King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard

(4 User reviews)   382
By Jason Bauer Posted on Jan 12, 2026
In Category - Classic Humor
Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925 Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925
English
Ever wonder where those 'lost treasure' adventure stories got their start? Meet Allan Quatermain, a hunter who's seen it all—until a desperate man offers him a map to the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon. This isn't just about gold; it's a rescue mission across unmapped deserts and deadly mountains. Forget modern thrillers—this 1885 novel is the real deal, the granddaddy of Indiana Jones. It’s a race against nature, hostile tribes, and sheer human greed. If you’ve ever wanted to escape into a world where every page could hold a new danger, start here. It’s pure, old-fashioned adventure that still feels fresh.
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History, Commerce, Art, &c., of this celebrated and interesting nation. Kenrick, making a free use of the stores of knowledge thus accumulated, added to them much information derived from modern research, and was content to give to the world in a single volume of small size,[02] very scantily illustrated, the ascertained results of criticism and inquiry on the subject of the Phoenicians up to his own day. Forty-four years have since elapsed; and in the course of them large additions have been made to certain branches of the inquiry, while others have remained very much as they were before. Travellers, like Robinson, Walpole, Tristram, Renan, and Lortet, have thrown great additional light on the geography, geology, fauna, and flora of the country. Excavators, like Renan and the two Di Cesnolas, have caused the soil to yield up most valuable remains bearing upon the architecture, the art, the industrial pursuits, and the manners and customs of the people. Antiquaries, like M. Clermont-Ganneau and MM. Perrot and Chipiez, have subjected the remains to careful examination and criticism, and have definitively fixed the character of Phoenician Art, and its position in the history of artistic effort. Researches are still being carried on, both in Phoenicia Proper and in the Phoenician dependency of Cyprus, which are likely still further to enlarge our knowledge with respect to Phoenician Art and Archæology; but it is not probable that they will affect seriously the verdict already delivered by competent judges on those subjects. The time therefore appeared to the author to have come when, after nearly half a century of silence, the history of the people might appropriately be rewritten. The subject had long engaged his thoughts, closely connected as it is with the histories of Egypt, and of the “Great Oriental Monarchies,” which for thirty years have been to him special objects of study; and a work embodying the chief results of the recent investigations seemed to him a not unsuitable termination to the historical efforts which his resignation of the Professorship of Ancient History at Oxford, and his entrance upon a new sphere of labour, bring naturally to an end. The author wishes to express his vast obligations to MM. Perrot and Chipiez for the invaluable assistance which he has derived from their great work,[03] and to their publishers, the MM. Hachette, for their liberality in allowing him the use of so large a number of MM. Perrot and Chipiez’ Illustrations. He is also much beholden to the same gentlemen for the use of charts and drawings originally published in the “Géographie Universelle.” Other works from which he has drawn either materials or illustrations, or both, are (besides Movers’ and Kenrick’s) M. Ernest Renan’s “Mission de Phénicie,” General Di Cesnola’s “Cyprus,” A. Di Cesnola’s “Salaminia,” M. Ceccaldi’s “Monuments Antiques de Cypre,” M. Daux’s “Recherches sur les Emporia Phéniciens,” the “Corpus Inscriptionum Semiticarum,” M. Clermont-Ganneau’s “Imagerie Phénicienne,” Mr. Davis’s “Carthage and her Remains,” Gesenius’s “Scripturæ Linguæque Phoeniciæ Monumenta,” Lortet’s “La Syrie d’aujourd’hui,” Serra di Falco’s “Antichità della Sicilia,” Walpole’s “Ansayrii,” and Canon Tristram’s “Land of Israel.” The difficulty has been to select from these copious stores the most salient and noteworthy facts, and to marshal them in such a form as would make them readily intelligible to the ordinary English reader. How far he has succeeded in doing this he must leave the public to judge. In making his bow to them as a “Reader” and Writer “of Histories,”[04] he has to thank them for a degree of favour which has given a ready sale to all his previous works, and has carried some of them...

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If you're looking for a book that practically invented the adventure genre, you've found it. King Solomon's Mines is the blueprint for every treasure-hunting story you've ever loved.

The Story

Allan Quatermain is a no-nonsense elephant hunter in Africa. He's hired by Sir Henry Curtis to find his missing brother, who vanished while searching for the fabled diamond mines of the biblical King Solomon. Armed with a cryptic map, they set off with their friend Captain Good. Their journey is insane—they cross a scorching desert, survive an elephant stampede, and climb a frozen mountain pass, all while navigating tense encounters with warring tribes. The real adventure begins when they reach the mysterious kingdom of Kukuanaland.

Why You Should Read It

This book is a blast. Quatermain is a fantastic narrator—he’s humble, funny, and completely believable. The action never stops, but it’s the sense of a whole hidden world that really pulls you in. Haggard makes you feel the heat of the desert and the tension of standing before a powerful king. It’s also a fascinating snapshot of its time. The attitudes are definitely from the 1880s, which makes for an interesting, if sometimes uncomfortable, layer to the adventure.

Final Verdict

This is for anyone who loves a great yarn. If you enjoy the spirit of Indiana Jones, The Mummy, or Uncharted, you owe it to yourself to meet their great-grandfather. It's perfect for readers who want a straightforward, action-packed escape into a legendary quest. Just be ready for a journey that’s as much about survival and loyalty as it is about finding treasure.



🏛️ Community Domain

This digital edition is based on a public domain text. It is now common property for all to enjoy.

Margaret Green
3 months ago

From a casual reader’s perspective, the balance between theory and practice is exceptionally well done. I appreciate the effort put into this.

Barbara Thompson
3 months ago

I went into this with no expectations and the atmosphere created by the descriptive language is totally immersive. This deserves far more attention.

Andrew Scott
1 month ago

From start to finish, the translation seems very fluid and captures the original nuance perfectly. I finished this feeling genuinely satisfied.

Jackson Lee
5 months ago

In my opinion, the writing remains engaging even during complex sections. I couldn't put it down until the very end.

4
4 out of 5 (4 User reviews )

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