King Solomon's Mines

Written by H. Rider Haggard

Narrated by Jack Sondericker

African explorer Allan Quatermain and his two companions aren't just searching for the fabled diamond mine of the Biblical King Solomon, deep in the heart of Africa, they are searching for a man. The trio braves long treks across parched, waterless deserts and the icy cold of the mountains. They survive wicked witchcraft and fierce tribes, only to be lured into an eerie stalactite cave of skeletons where they narrowly escape being buried alive in a tomb of diamonds with chests full of uncut stones, some as large as pigeon's eggs

• Language: English
• Publisher: Books in Motion
• Release date: Jul 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781614532095

H. Rider Haggard

Sir Henry Rider Haggard, (1856-1925) commonly known as H. Rider Haggard was an English author active during the Victorian era. Considered a pioneer of the lost world genre, Haggard was known for his adventure fiction. His work often depicted African settings inspired by the seven years he lived in South Africa with his family. In 1880, Haggard married Marianna Louisa Margitson and together they had four children, one of which followed her father’s footsteps and became an author. Haggard is still widely read today, and is celebrated for his imaginative wit and impact on 19th century adventure literature.

Reviews for King Solomon's Mines

[johnthefireman · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A classic adventure yarn, set in 19th-century southern Africa, and written in 1885. Although it takes liberties, and reflects the limited knowledge of the interior of Africa at that time, it is at least written by someone who lived in Africa and had some idea what he was talking about. His view of the "natives" reflects contemporary views, but he comes over as relatively progressive for his times. Very British, very manly and patriarchal, but well worth reading

[wisewoman_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Such a fun book this is! Combine a long and arduous journey, rumors of a fabulous treasure, deadly danger, fabled history, ferocious battles, political intrigue, and an exotic locale and you'll get Henry Rider Haggard's classic adventure story, King Solomon's Mines. And when it's all told by a perceptive, honest, and humorous narrator like Allen Quartermain, it only increases the enjoyment. First published in 1885, this novel has earned a place as one of the more entertaining of the adventure story genre.Allen Quartermain is a tough old hunter in the African bush who is hired by a rich Englishman, Sir Henry Curtis, to cross the desert to a mysterious land where he believes his estranged brother has gone in quest of treasure. The legendary diamonds of King Solomon's mines have never quite left the memory and imagination of the area, and many a man had gone to seek them, never to return. But Quartermain has some secret information of his own, and on this slender hope the men set out. Accompanying them is Captain John Goode, of the false teeth and eyeglass that play such a memorable part once they arrive at their destination. When they do finally reach the land beyond the desert, they find an isolated African culture that has survived untouched by the outside world for many hundreds of years. Before they can begin their search for Sir Henry's brother (and those fabled diamonds, along the way), they are swept into a civil war in which a faction seeks to depose the wicked king in favor of the rightful heir. These intrigues and battles make up the bulk of the story, and when they finally get to the treasure hunt it seems a bit of an anticlimax. Still, the story carries on and the suspense picks up again with the ancient mines dug for King Solomon and the unimaginable treasure—and danger—they hold for the travelers.Early on Quartermain tells us that there are "no women" in the tale, but this isn't strictly true. There's a lovely native woman named Foulata who has a part to play. But she is overshadowed by another female character—this one a femme fatale in Gagool, the ancient witch who helped set the current king on the throne. Gagool's grotesque appearance and behavior almost de-sex her as an anomalous monster, not a woman at all. And to further emphasize my point that the story is not devoid of aspects of the feminine, the two mountains at the entry of the country are called by the racy name of "Sheba's Breasts." I must say I found this a bit shocking, especially in light of the story's original date of publication. We can't really talk about this book without mentioning race relations. Initially I was impressed by Quarterman's deliberate decision to use the word "native" rather than "nigger," but he does show a careless, casual disrespect toward the Africans (calling a native man "quite clever for a native" and addressing him as "boy"). But anything else would be entirely unnatural for the period. Also, Quartermain provides a home/job for one of his native hunters who was wounded too badly to hunt again. As the story develops, you can seethe increasing respect he has for Umbopa, their native guide and an impressive man in his own right. At several points Quartermain compares Umbopa to Sir Henry, observing how each is a perfect specimen of his race and a fine sight seen with the other. Modern readers may also be put off by the casual and occasionally detailed descriptions of hunting elephants for their ivory. I understand this is quite accurate to the period, and I don't have a problem with hunting non-endangered animals. But I was still glad when the story moved on. I listened to this on audiobook, read by Simon Prebble, and it really was a pleasure. Perhaps it is not as highbrow as Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness which I also recently finished, but infinitely more enjoyable. Recommended.

[joririchardson · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have owned a copy of "King Solomon's Mines" since I was a little girl. I specifically remember picking one up at a library sale around the age of 11. So, for ten years, this book has been carted around with me through 11 moves, 5 states, 4 different bookshelves, and who knows what else. Besides being a classic, I owed it to this particular copy to finally read it.I'm glad that I did (sorry it took me so long, Quatermain), because this is a fun, exciting adventure. I wish I had read it the day I took it home from that book sale as a kid, because this book reminded me of childhood adventure stories. There is a small group of people setting out on a dangerous journey, in which of course all sorts of dangers occur, but in the end through bravery and luck, everything turns out happily. It was familiar, but satisfying. The plot is that Allan Quatermain, a wild game hunter in 1800's Africa, is recruited by two other men to search for lost treasure - a diamond mine of unimaginable wealth. Apparently, others have gone before them searching for the same diamonds (including a brother of one of the men in the party) but no one has ever survived. Or, that's what we have to assume, since no one ever came back. Quatermain and his two friends, joined by an African bushman, journey across mountains and deserts, surviving thirst, hunger, murderous native tribes, witch doctors, and other such perils.I really loved that this book was set in South Africa, as my boyfriend is from there. In fact, he is from Durban, in the KwaZulu-Natal region, which is the most specific setting that the book ever offers us. I've been slowly learning Afrikaans from my boyfriend over the past 2 years, but rarely - in fact, never ever - have I found any use for it. So I can't describe how delighted I was to come across quite a few words I recognized.Haggard throws some dashes of comedy into the story, too. I thought that their first encounter with the natives was absolutely hilarious. Hunter tribesman come upon the group when Good is in the middle of dressing and shaving. He also has false teeth and glasses, leading the natives to think that he is a god. They think that he grows hair on only one side of his face, and assume that there must be some deep significance to the fact that he goes about with his legs bare. When he later attempts to put pants on, they say "Would my lord cover up his beautiful white legs?" So for the rest of the time he is with the natives, Good must keep shaving one side of his face and banish any pants. Quatermain also furthers the natives assumptions by telling them great stories about how they are from the stars. It was pretty funny.Besides adventure and comedy, a few parts in the book also got quite detailed, in a Jules Verne type of manner. Our narrator goes into great detail about the supplies they are taking with them, and then goes on to tell us all about the wagons that will be holding the supplies, and the oxen that will be pulling these wagons. He even launches into a few paragraphs about how to immunize oxen against disease - tips for anyone traveling the wilds of Africa, I suppose.I know that others would see it as tedious, but I just love tiny little insignificant details like that.As for the negative, I didn't like Quatermain's disrespect toward animals and his occasional racist quips, though the racist part wasn't exactly unexpected, as this was written by a man of 1800's British Africa. Quatermain has a habit of describing natives and animals with negative words like "brutes" and "wretches" for no apparent reason. The African people are there for him to dismiss as beneath him, and the beautiful African animals are there for him to slaughter.In the old tradition, Quatermain begins the narrative by telling us that he is speaking about his experiences and is relating the tale for his son. He never addresses his son in any part of the book, so I felt that this "fireside story" was pretty pointless. If anything, all that it does is tell the reader that Quatermain is going to get out of everything okay, because he lives to tell the story, after all. And even worse, another reason he gives in the beginning for writing the book is that his two traveling companions, Good and Curtis, want him to. Alright, great, now we know that not only the main character, but ALL THREE of the main characters will survive. It made the climatic scenes just a bit less suspenseful.Quatermain never really came alive as a character for me. I think that from what I have seen, Haggard is better at writing vivid, exotic settings than grounded, realistic people. Quatermain describes himself a few times in the beginning chapters as a "timid, cautious man," but his past and future experiences make me wonder what would ever make him say this. He's an elephant and lion hunter on a deadly journey through the African wilderness, after all! Maybe he's just a bad describer, going back to the whole pointlessly calling gazelles "brutes" thing. My main problem with Quatermain, far more hindering to the story than mislabeling some gazelles, was that he seemed so lacking in passion and personality. When Good and Curtis try to get him to come with them on their journey, he agrees without ever giving a reason. Is he a thrill-seeker? Loves an adventure? Is bored with life and wants something new? Seeking treasure? Lover of mysterious African lore? Something... Anything?Well, no. None of those options. Or maybe all of them. We just never know.Quatermain agrees to go, but never gives a reason. In fact he appears to just agree right on the spot without even thinking it over, but tells the two men only minutes later that he does not believe they will find any diamonds, and that they will probably die. At least they're starting their journey off on a realistic note, I suppose!Quatermain remains icy cool and calm in the most hopeless of situations, and the only traces of humanity we ever see in him are some slight nostalgia or appreciation over the untamed beauty of the African landscape. Needless to say, noting a sunset here and a birdcall there are far from enough to fill him out as a character.Hopefully, the next books in the series will provide a more likable Quatermain, but even if they don't, I'll still read them."King Solomon's Mines" was a fun adventure that I got through quite quickly. Or... quite slowly, if you count the 10 lamentable years it has sat on my shelf (shelves) untouched.

[fhudnell-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This book started out OK for me but was then sunk by racist references and appalling animal slaughter. Even if I were willing to give those drawbacks a pass as merely a time capsule of the views at the time the book was written, I couldn't forgive the lengthy and incredibly boring time spent on battles in the middle of the book. I kept listening to the audio book in the hope that the protagonists would eventually reach the mines. When they finally got to the mines, the story picked up for me, but I still wish that I had skipped this book.

[collingsruth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

THE Victorian boy's adventure novel. Interesting plot that will remind readers of Indiana Jones. Actually, pretty much any male hero adventurer with a slightly supernatural bent. Unlike so many of these, though, Alan Quartermain is short, unattractive, a coward, and ultimately pragmatic above all else. Maybe one of my new favourite characters. Though the entire story takes place in Africa, this actually isn't as completely racist as it could be. That seems like faint praise, but Haggard definitely treats the various African tribes much better than, say, John Smith does Native Americans. They are still definitely considered less civilized than the Europeans, but never mocked or called devils. Their skills in various areas are often praised. At the end of the day Quartermain becomes BFFs with a few men of a fictional tribe as equals, even if there are quite a few not so nice mentions of the fact that relationships between blacks and whites were not a good idea. There is a definite slight tang of Orientalism (yes I know Africa isn't the Orient you know what I mean).All in all a very enjoyable read and very few cringe-worthy moments. An interesting side-note, it is mentioned that the tsetse fly kills cattle and livestock, but not humans. I wonder if that was because the sleeping sickness hadn't arrived in humans yet or if the association just hadn't been made.

[kale.dyer · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable 'lost world' adventure story that was a touch more progressive about the 'natives' than I expected.

[leslie398 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Classic adventure story although the Victorian attitude towards the native 'savages' of Africa was a bit much in a few places. A word of warning to the squeamish, there are some pretty grisly parts although not too graphic by today's standards.

Some significant differences from the Stewart Granger movie - most notably the fact that, instead of a wife searching for her lost husband, it is a brother which eliminates all the romantic aspects. I found Alan Quatermain a more interesting character as a widower & self-confessed coward than Granger's he-man (although I adore Stewart Granger). Overall, a better story than you might expect.

[judygibson-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A good classic adventure story though historically dubious, with several gruesome scenes. European colonialist and great white hunter attitudes that would not be acceptable in modern stories.

[kslade-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good fantasy about searching for a lost kingdom's treasure in Africa. This author inspired many of Edgar Rice Burrough's stories.

[thedivineoomba · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is certainly a book of its time, written originally in 1885, it is full of English Superiority over everybody, and the darker the skin, the more inferior the person is.On the whole of it, its actually well written, but for modern readers who think elephants should not be hunted and everybody is equal, there will be both a lot of eye rolling, and out right rage (whole herds of elephants are decimated just for a few tusks of ivory). Also, there is exactly two named women in this story, one is an ancient witch, and the other is a beautiful tribes women (almost as beautiful as white person). This story is the base for so many adventure stories and movies, such as Indian Jones Franchise. Its got witches, savages, exotic locations, missing heirs, pretty much everything you can want out of a book like this. So, if you can get past the 1880's British Superiority and the casual racism, its a good story, but not without its problems.

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this book as a child, many, many years ago, but could remember little more than the title. The book is mentioned in Getting of Wisdom, and I took the hint, and have re-read the book.It was first published in 1885 and is set in Southern Africa. It is full of that instinctive racism and bombast of the British in the Victorian era, but has a rollicking tale to tell - something like a cross between Rudyard Kipling and John Buchan.The plot abounds in implausibility, but it is still an enjoyable read. The bigotry is harder to swallow, but it paints an informative picture of British colonial society of the time.

[romonko · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read something the other day. It said, " Re-read some of the classics that you enjoyed when you were younger. The story won't have changed, but your perspective will have." That is what I'm trying to do. I'm bringing some of the classics back into my life. Some of them I enjoyed as a child and young woman, and some I didn't read. This one I hadn't read, but I wish I would have because I would have loved it when I was a girl. I enjoyed it very much even now. It's a smashing adventure story, but the book is beautifully written. Haggard's descriptions of the scenery and of more graphic scenes like the epic battle scene in the book are so colourful and realistic, that it's like watching a movie. Was there a movie made of Alan Quartermain's exploits--this is a three-book series? If not there should have been. All the way through Quartermain says, " i am a timid man," and then goes on facing extreme dangers and terrible foes without a second thought. There was one chapter in the book that I couldn't read, but it didn't affect my enjoyment of the book. The chapter describing the great elephant hunt was not to my taste, but these were different times. The book was published in 1885, and these things were common-place then. Other than that, the whole book was exciting and totally enjoyable. I'm going to continue to pick up these old classics and give them another go. Life's a journey after all, and I love re-living the times from when the books were written and seeing the perspective of the human race back in those days. It makes you realize how far we've come in so many ways, and how far that we've actually fallen back in others.

[pilgrimjess · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Truly wealth, which men spend all their lives in acquiring, is a valueless thing at the last."Allan Quatermain is an ageing hunter based in South Africa. One day he meets Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good, who want his help in searching for Curtis’s brother, who disappeared whilst searching for the legendary King Solomon’s Mines. By coincidence Quatermain has a sketchy map of the mines location and despite reservations about their likely survival agrees to lead an expedition to discover the fabled biblical King's source of wealth taking along with them a Zulu servant, Umbopa. After nearly dying crossing a desert they reach the border of Kukuanaland and the ancient road that leads to the mines only to find the country is ruled by a brutal despotic king and a witch who guard the treasure. Quatermain must use all his cunning if they are to survive.This novel was written in the late nineteenth century and as such conforms with the norms and tastes of Victorian Britain and features imperialist, racist and sexist views that readers today would find offensive. Equally much of the writing style feels clichéd to modern readers but we must remember that this book was written at a time, before aeroplanes, television and the internet, when there were still large parts of the world which were unknown to the wider world. As such these clichés were not clichés when they were written. Rather this novel became part of the very popular, at the time, 'lost world' genre which later evolved into the 'sci-fi' genre. As such this becomes a forerunner of much that we read to day and therefore modern readers have to make a few allowances for it which is sometimes easier said than done. Today this book is seen as a 'children's classic' but would have been mainstream in it's heyday.

[aliceanna-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I like a good adventure, but Good Lord they killed off a helluva lot of people in this one and the disposable nature of the African warriors just got on my last nerve. I know this was from a different time, but YIKES!! I'm not sure that I would have finished it had it not been for the character of Good.

[kristelh_15 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

From my TBR, King Solomon’s Mines, written in 1886, is a masterpiece of adventure as described by the New York Times in 1972 (the year of printing for my edition). H. Rider Haggard is described as the ne’er-do-well son of a properous English Family in the inner page of my Laurel-Leaf-Library book. He wa sent off to South Africa at the age of 19. This book is an adventure story most likely appealing to young men back in the day but mostly unheard of now. It is dated by it’s language, racism but it is free of bad language and bad sex and that is something to be said. I also felt that like most English literature set in colonialism but the author also had many respectful things to say about various people of Africa. This adventures story has 3 Englishmen and some locals traveling over desert and mountains to find a missing brother of one of the Englishmen. On the was, they become embroiled in a war to unseat the false king of the peoples, they walk on a Roman road, they find the treasures of Solomon. There are themes of good and evil. It earned its place on the 1001 books as the first of the adventure stories set in the lost worlds of Africa. I did not like the shooting of the elephants for their tusks. That was the part of book I liked the least.

[mrslee_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Whelp, yet another adventure classic I thought I had either read, or seen the movie of, but was confusing with a different story of the same type and era. In this case, the other story was The Man Who Would be King, by Rudyard Kipling. So, this isn't that.An English gentleman, in the late 1800s, is trying to find his estranged brother who has left on a fool's dream of finding the lost mines of Solomon. He encounters Alan Quartermain who is telling this tale. They also have an ex-naval officer along for the trip. These three determine to brave the desert and sure death to find the lost brother. They have some natives for help, including one who does not have the subservient demeanor of most natives. Guess where this is going?As an adventure story of that era, in that place, it was better than I thought it would be. There is some charming humor in it, one of my favorite bits being: When the adventurers were trying to gain esteem by darkening the moon (lunar eclipse), the two who were quoting poetry and the Bible run out of words, but the naval officer is able to go on for a good ten minutes shouting foul language without repeating himself! Non of the words are listed though.As for how it reads to modern sensibilities, well, if your sensibilities allow you to take into consideration as a scientist the attitudes of the day in which this was written, I believe you will find that it is rather more broad than most similar literature of its day. An inter-racial relationship is present, although doomed. The natives are treated more as individuals, some respect-worthy and proud, some deceitful and wicked, some kind, some not, etc. As a present day story, it would not pass muster, as a looking-glass to the past, it was okay.I confess, I became bored with some of the traveling. That was perhaps me and not the story. The author excelled himself when describing the mountains called "Sheba's Breasts." He could have given Solomon a run for his money in descriptive language.

[theokester · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The 19th century had a boom of English adventure novels. By the end of the century it had really hit a great stride which also brought high expectations. As with any genre there were plenty of books that have faded from common reading while others still invoke imagery and seem familiar even to people who have never read them. To me, King Solomon's Mines is one of those novels that always felt like a stalwart example of English Adventure fiction so I was a little surprised when people saw me reading it and had little or no knowledge of this novel or the adventures of Allan Quartermain. Those who recognized Quartermain largely only did so thanks to the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen movie that came out a few years ago. Now that I've finished reading King Solomon's Mines I must say that I'm a little sad that it's slipped under the radar. Maybe I'm just in the wrong reading circles. *grin*The basic story (minor spoilers of the first chapters' setup) introduces us to adventurer and big game hunter Allan Quartermain. Allan isn't old by our modern sense but in terms of his career he is beyond his standard life expectancy and is expected to either die on safari or to retire somewhere. While thinking about this, he is approached by an English aristocrat (Sir Henry Curtis) and his friend (Captain Good) who want to hire him as a guide and protector to lead them north across the wilds of Africa in search of the lost brother of Sir Henry. Quartermain is wary especially when they tell him that Sir Henry's brother was lost searching for King Solomon's Mines...the mythical mines used by the Biblical king to fund his nation and build his famous Temple. It takes some discussion and a promise of significant wealth (not only for Allan but also for his son) to finally convince Quartermain to help. They gather supplies and natives to help them and they're on their way. As they get ready to depart, another native approaches them having overheard their general destination and he asks to accompany them as a servant. They agree and the small party sets off.The novel is written in first person as a sort of journal or letter from Allan to anyone who may be interested in the story. The narrator Quartermain often apologizes for his lack of style and sophistication as well as for possible errors either in terms of form or in terms of scientific/geographic accuracy. The edition I read included annotations by the editor but I also found it interesting that there were included annotations that were supposed to have been written by Quartermain to further explain or clarify some point of interest. This added narrative element was a fun addition not just to add details to the story but also to provide more insight into the character of Quartermain. I especially enjoyed the side commentary that Quartermain-as-narrator added to the story with his thoughts about the situations he encounters.The story arc of the novel starts out fairly straightforward and almost feels like a travelogue at points. We get numerous details about the nature of the country, the preparations and supplies used and a lot of information about the wildlife and the indigenous people of southern/central Africa. As with other novels of the time, the pacing begins slow and gradually builds to a moderate pace but never really gets to a breakneck speed. As such it may receive lackluster response from the short-attention-span readers of the 21st century. And yet, the details and the imagery are so immersive that the sensation of being on an African adventure might help draw a reader into the story until the greater intrigue starts.In addition to the great details about the country and the trek during the first portion of the book, Haggard does a great job fleshing out his main characters. To some degree they are certainly archetypes and can sometimes blend together as generic adventurers. Still, they have their own unique quirks that make them memorable and also help dictate some interesting plot points throughout the book. As part of the character development, there's also a little bit of intrigue and mystery that helps foreshadow future events.After traveling through the desert for many days and many chapters, our adventurers struggle across the mountains and discover an unknown tribe of natives. At this point, the nature of the novel changes a bit as it moves from man-vs-nature to man-vs-man and to some extent it feels like a different novel. The pacing also seems to pick up a little bit partly due to the intrigue that comes of the addition of new characters to interact with. At first I wondered if this feeling was due to the novel being written as a serial but I was surprised to find that not only was it not serialized but it was written very quickly (in less than 6 months) and then struggled to find a publisher.Without giving away the plot and the intrigue I can say that there are 2-3 main story paths in the book that intertwine and work their way to a conclusion. Even though I fully expected a happy, successful ending I must admit that there were moments of suspense when I anticipated some potential twists and turns that might spoil the happy ending. Some aspects felt a little predictable (probably due more to copycat ideas in the past century+ rather than due to lack of innovation by Haggard) but many of the twists and revelations did feel fresh and unique.The large amount of geographical descriptions of Africa can feel a little dense at times but when coupled with Quartermain's natural and conversational narrative style the story seemed to flow along lightly. This makes it very accessible to most readers. The Imperialistic ideas and the racial attitudes of the era factor into the events but the book still maintains a bit of progressive mentality. Quartermain feels disillusioned by some of the Imperial ideals of England and while he still has his own prejudices he does view the native Africans as more human and worthy of respect than many of his contemporaries may have done.Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. It took a few chapters to get started and then maintained a slow burn as the plot pace increased before reaching its apex of adventure and suspense. The adventure and intrigue was a lot of fun and really drew me in. I enjoyed the characters a lot and had fun with the quirks and nuances they brought to the adventure. I really enjoyed the writing style and the level of detail included. I'm interested to read Haggard's other Quartermain novels to learn more about his character and the adventures that lead up to this novel. While novels like Tarzan, The Jungle Books and Treasure Island are more well-known adventures of the time, I definitely feel like more people should seek out Haggard and get familiar with the adventure of King Solomon's Mines.****4.5 out of 5 stars

[jen6e6moore · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Well. This has plenty of value as a historical artifact - ancestor of Indiana Jones and all the other pulp adventure fiction like it - but it's so tremendously racist and misogynist that I really can't see the value in reading it for entertainment, not when there are so many things now that are so much better.

[brakketh-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

An enjoyable 'lost world' adventure story that was a touch more progressive about the 'natives' than I expected.

[jenniferrobb · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I found it interesting at first, but the storyline started to drag a bit and became more predictable for me when they got near the place they sought.

[olivermagnus · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

King Solomon’s Mines is a one of the first books considered a young man’s novel, one of the late Victorian classics of that genre and introduces us to Allan Quartermain. The novel starts with a party of three in search of adventure as well as locating one of the adventurer’s brothers, who had been estranged across long distances due to some brotherly rivalry. Part of the novel is a travelogue of their trek into ever more remote African territory. Then the novel takes an interesting political turn and shows a civil war among an ancient people related to the Zulu before going into the mines themselves.

This is a satisfying novel on many levels. It has intriguing historical speculations, great plots and characters, and a worldview that manages to defend the importance of family, loyalty, honesty and decency while also showing respect and providing dignity to men and women of a wide variety of ethnic origins. It's a novel, that for its time, was quite enlightened. The action scenes are intense and the reader feels like a spectator desperate for our three heroes to be come out victorious.

This is an action packed novel with excellent characters, a good prose style that avoids too many extraneous details. The views expressed in King Solomon's Mines may seem politically incorrect to our modern eyes but were typical of the era. If you are looking for a reasonably brisk and worthwhile work of classic adventure novel, this is a very satisfying read for readers of all ages.

[gypsysmom_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If nothing else reading classics such as this reminds us how far we have come since the Victorian society in which this book is set. For one thing, there can't be a square mile of land on earth that hasn't been thoroughly mapped and almost as thoroughly explored. Nowadays in order to make a treasure hunt realistic it would have to be set on a distant planet or deep under the sea. Also, the way in which people of colour are portrayed is now far different from the noble savages and humble servants of this book. I think it is good to look back now and then to what is not that long ago. It doesn't hurt that this is a cracking good adventure story.Alan Quatermain is an elephant hunter in southern Africa who manages to get by financially but never gets wealthy. He meets Sir Henry Curtis who is searching for his brother who came to Africa to look for the fabled mines of King Solomon and has not been heard from in two years. Sir Henry asks Quatermain to accompany him on his search promising him a share of any treasure they find. Quatermain agrees although he thinks the likelihood of surviving, let alone finding treasure, is slight because Sir Henry promises to set up a fund to support Quatermain's son regardless of the outcome.This book is on the 1001 Books to Read before you Die list and I can understand why since it was one of the first adventure stories. It's an easy read and diverting if you can ignore the elephant slaughter and the bloody deaths that are depicted.

[deltaqueen50 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Through tri-weekly e-mail instalments from DailyLit, I have read the classic adventure story, King Solomon’s Mines by H. Rider Haggard. Slightly dated, but still a ripping good yarn, as Allan Quartermain leads a small party consisting of Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good along with their African servants and guides, into the African wilderness in search for Sir Henry’s missing brother. The brother had set out some two years previously on a search for the fabled diamond mines of King Solomon but hadn’t been heard of since.Quartermain agrees to lead the party for a share in the treasure, if found. They set off across a desert and barely surviving, eventually end up in a country called Kukuanaland. Here they are disappointed not to find Sir Henry’s brother but they do meet the vicious upstart King Twala and agree to help the rightful king overthrow him. As a reward for their aid, they will be allowed entry to the legendary mine and to carry away as many diamonds as they wish. Although the superior attitude of the white people could become very grating it is obvious why this book captured the Victorian imagination when originally published in 1885 and Africa was still truly the Dark Continent. Even today it remains one of the foremost adventure stories. I was going to mention how the characters were stereotypes, but then I got to wondering if the stereotypes of this kind of novel are not based on these original characters. I thoroughly enjoyed both the story and reading this novel in this very different format.

[elviomedeiros_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Childish at times, but a fun reading.

[bjh3038 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

For such a short story, this tiny book took an awfully long time to read.

[nwdavies-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Great adventure story. Am already collecting all the other Allan Quatermain books to read - and other books by H Rider Haggard too. Love finding a 'new' author to collect... :)

[atimco-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Such a fun book this is! Combine a long and arduous journey, rumors of a fabulous treasure, deadly danger, fabled history, ferocious battles, political intrigue, and an exotic locale and you'll get Henry Rider Haggard's classic adventure story, King Solomon's Mines. And when it's all told by a perceptive, honest, and humorous narrator like Allen Quartermain, it only increases the enjoyment. First published in 1885, this novel has earned a place as one of the more entertaining of the adventure story genre.Allen Quartermain is a tough old hunter in the African bush who is hired by a rich Englishman, Sir Henry Curtis, to cross the desert to a mysterious land where he believes his estranged brother has gone in quest of treasure. The legendary diamonds of King Solomon's mines have never quite left the memory and imagination of the area, and many a man had gone to seek them, never to return. But Quartermain has some secret information of his own, and on this slender hope the men set out. Accompanying them is Captain John Goode, of the false teeth and eyeglass that play such a memorable part once they arrive at their destination. When they do finally reach the land beyond the desert, they find an isolated African culture that has survived untouched by the outside world for many hundreds of years. Before they can begin their search for Sir Henry's brother (and those fabled diamonds, along the way), they are swept into a civil war in which a faction seeks to depose the wicked king in favor of the rightful heir. These intrigues and battles make up the bulk of the story, and when they finally get to the treasure hunt it seems a bit of an anticlimax. Still, the story carries on and the suspense picks up again with the ancient mines dug for King Solomon and the unimaginable treasure—and danger—they hold for the travelers.Early on Quartermain tells us that there are "no women" in the tale, but this isn't strictly true. There's a lovely native woman named Foulata who has a part to play. But she is overshadowed by another female character—this one a femme fatale in Gagool, the ancient witch who helped set the current king on the throne. Gagool's grotesque appearance and behavior almost de-sex her as an anomalous monster, not a woman at all. And to further emphasize my point that the story is not devoid of aspects of the feminine, the two mountains at the entry of the country are called by the racy name of "Sheba's Breasts." I must say I found this a bit shocking, especially in light of the story's original date of publication. We can't really talk about this book without mentioning race relations. Initially I was impressed by Quarterman's deliberate decision to use the word "native" rather than "nigger," but he does show a careless, casual disrespect toward the Africans (calling a native man "quite clever for a native" and addressing him as "boy"). But anything else would be entirely unnatural for the period. Also, Quartermain provides a home/job for one of his native hunters who was wounded too badly to hunt again. As the story develops, you can seethe increasing respect he has for Umbopa, their native guide and an impressive man in his own right. At several points Quartermain compares Umbopa to Sir Henry, observing how each is a perfect specimen of his race and a fine sight seen with the other. Modern readers may also be put off by the casual and occasionally detailed descriptions of hunting elephants for their ivory. I understand this is quite accurate to the period, and I don't have a problem with hunting non-endangered animals. But I was still glad when the story moved on. I listened to this on audiobook, read by Simon Prebble, and it really was a pleasure. Perhaps it is not as highbrow as Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness which I also recently finished, but infinitely more enjoyable. Recommended.

[amerynth · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The famous story is that H. Rider Haggard wrote "King Solomon's Mines" as a result of a wager with his brother, who bet H. Rider couldn't write a book half as good as "Treasure Island." He succeeded in that is a decent book, though not quite up to the standard set by "Treasure Island."The book follows a group of adventurers who head to Africa to search of one of the party's lost brother and, for added challenge, King Solomon's diamond mines. The story is a typical Victorian adventure novel and moves along at a good and interesting pace. I found the colonialist attitudes toward Africans a little hard to take in this particular book, so it sucked a little of the enjoyment out for me.I also think my rating suffered a bit from my previous read of H Rider Haggard's "She", which I thought was similar but superior. Overall, "King Solomon's Mines" was a solid three-star read, but not one that I would pick up again.

[cbl_tn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A man looking for his missing brother recruits elephant hunter Allan Quatermain to lead a search that will take them through an uninhabitable desert. The brother was headed for a region said to be the location of the biblical King Solomon's mines. The odds are that the search party will not survive their mission, but the possibility of riches is enough to tip the scales in favor of the quest. Quatermain, the brother of the missing man, a retired naval officer, and two African guides set out on what soon becomes a page-turning adventure across the desert, over the mountains, and into an unknown kingdom.I was pleasantly surprised by the humor in the book. The story is laced with laugh-out-loud passages like this one:As those who read this history will probably long ago have gathered, I am, to be honest, a bit of a coward, and certainly in no way given to fighting, though somehow it has often been my lot to get into unpleasant positions, and to be obliged to shed man's blood. But I have always hated it, and kept my own blood as undiminished in quantity as possible, sometimes by a judicious use of my heels.Haggard's style reminds me of Mark Twain, and the plot bears some similarities to parts of A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. Haggard's book came first, and it would seem that it had some influence on Twain. This is a book I've wanted to read ever since reading Elizabeth Peters' The Last Camel Died at Noon a couple of years ago. Now I know why Peters was a fan. The book will also appeal to readers who love adventure movies like the Indiana Jones series and the National Treasure films.

[jmoncton_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Reading this book was like spending an afternoon at the movies watching one of those old fashioned adventure movies. The plot is straightforward. Sir Henry Curtis hires elephant hunter and adventurer Allan Quartermain to lead an expedition in search of his brother. His brother has been lost for 2 years after searching for the fabled King Solomon's Mines for an incredible treasure. Quartermain and his group have to battle the African dessert, jungle, a tribe of cannibals a group of witch doctors all to finish their quest. Written in the 1800s, this book is good fun adventure although not at all politically correct by today's standards.