H. Rider Haggard "King Solomon’s Mines" 6-Volume Matching Set, Leather-Bound Limited Edition [Sealed]

King Solomon's Mines is the 1885 adventure novel by H. Rider Haggard, considered a foundational work of the "lost world" genre, following Allan Quatermain and companions on a perilous expedition into unexplored Africa.

Norwalk, CT. Easton Press 2005. H. Rider Haggard "King Solomon’s Mines" Limited Edition. Six volume complete matching set. Luxuriously bound in full genuine leather with 22kt gold accents. The set features hubbed spines, distinctive cover designs, and beautiful illustrations. This collection is now Out Of Print by the publisher.

The first six novels of literature's classic adventurer, Allan Quatermain.

Each volume features a full-color frontispiece of the beautifully restored, vintage dust-jacket artwork.

Six volume set in one shipment:

1. King Solomon's Mines [Sealed]

2. Allan Quatermain: being an account of his further adventures and discoveries in company with Sir henry Curtis Bart. Commander John Good R.N. and one Umslopogaas [Sealed]

3. Allan's Wife [Sealed]

4. Maiwa's Revenge [Sealed]

5. Marie: An episode in the life of the late Allan Quatermain [Sealed]

6. Child of Storm [Sealed]

King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines is an 1885 adventure novel by H. Rider Haggard, considered a foundational work of the "lost world" genre, following Allan Quatermain and companions on a perilous expedition into unexplored Africa to find a missing man and the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon. The story is famous for its thrilling plot, featuring tribal warfare, dangerous landscapes, and the villainous witch Gagool, and it established Quatermain as a popular character in a series of subsequent novels.

Key aspects of the novel:

Plot: A group, including the narrator Allan Quatermain, searches for Sir Henry Curtis's missing brother, George, who disappeared while seeking the fabled mines.

Genre: It's a landmark "lost world" adventure, pioneering the genre with its depiction of an uncharted African interior.

Characters: Key figures include the seasoned hunter Allan Quatermain, the determined Sir Henry Curtis, Captain John Good, and the malevolent witch Gagool.

Themes: The novel explores themes of adventure, treasure hunting, colonialism, and the clash between European and African cultures, though some portrayals of African people are now seen as problematic.

Legacy: It was a massive bestseller and the first of many books featuring Allan Quatermain, making it a classic of Victorian adventure fiction.

H. Rider Haggard

Sir Henry Rider Haggard KBE (22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure fiction romances set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the lost world literary genre.[1] He was also involved in land reform throughout the British Empire. His stories, situated at the lighter end of Victorian literature and including the eighteen Allan Quatermain stories beginning with King Solomon's Mines, continue to be popular and influential.

Writing career

After returning to England in 1882, Haggard published a book on the political situation in South Africa, as well as a handful of unsuccessful novels, before writing King Solomon's Mines. He accepted a 10 percent royalty rather than £100 for the copyright.

A sequel soon followed entitled Allan Quatermain, followed by She and its sequel Ayesha, swashbuckling adventure novels set in the context of the Scramble for Africa (although the action of Ayesha happens in Tibet). The hugely popular King Solomon's Mines is sometimes considered the first of the Lost World genre. She is generally considered to be one of the classics of imaginative literature, and with 83 million copies sold by 1965, it is one of the best-selling books in history. He also wrote Nada the Lily (a tale of adventure among the Zulus) and the epic Viking romance Eric Brighteyes.

His novels portray many of the stereotypes associated with colonialism, yet they are unusual for the degree of sympathy with which the indigenous populations are portrayed. Africans often play heroic roles in the novels, although the protagonists are typically European. Notable examples are the heroic Zulu warrior Umslopogaas, and Ignosi, the rightful king of Kukuanaland, in King Solomon's Mines. Having developed an intense mutual friendship with the three Englishmen who help him regain his throne, he accepts their advice and abolishes witch-hunts and arbitrary capital punishment.

Haggard also wrote about agricultural and social reform, in part inspired by his experiences in Africa, but also based on what he saw in Europe. At the end of his life, he was a staunch opponent of Bolshevism, a position that he shared with his friend Rudyard Kipling. The two had bonded upon Kipling's arrival at London in 1889, largely on the strength of their shared opinions, and remained lifelong friends.