The Books on Adventures of Allan Quatermain and Related to Them.

In the years 2015 and 2016, I’ve been familiarized with books of adventures of Allan Quatermain which were written by Henry Rider Haggard. His character is involved in twelve novels, two novellas and four short stories. These compositions also cross with other writer’s famous character She who presents in four novels. Among all these works a one is common for these two personages which meet there and it calls She and Allan. Also Nada the Lily and The Ghost Kings have connection by some characters. Overall, it makes seventeen novels. I didn’t read all of them but I want to do it. I am not familiar with She though made such aspiration and I’ve got a reduced edition in doing loaning. I almost completed with Allan Quartermain and Nada the Lily. I took out my records through which I’ll tell on mine impressions about these books. Sadly, I didn’t detect notes on a second novel which names Allan Quartermain, Nada the Lily and short story Magepa the Buck. But I remember what they about.

King Solomon’s Mines (1885)

I was hyped by reading. Here, the love for adventures tells, which you crave and seek in reality. The uncharted Africa with their tribes and secrets hidden within them. The elaborated characters, each with their own personalities, which are likeable because disputes arise throughout the story. Henry Rider Haggard managed to fully convey the tone of narration through the main character Allan Quatermain. The high quality of such literature is confirmed by time. I didn’t turn the first page, but I already instantly immersed in this book. And despite the fact that it wasn't hard for me to guess what will happen in the cave, it didn't spoil the experience at all. The describing of all unknown, mystery and experienced shock alongside with heroes evoked in me worry and joy which I had from the resolution of their misadventures, as well as from realism of the book and the characters who are humans and not whatever fantastical supermen. Haggard has a wonderful style on which I want to point to that he such well describes battles.

The Holy Flower (1915)

The book remains in the same spirit as King Solomon’s Mines. You experience rapture from the adventures, learning about African tribes that are quite similar to Native Americans, and you worry for fully believable characters and the unpredictability of the narrative. An author constantly makes intriguing plot twists. But there are also annoying moments (say in forward, the first and the second points apply to King Solomon's Mines as well.) though they are not serious. I list them: 1) Quite often, the descriptions of negative characters come by Lombroso. 2) A twist of a solitary lightning flash is used several times to heighten dramatization. 3) For most of the book, a hero says about ineptitude of Arabs as marksmen when they are hiding, and at the end, they are antithetically characterized as "accurate shooters." These devices worthy of pulp fiction did not spoil the narrative, and it must be said how excellently Haggard describes battles, which makes me eager for new adventures of Allan Quatermain who is also known as Macumazahn.

The Ivory Child (1916)

I was grabbed as always. Another unknown tribes and returning of need to improve a financial state due to failures in commerce which was funded on money from the previous adventure. I’m so in solidarity with his friend Hans, it is a blessing that they both found themselves in dire straits. Because he grew tired of milking cows on his bought farm. Of all the books I've read, The Ivory Child turned out with a touch of tragedy. There I received how strong a true friendship, especially since they have had to participate more than once in the battles together. And I always loved in the books a presence of unsightly little sorcery.

Gladly, there are no elements of "device thunder" or Lombroso’s portraits, and despite on immersion and empathy, Haggard could have shown more diligence in enriching the describing and not don’t repeat specific plot details after few strokes. That’s very noticeable by a structure of text which composed of short paragraphs.

The Ancient Allan (1920)

The plot takes place after King Solomon's Mines with a wealthy Allan Quatermain. Everything was enticing until the main character and wife of now-deceased lord sniffed tobacco, which transported them through various ancient times where they saw their past lives and eventually reached some period in Ancient Egypt. Haggard made a huge mistake regarding reincarnation. It doesn’t write in. While sorcery from a mystical level became transparent and obvious in The Ancient Allan. The ancient Egyptians reason too modernly (in accordance with the end of the nineteenth century). A final battle also didn’t make it due to author's lack of effort in the description. Overall, the process of vision turned out a completely implausible. A noticeable of writing in it has no short paragraphs.

Maiwa’s Revenge: or, The War of the Little Hand (1888)

A novella hasn’t sophistication in plot as the books but it’s a captivating story how one incident made a big conflict which is exciting. Though the last could have more detailed describing. Maiwa’s Revenge: or, The War of the Little Hand appeared after King Solomon's Mines and Allan Quatermain. The author will write Allan’s Wife and Other Tales in the next year which contains novella Allan’s Wife and three short stories about lead hero. After this, Henry Rider Haggard would return to his adventurer in Africa twenty-three years later.

Magepa the Buck (1912)

A short story in which Haggard does sharp writing in narrating on Quatermain’s acquaintance with one tribe warrior.

Finished (1917)

In this book, a protagonist will be involved in Anglo-Zulu War. The presenting real historical events and figures do adorning for a story, which began with Allan going with his new friend Maurice Anscombe to hunt bulls, but it became clashes with wild tribes, escapes, hiding, and, as always, the mysterious actions of supernatural forces appear again. Finished is the third book in Haggard's Zulu cycle. The previous two are Marie (1912) and Child of Storm (1913), which, unfortunately, I hadn’t opportunity to read. A trilogy takes attention on the African sorcerer Zikali who has against to Zulu Kingdom. The writer accurately describes historical events (he even hopes in preface that he didn’t make any mistakes.) and conveniently integrating them into the narrative. A main character participates in the battle of Isandlwana, which became the largest defeat for English people in Anglo-Zulu War by losing more than two-thirds of engaged army. There was more interesting to read how Macumazahn could not escape battlefield with everyone else and had to wait alone on the sidelines until Zulus left the area before he could move out. I loved when Allan took in an officer's dog after that and gave to her a wonderful name Lost. Haggard does not skimp in describing. He also succeeded in portraying characters without placing them in limits of good and evil. There turned out ambiguous. No Lombroso villains in this time. In some ways, you support Zulus and same do to Englishmen and somewhere you’re categorical toward both. But in the end, I always came to resolution. The author in explanations for the obscure words, as he thinks, adds color and interest from perspective that there were written a hundred and ten years ago.

The Treasure of the Lake (1926)

I approached to adventures of Quatermain written in the 1920s with danger by looking at the official chronology, which is confusing itself as that reveals. It seemed an action takes place before The Holy Flower. A storyline of a book is not such interesting because raises many questions and it has less mystery. The telling on traditions, worldview and religion which based on the stars of yet another unexplored tribe is beautifully depicted, but a fact that they can control weather and that reincarnation exists does known spoiling of atmosphere. The book has two Negroes Tom and Jerry (named after the characters from 1821 book Life in London, which became a household name in the XIXth century meaning a "rebellious youthful spirit” and that is quite probable inspired William Hanna and Joseph Barbera to create a famous animated series) which appeared in The Holy Flower. Quatermain notes in The Treasure of the Lake that he met them at first time while in The Holy Flower he informs that he already knew them. Yet, for some reason, both will be killed in 1926 composition whereas only Jerry meets a fatal end in The Holy Flower. Also Hans isn’t alike on himself. Since when has cynicism been added to his wisdom?

Allan and the Ice-gods (1927)

I was eager to finish it. You are completely convinced in that the adventures of an African hunter from England written in the 1920s were unnecessary. A theme of reincarnation is still touched upon. Allan inhales magical herbs again and sees through the eyes of a primitive man (by the way, an idea for entire novel was proposed by Rudyard Kipling.). In this drug addiction vein could be made more than one book (the main character notes a presence of thirteen bundles in beginning.), but Haggard died two years before work was published. With such plot device and iconic name Allan Quatermain can take any era and write whatever you want. Speaking on a story of Allan and the Ice-gods separately, it is not engaging due to personages have similar traits taken from real world from which Allan Quatermain is. A primitive society which a brave lead character transforms into modern civilization. Moreover, the author didn’t strive to maintain a good style in writing as in anything other and he shows an open goal in making money on Allan Quatermain. I don’t think, that any other book on Macumazahn will worst then this adventure. Throughout the text, Haggard repeats what he said before and does not aspire for accuracy. However, I was without optimism to this book before reading.

Allan Quatermain (1887)

A second book, which Haggard wrote about legendary protagonist, is a final adventure of Allan Quatermain. A circumstance brings back to Africa for what will to many magnificent discoveries and combats. There will a calm period on which stance an old warrior Umslopogaas beautifully says and part of it is, “I love not this soft life in stone houses that takes the heart out of a man, and turns his strength to water and his flesh to fat.” A story amazes in intrigues and concludes on mighty ending.

Nada the Lily (1892)

A book occurs from conquering by merciless Shaka to ruling by his half-brother Dingaan and they both become central figures in narration in which Umslopogaas is a main hero. Nada the Lily is a gritty story and contains multiple cruel acts. Haggard did topnotch as a writer by making violent episodes reasonable, you don’t see an intention to shock readers. Sometimes such places become as flabbergasting twists. It’s an intriguing story in which real persons were masterfully interweaved.

I wasn’t tantalized by any other book of Henry Rider Haggard which outside of Allan Quatermain and has connection to it. He wrote novels by taking set in different epochs but it was always another ordinary love story as revealed in research. I only rely that my fervent wish to read what I still want willn’t take a big time.