Рудниците на цар Соломон. Алан Куотърмейн

Allan Quatermain #1-2

by H. Rider Haggard, Хенри Райдър Хагард

”Аз..., който сега умирам в една малка пещера..., пиша настящето със собствената си кръв в лето господне 1590 с парче кост върху къс от дрехата си... Ако това стигне до знанието на краля и войската му прекоси пустинята и планината, ако срази храбрите кукуани и се справи с техните дяволски магии, той ще стане най-богатият крал от времето на Соломона.”

”Да отида пак там, при дивите животни да се върна в страната, чиято история никой не знае, пак при туземците, които обичам, въпреки че някои от тях са почти така безмилостни, както политическата икономия.” (из Дневника на Алан Куотърмейн)
Хенри Райдър Хагард (1856-1929) издава ”Рудниците на цар Соломон”, ненавършил още 30 години. Само за няколко дни вече е известен писател. Разказаната (уж) от ловеца Алан Куотърмейн невероятна история става причина младият автор да бъде буквално затрупан от писма с молба да съобщи къде точно е мястото на описаните събития.
Така достоверно изглеждало всичко за читателите от края на миналия век. А ето че и в края на нашия романът продължавада се чете с нестихващ интерес.
Две години след ”Рудниците на цар Соломон” Хенри Райдър Хагард (1856-1929) пише продължение, като го нарича ”Алан Куотърмейн” – толкова голяма е вече популярността на ловеца, от чието име авторът разказва още по-фантастични приключения из сърцето на Африка. А той познава отлично Южна Африка, защото 19-годишен попада там като служител в колониалната администрация, става свидетел на бурни събития, живее сред местните племена, наблюдава природата и нравите. Чудно ли е тогава, че така добре описва туземците, че така дълбоко ги уважава?

Genres: Fiction, Classics, Adventure, Africa, Fantasy

356 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1887

About the author

Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and the creator of the Lost World literary genre. His stories, situated at the lighter end of the scale of Victorian literature, continue to be popular and influential. He was also involved in agricultural reform and improvement in the British Empire.

His breakout novel was King Solomon's Mines (1885), which was to be the first in a series telling of the multitudinous adventures of its protagonist, Allan Quatermain.

Haggard was made a Knight Bachelor in 1912 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919. He stood unsuccessfully for Parliament as a Conservative candidate for the Eastern division of Norfolk in 1895. The locality of Rider, British Columbia, was named in his memory.

Reviews

[Metodi Markov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Брутално добри приключенски романи, разкриващи ни една загадъчна, непозната и дива Африка!

Четени и препрочитани многократно!

[Emiliya Bozhilova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Два зашеметяващо любими романи от тинейджърските ми години. Заради такива като тях днес съм алергична към съвременния Young Adult, който е плосък като тепсия на фона на тези направо архаични, но пък адски живи приключенски истории и техните герои, по чиито стъпки ти се иска да хукнеш и да откриеш тайните на света.

В “Рудниците на Цар Соломон” имаме класическото бяло петно в географията и историята, което само след много упоритост и дързост разкрива изчезнало племе, магии и древно съкровище.

В “Алън Куотърмейн” към бялото петно добавяме и любовен триъгълник с две кралици, гражданска война, и драмата до последната страница е в кърпа вързана.

Хагард си разбира от занаята - постарал се е сериозно в тези несериозни сюжети, и те са му се отплатили, като си живеят в читателските сърца вече към столетие.

[Велислав Върбанов · Rating 5 out of 5]

Две великолепни приключенски истории! „Рудниците на цар Соломон“ и продължението „Алън Куотърмейн“ пренасят читателите на изключително вълнуващи и изпълнени с опасности пътешествия из дивите африкански земи...

[Мариша · Rating 4 out of 5]

Хубав приключенски роман, не ми доскуча нито страница

[Nipun Garg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a page turner! It was not a book which was exceptionally different from the other books in it's genre, but there was something about this book that made me love it so much. Once I picked it up, I didn't drop it till the end. I had a life, and this book stole it all!

[Manoj Unnikrishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the name suggests, this single volume contains two novels - King Solomon's Mines and Allan Quatermain. Both these novels are part of Haggard's famous Allan Quatermain series. H. Rider Haggard is a great Victorian adventure writer who mainly wrote about thrilling accounts of Africa's unknown regions. These decent novels fall into the adventure genre written in the 19th century.

When first published in London, King Solomon's Mines was said to be The Most Amazing Book Ever Written. I can relate it to some of the Indiana Jones films. In this novel, the adventurer Allan Quatermain is approached by a wealthy Sir Henry Curtis and his friend Captain John Good asking for his assistance in finding his lost brother who went on a journey to find the lost treasure of King Solomon in a mysterious African land named Kukuanaland. Quatermain ensures them his help, and the trio sets on a journey to this mysterious place to find the lost brother and the lost treasure. They take a Zulu native named Umbopa along with them. Together they reach Kukuanaland and are confronted with a party of Kukuana warriors. The rest of the story develops into a wonderful mix of adventure, war, bravery, and friendship.

In Allan Quatermain, the trio is again set on a journey to Africa to find a race of White People unknown to the civilized world. The reason for this journey is the thirst for adventure after Quatermain loses his only son due to an illness. Thus detached from the outer world, they go into Africa's wilderness with a native called Umslopogaas, a great warrior. At the end of their journey, they find the mysterious kingdom of Zu-Vendi, ruled by the twin sisters Nyleptha and Sorais, unfolded before them. Then follows the unexpected events, including love, betrayal, war, and the eternal friendship between Quatermain, Curtis, and Good. Finally, the story ends with the death of Quatermain.

Both these novels are similar to some extent. In King Solomon's Mines, their journey is to find a lost person. In Allan Quatermain, the reason is to find the meaning of life after losing one person. Both novels have a native helper for the trio - Umbopa in the first and Umslopogaas in the second. There are so many indications of social discrimination between white and black people. Haggard has given many unknown facts about Africa and its people to the world. Overall this is a good read.

[T. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Е, този свят не е добър - никой не може да твърди обратното освен онези, които доброволно затварят очите си за фактите. Как мо-же да е добър един свят, в който парите са движещата сила и соб-ственият интерес - пьтеводна звезда? Не е чудно, че е толкова лош, а е чудно, че все още е останало нещо добро в него.
И все пак сега, когато животьт ми свършва, радвам се, че живях, радвам се, че съм познал топлината на женската любов, радвам се, че съм чул смеха на малките деца, че сьм видял сльнцето, луната и звездите, че сьм чувствувал върху лицето си солената целувка на мо-рето и че съм наблюдавал дивеча да слиза към водата на лунната светлина. Но не бих искал да живея още.
-1885-

Хм…..

[Lysergius · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was particularly impressed by the cavalier way in which the protagonists slaughtered the wild animals for fun. No sign of extinction then eh? Otherwise the tales are really quite pedestrian and no where as exciting as when I first read them. So many of the attitudes presented by the characters are outdated such that they make for quite painful reading. Truly the sun never sets on the British Empire and all the savages contained therein.

[avamoore2608 · Rating 1 out of 5]

it's funny how colleges assign this book in an effort to 'decolonise the curriculum' when it is quite literally a country about Africa written by a white coloniser in the ultimate racist and imperialist viewpoint 😀

[Юлиана Юрукова · Rating 4 out of 5]

Увлекателна и динамична книга, която по авантюристичен начин разкрива непреходната примитивна природа на човека независимо от епохата и местоположението...

[Kev · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bit of a slog to finish, bit racist, like a poor Indiana Jones...

[Jaime Montoya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Has been written in direct and funny prose , this book is very entertained from the beginning. you will amaze by the things mankind can devise to obtain the “yellow iron“ and the “bright stones”.

[Borislav Germanov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Изключително приятна за четене ....

[Leonor · Rating 4 out of 5]

He leído el primero.Quatermain es el último de la saga así que aún faltan muchos por leer entre medias.

[Рамон Меркадер · Rating 2 out of 5]

Наивна и предсказуема, на ниво детско-юношеска литература.

[Ангел · Rating 5 out of 5]

Страхотно невероятно приключение. Много се забавлявах, като книгата ми донесе изключителна наслада. Препоръчвам!

[Bmw800 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick classic adventure read. A bit dated, for sure, but what I imagine my great grandparents and grandparent’s generation read as kids.

[Dusty Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had no frame of reference for what this book was about before reading. I think it’s a good read if you like fictional treasure hunting books.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wild charimsatic tale.

[Sara Tsukiko · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best I've read so far (´ ▽｀).。ｏ♡

[Etnagigante · Rating 3 out of 5]

King Solomon's Mines shows us the adventures of three Englishmen looking for one of the greatest treasure of all the time: diamonds in King Solomon's Mines. The pretended author of the journey, Hunter Quatermain, and his companions Sir Henry Curtis and Captain Good found and won a ruleless old tribe in the heart of Africa, finally discovering the Mines.

Allan Quatermain is the sequel of the above novel. The three adventures tried to find an old and white race in the heart of Africa. Going through several dangers the party is able to discover a population isolated from the rest of the world and with ancient habits.

Both the novel has as a counterpart of English gentlemen a brave and very skilled black man, from Zulu people, that is presented as a sort of old king among people and very useful in the devastating and cruel battles we can read in the two novels.

[Calista · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has some old ideas and some of it so disgusted me. They speak of how they kill a heard of elephants for sport and the tusks. - Disgusting. The battle part bored me greatly. Mostly, I wanted the book to just move along. I know many adventure books after this like Tarzan and other hollywood fare have built of this book and maybe that's why it seems to tired. It was interesting to read a book from a different time period, but I can't say I really enjoyed the book. It had amusing moments is the best I can say. It wasn't terrible either - well written and always nice to hear that British touch.

[Mitchell Roberts · Rating 3 out of 5]

Among the greatest of the 'lost world' and adventure stories, lead by one of the most memorable of Victorian pulp heroes, Haggard's two greatest works, and his enduring adventurer Allan Quartermain, continue to enthral over 100 years after their original appearance. Though the hidden civilizations of the ancient African plains are portrayed in the dated mode of the Noble Savage, the heart of the tale and the amusing lead figures maintain these stories' position as among the best in the adventure vein.

[Claire Gilligan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totally picked this up because I wanted to get to know Sean Connery's character from the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, and was not disappointed. A bit slow at first, it became just an enjoyable adventure story with great characters and some memorable points! Recommended for anyone who likes this sort of 19th-century adventure story--or, honestly, anyone who likes sci-fi (because the Africa imagined here is as much like another world...).

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love classics. This is a great adventure story. If you like things really P.C., you will probably not like it.

[Ginny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Adventure story

[Carol Ratto · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, well-written, old-world story!!! It was a fun read.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book.

[Julian Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thrilling classic adventure tale. This is what a good Indiana Jones novel should be like. Quatermain is a perfect hero for this amazing ride.

[Nile · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two books are among the bests I have ever read!! Probably the best from HRH also.