can be said that it was 'before apartheid'. Here black and white mingle - Capt. Good even falls in love with a black maiden called Foulata - they fight together, work together and part in tears of grief.

This is the kind of adventure that'll keep anyone on the edge of their seats (and has justifiably been turned into a movie) with one major lesson: Material wealth pales in significance in the face of death.(less)

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Apr 28, 2013 Yasiru rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Perhaps my earliest enjoyable memory of reading (at first in translation). The exotic, other-worldly descriptions here- of places and people both, were utterly entrancing, and the presence of the map and the key it presented for the plot's progression kept my young self fascinated (and not because there were mountains on it called Sheba's Breasts... at least I hope not- there's some Freudian imagery now that I think about it). It's my feeling sometimes that I've come to overuse the term 'mythic'...more Perhaps my earliest enjoyable memory of reading (at first in translation). The exotic, other-worldly descriptions here- of places and people both, were utterly entrancing, and the presence of the map and the key it presented for the plot's progression kept my young self fascinated (and not because there were mountains on it called Sheba's Breasts... at least I hope not- there's some Freudian imagery now that I think about it). It's my feeling sometimes that I've come to overuse the term 'mythic' for being too lazy to explain that I mean central patterns and symbols which deal with the unknown in narrative form (if that attempt at succinct explanation makes sense), but one must invoke it here again- the scenery, references (contemporary curiosities and mysteries oftentimes; like Dickens or Conan Doyle were apt to provide) and even subplots and the bases for conflicts have a definite mythic potency about them.

I'm curious to know how King Solomon's Mines holds up now that I claim more years, and am infinitesimally displaced (which way, who can rightly say?) from whatever wisdom I would have had on first reading. What remains in memory most clearly is the spirit of adventure which gained a noble aura for being undaunted by the strange setting. The protagonists were resourceful, and honourable- often in that old mould of men possessed of patriarchal responsibility (a better face, and the more acceptable one to show in fiction, than that of privilege, which is very modestly incidental in such cases), though they do actually learn and develop from their journey and the interactions and relationships they have with the natives, instead of the story being a uniform series of chances for the party to show off a European's or Englishman's sense of what is right and proper. This humanist lean is what transcends the historical setting of dealings in Africa chronicled here and makes this a deserving classic of adventure literature.

There seems to be the idea that this book is somehow dated or possibly harmful somehow because it was written with a colonial mindset, but anyone who reads it will see that the attitudes Haggard displays through his characters, whatever their skin colour, are not those that would uphold colonialism, but are likely exactly those that were to pioneer the way towards better in freedoms and equality among races. It's a very forward-looking novel in this sense of attitudes, as befitting an adventure. This is very clearly a product of its history, and to deny such literature when its outlook is so commendable is a revisionist attempt to deny historical advancement for the blemishes rather than anything that can 'undo' racism. We are better for knowing what historical perceptions were, not because we would stupidly emulate them, but to know to avoid missteps as we venture into the future's unknowns. As a story for children there's the case that some identification and drawing of simplistic distinctions is unavoidable, but again, the novel's display of attitudes conducive to changing what are admitted as wrong and objectionable impressions, and moreover the very human and often noble characterisation of some of the natives themselves, can only suggest good caution for a reader to make up their mind.

Certainly one to try reading again.(less)

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Jul 08, 2008 Sarah Sammis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: released

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. There have been at least five straight forward film adaptations of H. Rider Haggard's novel King Solomon's Mines. I think my parents have seen three of them, the 1937 version being their favorite. The closest I've come to having seen a film adaptation is the parody version in The Road to Zanzibar (1941).

So although I always associate King Solomon's Mines with lengthy discussions between my parents, somehow the writer behind the story never came up. In fact, I first heard about H. Rider Haggard...more

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Feb 20, 2011 Perelandra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: archaeology, british-lit, classics, fiction, adventure

Adventure. That is what I wanted and that is what I got. I have been doing more serious reading lately and I decided it was time for something lighter. I had this book sitting on my shelf for a while untouched. As it turns out, I was pulled into the story right away and had a great time reading this book. It was just pure fun. King Solomon's Mines is an easy read but not shallow. The characters are interesting, and the adventure is full of non stop action and suspense with a few literary allusio...more

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Feb 23, 2009 Liz rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed, adventure, own

This classic turn-of-the-century adventure novel chronicles the escapades of three Englishmen and their Zulu servent (who later turns out to be more of a friend) as they search for the legendary lost diamond mines of King Solomon. Allan Quaitermain is a roving hunter, who long ago recieved a map to the mines from a dying Portugese explorer. Sir Henry is an English noble, whose estranged brother left two years before to search for the mines, and never returned. Now, desiring to make up to his bro...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Anirudh Parthasarathy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

King Solomon's Mines is a novel written by Sir Henry Rider Haggard, more than a century ago. Despite this time gap, this novel is still very popular. So, out of curiosity, I decided to read this work of fiction so that I could figure out why it is still so popular. So, I borrowed the book from a library in 2009, but being a slow reader, I couldn't even complete half the book within the given time. However, it did enough to grab my attention and eventually, after searching in book-stores for near...more King Solomon's Mines is a novel written by Sir Henry Rider Haggard, more than a century ago. Despite this time gap, this novel is still very popular. So, out of curiosity, I decided to read this work of fiction so that I could figure out why it is still so popular. So, I borrowed the book from a library in 2009, but being a slow reader, I couldn't even complete half the book within the given time. However, it did enough to grab my attention and eventually, after searching in book-stores for nearly two years (readers have lost interest in classics these days, unfortunately), I finally got a paperback edition of the novel and managed to complete the book.

Sir Haggard wrote this novel as a result of a five-shilling bet with his brother, saying he could write a novel better than Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. So, naturally, King Solomon's Mines is also an adventure story, with three men going in search of someone and something. Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good approach an old elephant hunter who lives in Durban, Allan Quatermain. Curtis' brother, George, had been missing and was requesting Quatermain to join their quest. Quatermain did have some information on Curtis' brother, that he had gone in search of Solomon's Diamond Mines. Quatermain has an old map, for which, an Portuguese explorer, Jose Silvestra is the cartographer. Silvestra lived around three-hundred years ago and Quatermain had acquired the map from his descendant. Curtis and Good, initially found it hard to believe but the former decided to have faith in Quatermain's story as by doing so, he has some chance of finding his brother. Quatermain agreed to help the two after Curtis had agreed to honour all of Quatermain's conditions. They hire a native servant, Umbopa and set out on this journey. Quatermain is the narrator and writes about his adventure as a story for his son to read.

It was fast paced and the events were very well described. I loved the author's language. Although this is a very serious novel, the author brought in some occasional humour with the character of John Good. While one could say that Good was quite unnecessary, his presence in the novel added more dimensions to the story as there was also a minor, romantic sub-plot between Good and a native woman. Another aspect of the book for which the author has to be appreciated for is for the fact that the book hardly digressed from the main purpose and Quatermain himself, cuts out several unnecessary events(as mentioned in the book).

However, in modern times, one might not agree with how the natives were portrayed as barbaric and aggressive (although, there were also some noble natives like Ignosi, Infadoos and Foulata). Quatermain's occasional comments showed that he was a racist. But Haggard can't be blamed much as it was probably how things were when the book was released, 1885, that is. I found the excessive use of old words such as “thy, thou, thee, etcetera” to be annoying. The natives of the lost world may have spoken an ancient form of Zulu, but Quatermain, merely translating them, need not have used such words. The only major downside of the book being that, the element of suspense was completely lost. The reader knows that the events that the narrator is mentioning is over, and he is able to mention them only because he is still alive. So, whenever Quatermain was caught in several situations where death was nearly certain, the reader knows that he'd somehow come out of it for he is still alive.

On the whole, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and I have realised why this book is still famous and I'm sure that this book will continue to remain famous for several generations to come. Anybody interested in adventure stories will certainly enjoy reading this book and in case you, the reader of this review, decide to read this book after reading my review, I hope you enjoy reading this book.

Have a nice day,
Andy(less)

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Sep 01, 2011 James rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure, lplib-classics

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 28, 2008 Corey rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Typically, I’m a fan of Victorian adventure and mystery novels. In fact, I’ve been saving H. Rider Haggard’s masterpiece, “King Solomon’s Mines,” for almost two years because I thought I would enjoy it so much. Sadly, I was much deceived in the character of Haggard’s “great” adventure novel. The story goes that Haggard read “Treasure Island” (which I incidentally very much enjoyed), decided that he could easily write something better and made a bet to that effect. And with the idea of besting Ro...more

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Aug 05, 2012 Dagny rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 19th-century, haggard-h-rider, favorites

If you like to read a rollicking high adventure story without tackling a tale that is too long then this is a wonderful book. It is the story of a man's search for his long-lost brother and the companions he picks up along the way.

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Jun 06, 2007 Joe rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: riproaringcolonialadventureyarns, fiction

The forward to this claims that H. Rider Haggard was reading a lot of late colonial adventure yarns and remarked to a friend that he could write this stuff, and the friend suggested he do it, so he did.

This, I feel, is indicative of this book. It has all the strengths and weaknesses of the genre. The strengths: a true sense of adventure and exploration that marked British sentiment at this time, the sort found in Jules Verne and Rudyard Kipling and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Lost World and the lik...more

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Sep 17, 2008 Robert rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: general-fiction

This is a classic adventure story taking the form of a long letter from Alan Quartermain to his brother, in which he narrates his experiences in search of a lost Englishman who was on a quest to find the legendary diamond mines of King Soloman.
It is presented straightforwardly and suffers from being somewhat predictable with regard to the plot, but it shows the prevalent attitudes of its time and location just as well as, say, Tess of the D'urbevilles does its time and location. Some of those at...more

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Apr 29, 2012 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: all-time-faves, seen-movie-tv-adaption

King Solomon's Mines was my favourite for several years in my tweens/early teens. Now I read it and wonder HOW I managed it when I was younger (I think my Arts degree ruined my ability to read thick and heavy old books). It still has a very special place in my book-heart.

When I was younger I used to think it was true... now I am impressed by how the story is framed so as to make you think that. :D

Also, the movie adaption is C.R.A.P. Three MEN went on the expedition, not three men and one woman....more

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Apr 08, 2011 gia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One of the works that helped inspire Indiana Jones, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and lord knows what all else, King Solomon's Mines may not be a staggering work of fiction, but it nonetheless shaped a lot of literature (and films!) in the decades to come.

With that in mind I embarked on Allan Quatermain's journey to the titular mines, although they feature primarily at the end of the journey.

In fact, all together I'd have to say the experience was a bit episodic: first there's the almos...more

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Feb 24, 2009 Mary Overton added it · review of another edition

In 1884, Haggard bet 5 shillings 'that he could write a more successful novel than Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND.' (bio, pg vii) I wonder who paid off the bet, Haggard or his brother, because KING SOLOMON'S MINES, written in 6 weeks, sold well over half a million copies in his lifetime. Today Stevenson is in the Canon of dead white guys, and Haggard is nearly forgotten. Perhaps that rapid draft, little revised, has something to do with it, along with the hearty colonialism, racism, &...more In 1884, Haggard bet 5 shillings 'that he could write a more successful novel than Robert Louis Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND.' (bio, pg vii) I wonder who paid off the bet, Haggard or his brother, because KING SOLOMON'S MINES, written in 6 weeks, sold well over half a million copies in his lifetime. Today Stevenson is in the Canon of dead white guys, and Haggard is nearly forgotten. Perhaps that rapid draft, little revised, has something to do with it, along with the hearty colonialism, racism, & misogyny. Still, if you can handle the fact that he was a man of his times, he has written a rip-roaring, hilarious, highly-charged romance of a quest for the grail stone. It includes all the stock elements of a Jungian search for the Self -- [this might be a spoiler if you don't know the tropes of the adventure novel:] the secret treasure and its map, the lost brother, the trek through the pitiless desert, the isolated & savage kingdom, the twin Kings -- one noble & betrayed & the other 'cruel and sensual' (103), the exiled heir to the throne, the sacrificed maiden, the crone/witch, the treasure chamber deep in the earth & secured by a locking mechanism.

Again from the bio: E.M. Forster once made an observation about 'the novelist sending down a bucket into the unconscious.' V.S. Pritchert elaborated on this notion, claiming that Haggard 'installed a suction pump. He drained the whole reservoir of the people's secret desires.' (pg x)

When describing an African landscape, Haggard's elephant-hunter hero happily states his biases: ' ... here and there a white house, smiling out at the placid sea, puts a finish and gives an air of homeliness to the scene. For to my mind, however beautiful a view may be, it requires the presence of man to make it complete, but perhaps that is because I have lived so much in the wilderness, and therefore know the value of civilisation, though to be sure it drives away the game. The Garden of Eden, no doubt, was fair before man was, but I always think it must have been fairer when Eve was walking about it.' (26)(less)

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Feb 23, 2009 Fan added it · review of another edition

King Solomon’s Mines.
This book mainly talks about a story about a group of people. They are Quatermain, Henry Curtis, captain Good, and some Zulu. Henry and Captain Good met Quatermain on the ship. Henry wanted to find his brother, Jim. Therefore, they decided to go to Solomon’s Mines. They had to go through a desert. During their trip in the desert, Ventvogal and Khiva died. When they reached Loo, the capital of Kukuanaland, Umbopa, the servant of Henry, said he was the king. Umbopa’s true nam...more

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Apr 02, 2013 La Stamberga dei Lettori rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sakura87

Romanzo d’avventura piuttosto mediocre passato (ingiustificatamente) alla storia per il personaggio di Allan Quatermain, il bravo cecchino recuperato dall’oblio da alcuni film e dalla graphic novel di Alan Moore La Lega degli Straordinari Gentleman. Il libro, pubblicato nel 1885, inaugura una serie composta da quindici volumi – tutti imperniati sulle vicende di Quatermain – e si inserisce nel filone dei romanzi d’avventura per ragazzi che tanto impazzò in Inghilterra e Francia a cavallo tra l’Ot...more

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Feb 24, 2013 ELI! Sack rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

King Solomon’s Mines
H. Rider Haggard
Adventure
Alan Quartermain, famous elephant hunter residing in South Africa, is commissioned by a Sir Henry Curtis to aid in the search for his brother. Curtis’ brother disappeared years ago whilst searching for the famed “King Solomon’s Mines” made legendary by long dead Portuguese explorer De Silvestra. Alan Quartermain, a man who has outlived many in his profession, decides to embark on one last journey that promises, among other things, almost certain death...more King Solomon’s Mines
H. Rider Haggard
Adventure
Alan Quartermain, famous elephant hunter residing in South Africa, is commissioned by a Sir Henry Curtis to aid in the search for his brother. Curtis’ brother disappeared years ago whilst searching for the famed “King Solomon’s Mines” made legendary by long dead Portuguese explorer De Silvestra. Alan Quartermain, a man who has outlived many in his profession, decides to embark on one last journey that promises, among other things, almost certain death. Following a treacherous trek across a desert and an arduous traverse of a mountain range, Quarteramain’s party stumbles upon a lush river valley inhabited by a people and a harsh and bloodthirsty dictator.
By far the biggest motif in this novel is that of perseverance. Quartermain’s party must endure the unthinkable in order to reach their final goal: exposure, harsh desert crossings, bitter traversals of mountains and most of all, savage hand to hand combat with the forces of a harsh dictator being a few.
Another motif is that of death, specifically the fact that it isn’t something to be feared as it is an inevitability.
“It is far. But there is no journey upon this earth that a man may not make if he sets his heart to it. There is nothing, Umbopa that he cannot do, there are no mountains that he may not climb, there are no deserts he cannot cross…”
“Man must die. At the worst he can die a little sooner.”
The first quote, albeit slightly cliché puts into context the abilities of the human spirit in terms of this novel as the main characters are constantly confronted by fatal or potentially fatal challenges.
The second quote basically emotes that one should enjoy their life and take risks as it will end at some point in time regardless. This added to my enjoyment of the book as it put into context Quartermain’s need for adventure and the need for adventure in all of us.
Anyone who enjoys a novel in which men act like stereotypical 19th century men will find pleasure in reading this one. Also anyone who has interest in colonial South Africa during the 19th century will also find this novel fascinating as it gives excellent insight into the time period. Fans of adventure novels will undoubtedly gains something from this narrative as it is action packed at nearly every turn.
(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Aaron Arnold rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, read-in-2012

You can think of this as basically a comic book for middle-aged Victorians, simply substituting Superman's superpowers for what Mark Ames so memorably termed the "White God" factor - weathered Anglo badass strolls into a savage land, uses his superior Caucasianosity to kick ass/get rich/fuck local women/own the joint, and departs with some ripping good yarns to regale the chaps back 'ome with over a pint. However, it's worth reminding yourself that this was the book that actually invented all th...more You can think of this as basically a comic book for middle-aged Victorians, simply substituting Superman's superpowers for what Mark Ames so memorably termed the "White God" factor - weathered Anglo badass strolls into a savage land, uses his superior Caucasianosity to kick ass/get rich/fuck local women/own the joint, and departs with some ripping good yarns to regale the chaps back 'ome with over a pint. However, it's worth reminding yourself that this was the book that actually invented all these tropes, so when you're about to laugh out loud over the corniness of scenes like the one where the protagonist uses the prediction of an eclipse to terrify the ignorant tribesmen with White People Magic, just keep in mind that nobody had ever thought to do that before this 1885 blockbuster. Every cliché was once new.

Most negative reviews of this book seem to focus on that aspect, and what they see as the book's colonialist racism. While you can argue about what a truly progressive way to write an adventure story about Englishmen in Darkest Africa would be, decanting the Kipling and removing the Cecil Rhodes, I confess I didn't see the portrayal of native tribesmen as that bad. Let me repeat that the book was published in 1885; in that context, this is about the most enlightened tale you could expect. Feel free to make your own comparisons to Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan, or Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, or heck, even Tintin, but to be honest it's no worse than Indiana Jones, and should be looked at more in the vein of something like Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, which it was written to compete with. I have no doubt that the English really did expect something like this from their authors.

However, if you can get past the sometimes patronizing references to Africans, you're in for a treat: it's got a dying old-timer with a faded treasure map, a band of noble adventurers setting off on an impossible quest, dangerous big game hunting, deadly deserts, impassable mountain peaks, a forgotten civilization of powerful warriors, a mysterious native companion who turns out to be a king trying to reclaim his rightful throne, action-packed battle scenes, an evil witch, a doomed love affair, secret caves full of diamonds, and Our Hero ending up safe and sound after the adventure of a lifetime. It's the kind of story that was destined to sell zillions of copies, because no matter the century people will always want these kinds of adolescent stories. I wouldn't waste too much time trying to overanalyze it.(less)

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Oct 29, 2012 Smcleish rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Originally published on my blog here in February 2001.

Even twenty years ago, King Solomon's Mines was probably read by most school children in England; I suspect that in the time since then it has proved a victim of political correctness.

It is an early thriller, in which South African elephant hunter Allan Quartermain joins an expedition into the unknown interior in searching for both the missing brother of the expedition's leader and the possibly mythical diamond mines, supposed source of Solom...more Originally published on my blog here in February 2001.

Even twenty years ago, King Solomon's Mines was probably read by most school children in England; I suspect that in the time since then it has proved a victim of political correctness.

It is an early thriller, in which South African elephant hunter Allan Quartermain joins an expedition into the unknown interior in searching for both the missing brother of the expedition's leader and the possibly mythical diamond mines, supposed source of Solomon's wealth, for which he was also searching.

The plot today seems rather far fetched, but in 1885 of course there were still large parts of Africa, even relatively close to the South African towns which were barely known by white men. The diamonds of Kimberley had only been discovered fairly recently, and there was no reason why there should not be vast unknown deposits further into the interior. The Solomonic side of the plot is clearly suggested by the Prester John legends and imperialist feelings that anything showing signs of civilization could not have originated in Africa but must have been the result of contacts with ancient cultures nearer Europe.

This final issue is the real problem with King Solomon's Mines today. It is abundantly clear throughout the novel that Quartermain regards the Africans as less than human. It is less clear that Haggard shared the views of his creation, but it is at least likely given his own background.

Cearly you cannot expect Haggard to be a hundred years ahead of his time. However, his writing would need to have something special about it to make the reader overlook its faults, and this is not the case. King Solomon's Mines no longer seems a particularly exciting novel; even the most famous scene (when Quartermain's party convince their captors of their magical powers by predicting a solar eclipse that an almanac tells them will take place the next day) is too far fetched to hold the interest. Poorly written, this is a novel which now deserves oblivion.(less)

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Aug 31, 2012 Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A whirlwind adventure, again one of those novels that not only created a new genre, the "Lost World" stories, but also laid out a number of firsts that became standards for the genre. I always try to approach these stories within the context they are written, that is, even though a particular idea has been rehashed many times, I try to see it as it being new, or at least fresh. It helps me enjoy a novel from the era better, and it certainly worked in this case. I couldn't put it down at some par...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Johnny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: pulp-adventure

I don’t know why it took me so long to actually read King Solomon’s Mines. I knew that he was the inspiration behind much of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ work and I read most of those (except for most of the Venus and Tarzan series) from junior high through college. I knew that Quartermain in The League of Distinguished Gentlemen” was from Haggard’s works and also recognized many parodies of Haggard in Mike Resnick’s hilarious Lucifer Jones series. And, naturally, there must be a bit of Quartermain in...more I don’t know why it took me so long to actually read King Solomon’s Mines. I knew that he was the inspiration behind much of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ work and I read most of those (except for most of the Venus and Tarzan series) from junior high through college. I knew that Quartermain in The League of Distinguished Gentlemen” was from Haggard’s works and also recognized many parodies of Haggard in Mike Resnick’s hilarious Lucifer Jones series. And, naturally, there must be a bit of Quartermain in Indiana Jones, right? I also remember reading a reference to Ayesha (She, the white goddess-like ruler of a lost civilization in another of Haggard’s novels) in Freud and have been aware for a long time that the tropes of lost pristine civilizations with ancient treasure, human sacrifice in the name of pagan gods, the use of technology as “magic,” and the trope of predicting an eclipse were well-worn features of the Haggard stories—even as they were in the movies of my boyhood days. I also immediately scoped out the trope of royalty disguised for a later revelation. So, I’m glad I finally opened this volume, even in eBook format (so the page numbers will be as per my device).

My favorite line in the book was: “Listen! What is life? It is a feather, it is the seed of the grass, blown hither and thither, sometimes multiplying itself and dying in the act, sometimes carried away into the heavens. But if that seed be good and heavy it may perchance travel a little way on the road it wills.” (p. 136) Spoken as a bit of folk wisdom prior to the beginning of a dangerous trip, it seems like an interesting expression of human will and determination having, at least, a mild triumph over fate.

Haggard, who was forced to leave his colonial post in South Africa at the conclusion of the Boer War (1881), made the most of his experience to depict the way Africa used to be. He not only describes the process and dangers of elephant hunting and the formations from which one might find water with great detail, but offers bold similes filled with innuendo such as “…the east began to blush like the cheek of a girl” (p. 152) and his description of twin mountains as breasts with snow forming the nipples (p. 188) or “the nipple of the mountain does not rise out of its exact centre.” (p. 201)

Unfortunately, this 19th century work also contains 19th century racism so that a native king says, “In a land where men are white all things are possible.” Even worse, a beautiful African maiden has fallen in love with one of the English adventurers and proclaims, “I am glad to die because I know that he cannot cumber his life with such as I am, for the sun may not mate with the darkness, nor the white with the black.” (p. 563). It also features 19th century sexism as depicted in the native saying, “Love her who is present, for be sure she who is absent is false to thee.” (p. 356)
Still, King Solomon’s Mines is a delightful romp through familiar tropes. Unlike the typical pulp adventure where the protagonist is captured and enslaved, however, the novel settles for the idea of traps, secret doors, secret passages, legendary treasure, and a battle worthy of the Boer War that Haggard lived through (although this battle is not a confrontation between Dutch and English). I won’t hesitate to read the sequel, especially since it’s free in eBook format.
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Apr 06, 2012 Zohar - ManOfLaBook.com rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard is a novel first published 1885. This novel is the first to feature adventurer Alan Quatermain.

The adventurer and white Hunter Alan Quatermain is approached by Sir Henry Curtis and his friend Captain Good to lead an expedition into the heart of Africa to find Curtis' brother. The brother was in search of the fabled King Solomon's Mines.

Quatermain, who is in a possession of a map to the mines which he never taken seriously, agrees to go but...more

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Mar 31, 2012 TrumanCoyote rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A rollicking great romp of a book! Okay, admittedly I could've done without the introductory elephant hunt/massacre episode, filled as it was with that weird Great White Hunter outlook ("the poor dumb pathetic brutes...so of course we had to kill them"). But the story itself was a good deal of fun. What really makes this several cuts above the usual run of these things is the generous splashes of humor involved, and the fact that the narrator is so singular (and singularly wry) a voice. As a res...more

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Oct 09, 2011 Jrobertus rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Haggard was an immensely popular writer in the late 19th century, and this book is often credited with the birth of the "lost world" genre of literature. The book reflects a different era, that of the white man's burden, but Haggard does convey a sense of dignity and nobility to many of the native characters. He even permits a love between one of the hunters and a native girl, though she meets a tragic end. In the story, Alan Quatermain, a white hunter, is approached by two adventures, Sir Henry...more

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Sep 22, 2011 Kathryn rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adventure

King Solomon’s Mines is an adventure story starring a fellow named Allan Quatermain. He’s typical of the genre – an unassuming, purportedly ordinary man who has had many fantastic adventures over his years traveling in Africa and elsewhere. (I mean “fantastic” in its most literal sense, not as a general intensifier.) During the course of the book, Quatermain teams up with a few other men to follow an ancient treasure map to the location of King Solomon’s supposed mines in North Africa. The party...more King Solomon’s Mines is an adventure story starring a fellow named Allan Quatermain. He’s typical of the genre – an unassuming, purportedly ordinary man who has had many fantastic adventures over his years traveling in Africa and elsewhere. (I mean “fantastic” in its most literal sense, not as a general intensifier.) During the course of the book, Quatermain teams up with a few other men to follow an ancient treasure map to the location of King Solomon’s supposed mines in North Africa. The party is formed really to search for the brother of one of the other men, but naturally, once they discover that the brother had set off in search of the mines, the fabulous (I also mean “fabulous” in its most literal sense, not as a general intensifier) wealth of King Solomon preys on their minds.

Long story short, they make their way into the country told of by the map, and do eventually find the mines, as you might expect. They do not, however, realize as much profit as they had hoped.

The book is very much a product of its time in terms of its treatment of the natives in Africa, but you should know that going in. (It was almost as bad as some bits in the original Tom Swift.) The importance of the book (beyond reading an entertaining adventure story for its own sake, which I of course don’t wish to discourage!) is the influence it had on later writers. I’m a big fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs, E.E. “Doc” Smith, and similar writers of adventure fantasy and space opera, and the influence that Haggard had on these writers is evident. I said earlier that Quatermain is typical of the genre, but in fact, you might say he’s the archetype or perhaps prototype of the genre, since he is first in a long line of similar heroes (e.g., John Carter, Professor Challenger). King Solomon’s Mines was also the first Lost World novel.

If you’re a fan of the adventure stories from early in the twentieth century, I would definitely recommend King Solomon’s Mines due to the significent influence it had on the genre.(less)

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Aug 14, 2011 Perry Whitford rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Neither adult nor school boy.

The name of Allan Quatermain resonates for all wide-eyed school boys down from the Victorian Age to our current age, speaking of swashbuckling adventure and stiff upper-lippery in equal measure, of the fearless crack-shot, of courage in khakis. Its an irresistible brew, a clear progenitor for Indiana Jones.

Alas the source material doesn't stack up to any of those perceptions. This is an awful book really, sloppily plotted and ploddingly told, devoid of suspense and hideously patronising to Afric...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Caroline rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: victoriana, africa, lost-civilization

A classic British adventure novel. This is the story of Sir Henry Curtis, who hires great white hunter Alan Quatermain to find his brother, who had disappeared in the interior of Africa searching for King Solomon’s diamond mines. Three Englishmen hire three native servants and set off into the unknown, battling hostile elements and a mysterious lost nation with hair-raising rites.

They participate in a battle and all the drama of a coup without the moral quandary ( see, he’s not the RIGHTFUL king...more

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About H. Rider Haggard

Sir Henry Rider Haggard was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and the creator of the Lost World literary genre. His stories, situated at the lighter end of the scale of Victorian literature, continue to be popular and influential. He was also involved in agricultural reform and improvement in the British Empire.

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Quotes from King Solomon's Mines

“It is far. But there is no journey upon this earth that a man may not make if he sets his heart to it. There is nothing, Umbopa, that he cannot do, there are no mountains he may not climb, there are no deserts he cannot cross; save a mountain and a a desert of which you are spared the knowledge, if love leads him and he holds his life in his hand counting it as nothing, ready to keep it or to lose it as Providence may order.” — 13 people liked it

“It is a hard thing when one has shot sixty-five lions or more, as I have in the course of my life, that the sixty-sixth should chew your leg like a quid of tobacco. It breaks the routine of the thing, and putting other considerations aside, I am an orderly man and don't like that. This is by the way.” — 10 people liked it

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