<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: Adventure classic
Review: ..."Allan Quatermain" is another adventure story of the character of the same name. After the King Solomon's mines, Quatermain is back in England, where his son dies, and he's eager for new adventures. With his two best friends, Good and Curtis, they depart again to the heart of Africa, where they expect to discover a nation of white people undiscovered until now. This story, while a classic Haggard tale, has not all the good elements "King Solomon's mines" had. There is fighting, there's thrilling, but this book is somewhat slower. This might be because Allan Quatermain, telling the story in his point of view, is older, close to sixty-five years. In fact, there are some really anoying parts, where Quatermain is extra-shy and puritan, almost to the point of being ridiculous. And, as another reviewer wrote, there's no point in writing about a white race, civilized, organized and secret, in the heart of Africa, instead of a more plausible black one. This can only be excused in historical contexts. Back in the late XIX century, Africa was such a type of novelty and unknown that people thought almost everything could happen in there. But, today, if the reader doesn't have an open mind and doesn't know his History, this can be interpreted as pure racism, which is not. Haggard wrote this book in a time where the biggest thing about Africa was Livingstone trying to find where the Nile came from. So this is how this book should be taken. A classic adventure. Grade 7.6/10
Rating: 
Summary: Things ain't what they appear!
Review: Hi, I bought this book as I had not come across the title before in any Haggard listing. On receipt I found that it is really "Allan Quatermain" and the "new" title is presumably based on the film which starred Richard Chamberlain (which I have not seen). The decription on the back cover of the book states "Allan must postpone his wedding to rescue his brother, who has been tracking a lost white tribe. Allan's travels take him through dangerous jungles and to a mythical city where the streets are paved with gold". I believe some liberties have been taken with this book but as a curio I suppose it might be worth the price. regards Paul Webb
Rating: 
Summary: So disappointing after "King Solomon's Mines".
Review: In the introduction of this book, Sir Henry Rider Haggard illustrates the differences, or rather the similarities, of the well-to-do "civilised" lady and the "savage" African. It is the recurring theme throughout the book and one which grates with today's reader. This novel is more like an early "equality of man" essay rather than the ripping yarn of "King Solomon's Mines". I do not know if the author was being radical at the time, or whether he was on some form of race agenda, but it sits ill with the modern mind and it sits ill in this story. There are glaring inconsistencies such as the treatment of the "savage" Masai after the battle and the fact the that the race he finds in the middle of Africa is "white" and "civilised". If he is trying to make the issue of the African also being able to be civilised, why are the civilised Africans not black? The story, however, is a reasonable read, and although occassionally plodding, the plot can be exciting. Of particular note, the tunnel scene and the final battle at Milosis are thrilling. Of rather less interest are the love lives of Curtis and Good, but these do not irritate as much as the race issue. I may be expecting too much from a text over 100 years old, but the issue of race was largely ignored in "King Solomon's Mine", and the book is much better for it. "Allan Quartermain" ceases to be a harmless story of adventure, and instead becomes a rather contrived statement of the author's ideals.
Rating:
Summary: So disappointing after "King Solomon's Mines".
Review: In the introduction of this book, Sir Henry Rider Haggard illustrates the differences, or rather the similarities, of the well-to-do "civilised" lady and the "savage" African. It is the recurring theme throughout the book and one which grates with today's reader. This novel is more like an early "equality of man" essay rather than the ripping yarn of "King Solomon's Mines". I do not know if the author was being radical at the time, or whether he was on some form of race agenda, but it sits ill with the modern mind and it sits ill in this story. There are glaring inconsistencies such as the treatment of the "savage" Masai after the battle and the fact the that the race he finds in the middle of Africa is "white" and "civilised". If he is trying to make the issue of the African also being able to be civilised, why are the civilised Africans not black? The story, however, is a reasonable read, and although occassionally plodding, the plot can be exciting. Of particular note, the tunnel scene and the final battle at Milosis are thrilling. Of rather less interest are the love lives of Curtis and Good, but these do not irritate as much as the race issue. I may be expecting too much from a text over 100 years old, but the issue of race was largely ignored in "King Solomon's Mine", and the book is much better for it. "Allan Quartermain" ceases to be a harmless story of adventure, and instead becomes a rather contrived statement of the author's ideals.
Rating:
Summary: The Near Zenith of High Adventure
Review: The book, Allan Quartermain appears to be the last of a series of books penned by H. Rider Haggard about the exploits of a fictitious Englishman and African big-game hunter. In it, the leading man, Allan, is a bit more philosophical about life and his place on earth, and we follow his last great adventure in deepest, darkest Africa before he passes on, fully satisfied with his life and accomplishments, to the final Beyond.
Once again, Quartermain teams up with his good friends, Captain Good and Sir Henry Curtis, this time around to find a fabled lost race of people(whom Quartermain later suspects as being a lost tribe of Persians when he finally finds them). Once in Africa, the intrepid English trio re-unite with the Mighty Umslopogaas, a bloodthirsty Zulu warrior and loyal friend and servant who also happens to have a heart of gold. Then, the Fabulous Four sally forth, and take on in short order a tribe of savage Masai, save a proper English damsel (of course very much in distress), undertake a perilous journey to an uncharted region of Africa, and inadvertently begin (and bloodily end) a civil war amongst the lost tribe they have sought.
Without a doubt, the best character in this book is Mighty Umslopogaas and his trusty axe, Inkosi-kaas. Quartermain also puts in a good showing, especially as the old sage entangled in palace intrigues charged with amorous feelings and their attendant, homicidal jealousies.
The first third of the book reads quickly, and is packed with action, while the second third gets bogged down in descriptive detail of the lost tribe- its people, customs and the land it occupies. The final third works the reader up to a rousing finish, and we see Mighty Umslopogaas bearing deadly Inkosi-kaas with skill and valor. England nor America could never hope to produce and officer and a gentleman as fine a soldier (and a man) as The Mighty Umslopogaas, who singlehandedly saves the Queen of the Lost Tribe and her kingdom to boot.
In this final outing, Quartermain's age and dering-do finally catch up with him, but he has just enough mettle left in him to save his old friend Captain Good from the greedy paws of the Grim Reaper. And yet, though he lived loudly, Quatermain manages to exit the Stage of Life quietly with his friends Good and Curtis at his side, and by story's end, Good resurrects his sea legs among the Lost Tribe and Sir Henry manages to snare the Queen's heart and hand in marriage. All in all, the reader doesn't feel bad about the ending, and comes away thinking that all worked out as it should have.
High adventure never gets better than this. Haggard wrote at a time when expansionism and imperialism were all the rage, and even then, his book were viewed as sensationalist. Now we know better, or at least we should, but back then, Haggard still managed to give Africa and her people, via The Mighty Umslopogaas, a small slice of dignity that many during his time were reticent to the point of belligerence to give. Haggard's Umslopogaas takes his rightful place in literary history alongside many noble, yet magnificient and exotic savages much like his contemporary, Robert B. Parker's Hawk of the Spenser mysteries, does today.
In sum, this book and the others preceding it, make for good escapist fun, and writers today are hard-pressed to top, let alone equal, these classic masterpieces.
<< 1 >>
|
