নেশা

Allan Quatermain #14

by H. Rider Haggard, Khasru Choudhury (Translator)

ধীরে ধীরে উঠতে লাগল নীল, রহস্যময় ধোঁয়া। ঝাপটা মারলো অ্যালান কোয়াটারমেইনের মুখে।
তারপর?
কার কথা যেন ভেসে আসছে দূর থেকে। মাথা উঁচু করে দাঁড়িয়ে আছে বিশাল হিমবাহ। অদূরে দিগন্তপ্রসারী সাগর। সৈকতের ওপর ছোট ছোট কুটির। সেই কুটির থেকে বেড়িয়ে এলো মানুষ। গাঁয়ে পশুছাল! হাতে বর্শা!
কারা এরা?

Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Fiction, Classics, Historical Fiction, Ebooks, Speculative Fiction

284 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1927

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

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the last of the 14 Allan Quatermain novels that H. Rider Haggard wrote, and completes the loosely linked quartet that began with "Allan and the Holy Flower," continued into "The Ivory Child" and then "The Ancient Allan." (A reading of these earlier books is recommended before going into this one.) In this final book, Quatermain again partakes of the taduki drug, as he did in the previous two novels, and gets to see a previous incarnation of his--when he was Wi, the leader of a small tribe during one of the Ice Ages. The story is simply written but zips along at a brisk pace. There are several terrific action set pieces: Wi's fight with Henga, the previous chief of the tribe; the trapping of the wolf pack; the fight with the sabertooth; the battle with the Redbeards; the showdown with the aurochs; and the final cataclysm. The members of the tribe are sharply and sometimes humorously drawn. (Rudyard Kipling helped Haggard with the planning of this novel.) All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and thank Pulp Fictions UK for bringing it back into print. The great bulk of Haggard's work is currently OUT of print, and that is a real shame...

[নাঈম ইসলাম · Rating 4 out of 5]

আহা তাদুকির নেশায় নেশা ধরে গেলো,
মাথার ভিতরে রহস্যময়ী নারী ললিলার কথা ঘুরছে,
আর প্যাগ সত্যি একটা বুদ্ধিমান চরিত্র ছিলো,
এহা কোন রিভিউ না নিজের অনুভূতি মাত্র।

[Paul Cornelius · Rating 3 out of 5]

So ends the Quatermain series. Not a bad ending, although the return to the time travel theme, all in order to provide a sort of sermon on reincarnation, did wear thin. Everyone seems exhausted in this novel. Allan, his friend, Good, and the recently deceased Lady Ragnall and Hans. I don't know exactly how Haggard himself died. But, as this is one of his posthumously published works, he must have felt his own mortality at hand. Stretching across the aeons, he must have felt a desire for something greater--as it ran through all his works.

Having spent the past two months reading through the Quatermain and Ayesha series, I can say I am surprised. Before reading him, I had dismissed Haggard as being something of a lightweight. He isn't. His writing is not only captivating but full of masterful prose imagery. And he fills his novels with ideas, especially as he seems to be arguing about the merits of religion and the infinite over the entirety of his four decades long writing career.

I'm not sure that I will soon, if ever, have time to return to Quatermain. I shall miss his character, however. It was quite a thrill to see the author grow through life with his most memorable subject. And I'm also struck at how Allan changed and grew through the years. At first, I dismissed him as a stock genre protagonist, into which the reader pours his own perspective, to gain catharsis. I was wrong in that early assessment. For even from the second book onward, from Allan Quartermain, that is, readers were given one long flashback from the point of Allan's death. In Allan and the Ice Gods, a terrible title, Haggard almost brings us all the way round. And in the meantime, we have seen Quatermain grow from an impulsive youth, a romantic young man, and a virile adventurer, to a middle aged skeptic, a father who lost his son, and an elderly man making a tally of his life, wondering where it all leads. Quite a journey.

[Mahatab Rashid · Rating 3 out of 5]

" Ah, taduki. The drug owns us, doesn't it? Addicted to the taste of previous lives we let our current ones go hang."
- Lady Ragnall

অ্যালান কোয়াটেরমেন সিরিজের শেষ বই Allan and the Ice Gods এর অনুবাদ।
শেষবারের মতো তাদুকির নেশায় ডুব দেয় অ্যালান, বন্ধু গুডকে সাথে করে।এবারও এই মোহনীয় নেশা ভুলিয়ে দেয় মানুষের আশেপাশের সব বর্তমান জগৎ, নেশার ঘোরে নিয়ে যায় বহু আগের কোন অন্য-জীবনে।
এরপর শুরু হয় ওয়াই নামের এক আদিম যোদ্ধার কাহিনী। পুরো বইটা প্রাগৈতিহাসিক মানব ওয়াই আর তখনকার প্যালিলিওলিথিক/প্রি-প্যালিলিওলিথিক মানুষের জীবনযুদ্ধ নিয়েই। বন্য নেকড়ের পাল, সেবারটুথ- প্রাগৈতিহাসিক দাঁতালো বাঘ, বিশাল হিংস্র ষাঁড় এর সাথে লড়াই করে সেই মারাত্মক ঝুঁকিপূর্ণ জীবন সংগ্রামে বেঁচে থাকে ওয়াই। দেখা দেয় অসংখ্য প্রতিবন্ধকতা, প্রতিকূলতা; বদলে যায় জীবনের হালচাল, তারপরও এই আদিম যোদ্ধা জীবনকে পাল্লা দিয়ে ছুটে চলে।

রেটিং- ৩.৩

[Suad Canaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a great book, loved the storyline!

Summary: *spoiler alert*
A modern Allan Quatermain takes a drug called the Taduki Herb, which he inherited from his late friend Lady Ragnall. He gets a vision of his past life along with his friend Good. Allan wakes up as Wi, a brave warrior in the Ice Age. His friend Pag, an outcast that was taken as a family by a pack of wolves. Pag creates many new technologies, one of which helps Wi kill the murderer of his daughter Foa, Henga. Wi has a wife called Aaka and a son called Foh. Wi becomes the leader of the tribe Henga ruled over, he adds a rule for monogamy and swears to the "Ice Gods" that he won't break it. A few days pass and Wi finds out there's a tiger attacking and eating the people, they think it's Henga that came back to avenge his death so he set off with Pag to kill it. Pag dressed as a tiger and went off to distract the tiger. After much struggle, they killed the tiger. Wi comes back to the tribe to hand over the tiger and decides to wander off alone to thank the gods for what they did. On the beach, he finds a gorgeous woman inside a boat sleeping. he took her back to the village where men fell in love and women envied her. She was called Laleela, she was breathtaking, wore modern clothing, and had modern technologies. Pag was interested in knowing more about her and protected her. Soon enough she learned the language and told Wi and Pag that she was the daughter of a great ruler that died and was being forced to marry her uncle whom she hated; so she ran away. She traveled on the boat and followed the directions she saw in a dream/vision. The tribe asked Pag to kill Laleela because they believed she was a witch and brought a curse on them since there was very little food. Pag refused because she's the one Wi loves and he wouldn't betray his friend. Suddenly the tribe got attacked by a tribe of red-bearded warriors and they win. turns out Laleela warned the tribe about the red beards and she jumped in the direction of an arrow that was aimed at Wi. The tribe still didn't like her and ordered Wi to choose to sacrifice Laleela or one of his household. He offers himself for the sacrifice, and they go to the ice mountain. Ngae, the priest, hated Wi and tried to sabotage the tribe into actually wanting to kill him. Suddenly ice started to fall on them, instantly killing Ngae. Wi ran away and got on the boat with his family, trying to run away from the avalanches. Alan's vision ended and he discusses his experience with Good and they figure out that Good was Moananga; Wi's brother. Alan is Wi and Laleela is Lady Ragnall.

[Trounin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Последнее приключение Аллана – оно же самое первое. Снова под воздействием галлюциногенов он отправился в прошлое, теперь уже самое далёкое – в пещерные времена. Он забыл о том, кто он есть – ему лишь было ведомо: он – угнетаемый человек, лишившийся дочери, должный выйти на поединок и одержать верх или навсегда быть изгнанным из племени. Так начинается история вождя-реформатора, стремившегося отойти от заветов предков, внести в общество преобразования. Хотел он дать право каждому заботиться о благополучии племени, ратовал за отмену многобрачия. Хотел дать женщинам равные права с мужчинами. Но пещерное общество не оказалось способно быстро перестроиться, вследствие чего жизнь вождя обратилась в необходимость бороться с сохранявшейся верой в роковое значение Ледяных богов. И когда на племя начнут надвигаться льды, повинным окажется он – Древний Аллан. Читатель так и заключит: как бы не заблуждалось общество, его погубят людские предрассудки, мешающие адекватно воспринимать действительность.

(c) Trounin

[John Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allan Quatermain is one of Rider Haggard's most popular characters, and in this tale he narrates the story of the Ice Age warrior Wi (who may or may not be an earlier incarnation of Allan). Wi lives in a trile in the frozen lands of the north, where perpetual winter is slowly killed his tribe. He is forced to lead them in an attempt to rebuild, but the arrival of a blonde woman from warmer climes convinces the tribe that she's a witch, and the cause of all her problems. Wi is ordered to kill her...

This is obviously one of the prototypes for the more recent best-seller "Clan of the Cave Bear', though it's far more realistic, and definitely hugely enjoyable. Have fun!

[Joel Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last couple of Quatermain books, I feel as though I have been the victim of a bait and switch by the author. I am expecting a book about the character, Allan Quatermain, which I know and love. Though the book starts and finishes with Quatermain the rest is a vision of another character in another time period.

Really, Haggard has written a novel with an entirely different character and bookended it with Quatermain in order to capitalize on his most popular character/series. This would make me mad if I hadn't enjoyed the story in between so much.

[Micah Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Haggard is an incredible writer of colorful characters and adventure. There's a bit of a different tone here that makes me wonder if it's Rudyard Kipling's influence, since he unofficially collaborated with his friend on this. The Witch from the Sea is one of Haggard's fascinating women, who, like someone said of painter Frank Frazetta's goddesses, "have a history behind them." Laleela doesn't get hers as worked out as Ayesha of "She" did over two prequel novels, but I think it's for the better because Laleela gets to retain her mystery. The details are more elliptic, but you get that sense of more beyond that tip that's showing on the surface. For anyone wanting more (this was the end of the line for Allan Quatermain, and, I think, Haggard), Philip Jose Farmer picked up a couple of loose strands here for his Ancient Opar series (finished in collaboration with Christopher Paul Carey) which included his take on Laleela -- and a wild one it is!

[Linda Cockrill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love

I have really liked the Allan quartermaine books...this one has Allan taking a little weed trip to a previous life. This book was a little easier to read than She...not quite so up in the air on some astonishing task or other. Will be reading more Allan Quartermaine and H. Rider Haggard books

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty fast read. Despite the setting, it was alright (I'm not a fan of "pre-historic" yarns with no technology; etc). The main selling point here is that Allan does acid (or a fictional version - tadukic acid diethylamide). When he does, he goes back in time in a lucid dream like state and witnesses life through his ancestor - which can vaguely happen IRL via the administration of psychedelic or entheogenic substances. So it was fairly realistic. Allan smokes it with his friend Good, who appears as his brother in the flashback. I'd like to read more Allan. In fact, I should have read them in order but I didn't, and this was the last one. Can't say I'd recommend, because it's a more "specialized" series (who has the time for all that?) but it was a pleasant read. Anyone could have fun with it.

[Rakibul Dolon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting at the beginning, the rest is boring.

[Darinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

The 14th book in the Allan Quatermain series. Entertaining.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I need something that doesn't make think a whole lot (not really a beach read, a little substance but not too demanding), I frequently turn to H. Rider Haggard. "Allan Quatermain and the Ice Gods" was not dissaspointing as a vacation read.

First, the technicalities. I truly did not read the edition that you see here. What I have is "The Complete H. Rider Haggard Anthology - The Complete Novels and Short Stories" which was published as a e-book by ByBliotech in 2013. The editing in the collection is pretty good, and, what few illustrations are included (most look like what would have been included in the original publications - very late Victorian/Edwardian, coming up on Art Deco), show up pretty well on my Kindle Paperwhite.

In this novel, Allan dips again into his Taduki, a vision-inducing substance that he has previously shared with a lady friend. Since Taduki is apparently a social drug, Allan invites his adventurous friend, Good, who we remember from "King Solomon's Mines," to join him. The vision takes Allan back to prehistoric times, where he takes on the character of Wi, a noble savage and hunter, who wins the leadership of his Ice Age tribe at the urging of his wife by killing the existing tyrant with the help of his deformed servant Pag the Wolfman. Good appears in the story as Wi's brother and partner-in-adventure Moananga. It's a rollicking good story decorated by Haggard's use of high-flown descriptive language and sharply defined morality. If I could, I would give it a 3.5 - it's better than a 3 but not quite a 4.

[Danny M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do not want to go too much into the storyline for fear of giving away the ending, but there are additional novels involving Allan Allan Quatermain. The review will apply to basically all the novels in the Allan Quatermain series. The interesting part is that after finishing the novel Allan Quatermain you would think the story ends, but it does not. The novels are about three privileged Englishmen who, out of life's boredom, head over to Africa for a little adventure. When reading the books you have to remember the time period in which they written. The novel is full of racist remarks, and is delightfully politically incorrect by today's standards. The novel is thrilling, fun and easy to read, full of adventure and exciting exploits. Like King Solomon's Mine, all the continue with plenty of fighting, romance, and excitement. The novels are like reading a previous version of Indiana Jones books. The novels are very easy to read, and very entertaining. The novels were written and take place over 100 years ago, and gives you a picture of life in Africa during that time. All the novels are worth reading!!!

The author Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE (22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. His books were the precursor to the Indiana Jones Novels.

[Vanessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll read anything Haggard has written. This was a fun adventure story.

[Penelope · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining adventure story.

[Nile · Rating 4 out of 5]

A journey to the past......a book to remember

[Shaid Zaman · Rating 5 out of 5]

আমার এ পর্যন্ত পড়া অন্যতম সেরা উপন্যাস। এই বইটা নেশা ধরিয়ে দেওয়ার মতো একটা বই। হ্যাগারড আমার সবথেকে প্রিয় লেখকদের মধ্যে একজন।