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Title: King Solomon's Mines (Oxford World's Classics) by H. Rider Haggard, Dennis Butts ISBN: 0-19-283485-1 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: July, 1998 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.54 (37 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: In it's class, five stars!
Comment: I formerly rated this one at only four stars since it lacks "gravitas" and is basically a pure, escapist tale. I thought that made it too light for the heady draught of five star-ism. But on reflection I think I was too harsh. The book does have staying power in my memory. So here goes.
Surely a classic, this was Haggard's first foray into the literary field -- to prove he could do it better than some of his contemporaries. Having spent time in South Africa as a minor civil servant, he drew on his experiences of that land to impart a feel for the country in this short, but by no means small, tale of treasure hunting and adventure among unknown and exotic peoples. This is the story of an over the hill "white hunter" taken into the service of two English gentlemen seeking the brother of one of them, who had disappeared years before on the edge of a great desert in vain (or perhaps not so vain) pursuit of the fabled mines of King Solomon. Along the way they are joined by an enigmatic native guide who is much more than what he seems as they stumble across previously unexplored (at least by Europeans) tracts of Africa and into a lost nation related, apparently, to the Zulus of southern Africa whom the English of that day so feared and respected. Drawn at once into the internal politics of these people and overawing them w/their European technology, they are soon in deadly peril from the cruel king of that country and the evil sorceress who conspires behind his throne.
But there's no use telling too much of a tale like this in a review -- the interested reader is urged to read it for him or herself. It's adventure in strange parts, for those with a taste to see how the great ones, like Haggard, did it.
Rating: 5
Summary: The ORIGINAL Indiana Jones!
Comment: It's really too bad that most children who love the adventures of Indiana Jones have probably never read (or even heard of) Allan Quatermain and KING SOLOMON'S MINES. This is where it all started! Haggard's first novel chronicles the adventures of Quatermain (okay, so maybe he's not as cool as Indiana Jones), Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good as they search South Africa for Sir Henry's brother, who has vanished while searching for King Solomon's treasure.
The novel is the real treasure. The story, while obviously written many years ago (1885), is still fresh and exciting. It was fun to discover this story as a 38-year old kid! Any age will enjoy it. And what a great adventure story to read to your kids instead of taking them to the latest action/adventure junker playing at your local theatre.
Rating: 5
Summary: If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked.
Comment: I grew up on the movie so it was quit a shocker to read the book. As stated in the beginning there are no petticoated women in this book. It is a men's adventure written by a man for men. You can not miss the hand of H. Rider Haggard as he has a unique sense of humor that pops up at the strangest times. He may be a little verbose but every word has a use. And as with written stories this one is much more intricate than the movie adaptations. You will find many assumptions of the time such as any complex construction must have been built by white people and natives on their own may turn savage.
The story is told first person by Allan Quartermain. Nevil is off to make his fortune by finding King Solomon's lost diamond mines. Allan sends him a map to help. This is the last anyone heard from Nevil. Turns out that Nevil is really the estranged brother of Henry Curtis. Sir Henry Curtis now wants to make amends and he with his friend Captain John Good, bribe Allan Quartermain to take them across an endless desert and trough impassible mountains to an adventure that will hold you to the very end. Along with them is their self imposed helper Umbopa who carries a secret of his own.
If you get a chance to also hear the recording, an added plus is narration by John Richmond; He brings the characters to life and adds to the mystique that this story has been passed down.
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Title: The Picture of Dorian Gray by OSCAR WILDE, JEFFREY EUGENIDES ISBN: 0375751513 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 01 June, 1998 List Price(USD): $7.95 |
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Title: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne ISBN: 0812550927 Publisher: Tor Classics Pub. Date: 15 October, 1995 List Price(USD): $3.99 |
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Title: The Invisible Man by H. G. Wells ISBN: 0486270718 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 05 February, 1992 List Price(USD): $2.00 |
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Title: The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson ISBN: 0486266885 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 01 January, 1991 List Price(USD): $1.00 |
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Title: Dracula by Bram Stoker, Leonard Wolf ISBN: 0451523377 Publisher: Signet Pub. Date: October, 1997 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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