H. Rider Haggard Books

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Sir Henry Rider Haggard was a British author of historical fiction and adventure set in Africa and other exotic locations around the world. He is popularly known as the father of the Lost World literary genre, with his literature influential and popular years since his decease. His works take a lighter tone of Victorian era literature. Rider Haggard started his authorship career in 1885 and wrote until his death in 1925.

Haggard’s first novel was the 1885 published work “King Solomon’s Mines” that received much critical acclaim and popularity among readers. Selling millions of copies and inspiring Indiana Jones, one of the biggest lost world protagonists, Allan Quatertermain is Rider Haggard’s most influential and popular characters. With so much popularity some of his novels have been made into Hollywood movies.

SIR HENRY RIDER HAGGARD BOOKS INTO TV/MOVIES

Many of Henry Rider Haggard’s novels have been adapted into movies. His debut novel “King Solomon’s Mines” has been adapted into a movie at least six times since the first adaptation in 1937. The novel “She” has also been adapted into a film at least ten times starting in 1899, when Georges Méliès made the first version titled “La Colonne de feu”. The novels “Dawn”, “Jess”, “Beatrice”, “Swallow” and “Stella Fregelius” have also had film versions produced. “Moon of Israel” was adapted into an Australian epic titled “Queen of the Slaves” in 1924.

BEST SIR HENRY RIDER HAGGARD BOOKS

Even as Sir Henry has so many exceptional novels to his name, the most appreciated of his novels include:

King Solomon’s Mines: The novel that made the name of Sir Henry Rider Haggard. It is a novel of fearless adventurers versus noble savages or what may be described as Zulus meet the Vikings. The story then combines the fabulous riches of the Old Testament King Solomon, a treasure book map, and a hidden heir to make for an intriguing story. Similar to the Indiana Jones novels, the book offers travelers advice on how to survive and have adventure in a country full of noble savages and the not so noble.

Haggard is exceptional in his telling of how the white adventurers into nineteenth century thought themselves superior to the Africans just because of their spears, battle axes, and armor. Allen Quartermain the lead protagonist leads a group of white men deep into Africa looking for adventure and treasure. In their quest they find themselves confronting the noble African savage and of course the obligatory witches and barbarous tribes, which are contrasted with the supposedly superior Western values.

Allan and the Holy Flower: The seventh novel of the series is about an expedition organized to find the wife of Allan Quartermain’s best friend that has gone missing, thought to have been kidnapped. Quartermain and his fellow adventurers will also be looking for a very rare orchid believed to grow in a certain region of the dense forest.

The novel is full of all manner of adventures and intrigues that include hidden volcanic sanctuaries, evil wizards, a chase on the lake, slave traders, cannibals, and a gigantic gorilla goddess. Quartermain made a friend in the Hottentot tribesman Hans and he comes out as a heroic and humorous character that adds comic relief on the journey. Haggard puts to work his excellent imaginations to produce an epic novel that sets the stage for the quality of contemporary lost world series to follow.

Child of Storm: The sixth novel of the series is undoubtedly one of the best books ever written by Rider Haggard since “King Solomon’s Mines”. This is a story that develops the theme of adventure and chaos through the numerous pitched battles and dangerous near death situations that Quartermain and his adventure seeking colleagues have to face up to. Unlike his other novels, Hagard takes a different route by modeling the story in the novel to the “Helen of Troy” Greek tragedy.

Saduko the Zulu friend of Allan Quartermain had teamed up with the adventurers and won 100 head of cattle that he intends to use to woo Child of Storm, his one true love. Mameena is a highly intelligent and beautiful woman that is daughter to one of the minor chiefs. Though she comes from minor royalty, she wants something higher for herself, even the queenship of all of Zulu Land. She has been using her beauty to steal the hearts of men that are discarded as soon as they help her move up one rung of the ladder.

When Does The Next H. Rider Haggard book come out?

H. Rider Haggard doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Virgin of the Sun and was released on May, 19th 2016.

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