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The great man of Africa strides out with two more adventures
This is the third volume of the collected adventures of Allan Quatermain-hunter, trader, explorer and adventurer-set once again in the exotic landscape of nineteenth century South East Africa at a time when the continent was still truly 'dark'. Quatermain here ventures once more into the ever perilous lands of the mighty Zulu nation and there in 'The Child of the Storm', the first tale in this book he finds himself embroiled with a femme fatale, intrigue, treachery, sorcery and a battle for the throne of the kingship of the Zulu nation which erupts in into full scale civil war. In the second story 'Allan and the Holy Flower', our hero finds himself on the potentially more gentle activity of the quest for a rare orchid. Perhaps predictably that also involves conflict with slavers, abductions, fierce tribes, cannibalism and a demon god in the form of a giant gorilla.
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Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE (22 June 1856 - 14 May 1925) was an English author. He wrote adventure novels in exotic settings, chiefly colonial Africa, where he lived, worked and travelled for several years. Professor JRR Tolkien greatly enjoyed Haggard's novels, in particular 'She' (1887) and 'Eric Brighteyes' (1891). Fantasy author H.P. Lovecraft, too, praised Haggard. Several of Haggard's books contain references to volcanoes. Reading them, one is reminded of Tolkien's descriptions of Mount Doom. In 'She', Haggard depicts marshlands reminiscent of the Dead Marshes in The Lord of the Rings. Haggard's protagonists, like Tolkien's, make long journeys, endure painful ordeals, travel underground and are often swept into wars. They encounter beings who are either impossibly long-lived or immortal. Landscape, rock formations and geography play a vital role in Haggard's adventures, as they do in Tolkien's work. To 21st century readers, some of Haggard's work may seem 'politically incorrect'. He was a man of his time, as we are people of ours. His books are not devoid of racism, sexism and ruthless exploitation of wild animals; it is best, however, to with-hold judgement and not allow it to spoil the pleasure of reading literary classics.
