Haggard Anthology Vol 00-Guide, page 1
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 01
This is the first volume in a short series I plan to put together containing what are (IMHO) the best novels of the British Victorian adventure writer, Sir Henry Rider Haggard (who wrote under the name of "H. Rider Haggard"). With a couple of notable exceptions, his books are little read today, which is a great pity, because they are adventure stories on a par (again, IMHO) with the best "thriller" writers of today.
Many of his books are related, and should ideally be read in order. That order is, however, by no means obvious, so I hope to help people out by presenting his books in a suggested reading order in this series.
This volume contains four books, as follows:
1. King Solomon's Mines
This is the one book of Haggard's that everyone's heard of, and justifiably - it has been called one of the greatest adventure stories ever written. In it, hunter Allan Quatermain accompanies two Englishmen searching for lost diamond mines in Africa.
2. Allan Quatermain
The sequel to King Solomon's Mines. Allan, and the Zulu warrior, Umslopogaas, find a lost civilization in the heart of Africa.
3. Nada the Lily
A tie-in novel of sorts to Allan Quatermain, this is the story of the birth, childhood, and youth of Umslopogaas, who featured prominently in "Allan Quatermain". It is set against the background of the rise of the Zulu nation under their greatest (and cruelest) king, Chaka, and his nephew, Dingaan.
4. Allan's Wife
The story of Allan Quatermain's youth, and how he came to meet his wife, Stella.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 02
This second volume of my H. Rider Haggard anthology contains Haggard's other well known work (the other being "King Solomon's Mines"); namely "She", and its three sequels. All are a mixture of adventure story and supernatural fantasy (as are many of Haggard's other books).
The books in this volume are:
1. She
One of the greatest works of fantasy adventure ever written, this book tells the story of the quest to find the mysterious and tormented immortal African queen, "She Who Must Be Obeyed".
Note that one of the chapters of this book contains a number of illustrations of fragments of ancient Greek text. I've done the best I can to reproduce these graphically, but they don't come out wonderfully on the Reader. They don't affect the story line at all. Sorry for any problems with this, for those lovers of ancient Greek!
2. Ayesha
The sequel to "She" - continuing the story told in the original book.
3. She and Allan
A prequel to "She", telling the story of Allan Quatermain's encounter with "She".
4. Wisdom's Daughter
The early life and loves of "She", telling the story of how Ayesha became transformed into the immortal "She".
In case you were wondering, these books are indeed the original source of the expression "She Who Must Be Obeyed"
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 03
The 3rd volume of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology contains a trilogy of books which tell the story of the revenge of the wizard Zikali against the Zulu royal family, and the ultimate fall of the Zulu nation. A mixture of African adventure and fantasy, and a great read.
The three books are:
1. Marie
2. Child of Storm
3. Finished
These books follow on (loosely) from the story of "Nada the Lily", contained in Vol 1 of the Anthology.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 04
This 4th volume of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology contains 4 novels featuring Allan Quatermain, which form a "mini series". Haggard's usual mixture of adventure and fantasy.
The books are as follows:
1. Allan and the Holy Flower
Allan Quatermain seeks out a fabulous gigantic orchid presided over by a White Goddess guarded by a monstrous ape.
2. The Ivory Child
Sequel to "Allan and the Holy Flower". Allan returns to Africa to aid a tribe at war with an enemy aided by a giant elephant which no man (except Allan, of course!) can kill.
3. The Ancient Allan
Sequel to "The Ivory Child". With the aid of a hallucenogenic drug, Allan re-lives a past life in ancient Egypt.
4. Allan and the Ice-Gods
Sequel to "The Ancient Allan". Allan re-lives another past life, this time as a prehistoric cave man in the era when the Ice Age was beginning. This was Haggard's last-published tale about Allan Quatermain. Rudyard Kipling had a small part in developing the plot.
Well - that's really it for the "series" books! There are three remaining Allan Quatermain novels which don't fit into any series; I'll do those in Vol 5, and then release the other many and varied non-Allan novels in subsequent volumes.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 05
Volume 5 of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology contains the remaining three "Allan Quatermain" novels not previously included. These should ideally be read after the "series" of books included in previous volumes, but do not fit into these series in any particular place.
These books are:
1. Maiwa's Revenge
Adventure fantasy. Maiwa is a woman on the road to revenge, and it's a doozy when she gets it!
2. Heu-Heu
African fantasy adventure, set before "King Solomon's Mines". More of Allan's fantastic adventures, and a lost race. Heu-Heu is a gorilla-monster who receives human sacrifices, the original of Robert E. Howard's similar creations.
3. The Treasure of the Lake
Allan returns in a very good fantasy adventure making use of themes of dream-magic, occult powers of varied sorts, treasure, and reincarnation. An excellent read!
That's all the "Allan Quatermain" novels now (although there are some short stories that I've not yet included). Hope you enjoy them - Allan Quatermain is one of my very favourite fictional characters, and sadly forgotten today. In subsequent volumes of this anthology I'll start on some of Haggard's other works, many of which are terrific reads.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 06
H. Rider Haggard more or less single-handedly invented the genre of the "Lost Civilisation" fantasy novel, and this 6th volume of my anthology contains four very different examples of such novels - including a book which is my favourite Haggard novel and which would very definitely appear on my "top 10 books" list.
The books are:
1. The People of the Mist
A lost African civilisation and a monstrous crocodile god.
2. Heart of the World
A golden Mayan city under a lake and - you've guessed it - a lost civilisation.
3. Queen Sheba's Ring
Yet another lost civilisation in Africa, this time descended from ancient Abyssinian Jews.
4. When the World Shook
This is my favourite Haggard book - a wonderful fantasy which has it all. In this one, suspended animation brings into the present day a super-ancient Atlantean civilization. Spirit travel, reincarnation, occult powers, teleportation, subterranean city, elixir of life, etc etc.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 07
Volume 7 of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology contains four African stories.
The books are:
1. Benita - An African Romance
A thoroughly enjoyable fantasy adventure with ghosts, possession, lost races, lost treasure, mesmerism -- among the best of his lesser-known fantasy adventures.
2. Black Heart and White Heart - A Zulu Idyll
A modern day (for Haggard, that is!) love story novella.
3. Elissa - The Doom of Zimbabwe
A historical romance, set in ancient Zimbabwe, which Haggard imagines (somewhat dubiously, it has to be said!) to have been an ancient Phoenician city. A good read.
4. The Wizard
The story of an English missionary's attempts to convert an African tribe who are under the sway of a powerful wizard. An excellent story.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 08
Volume 8 of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology contains four books which illustrate another of Haggard's "specialities" - historical novels.
The books are:
1. Cleopatra
The story of the love affair and downfall of Cleopatra and Mark Antony.
2. Eric Brighteyes
A Nordic heroic fantasy based on the old Icelandic sagas.
3. Montezuma's Daughter
The story of the collapse of the Aztec empire.
Morning Star
Supernatural romance set in ancient egypt.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 09
The 9th volume in my H. Rider Haggard Anthology.
It containing the following books:
1. The Witch's Head
A supernatural tale of the evil influence of a witch-doctor's severed head. Spooky stuff!
2. Jess
An African tale of adventure and romance.
3. Mr. Meeson's Will
A crime/adventure story.
Colonel Quaritch, V.C.
A story of the "goings-on" in a quiet English country village.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 10
Volume 10 of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology.
This volume contains three novels:
1. Dawn
Haggard's first novel. A gothic melodrama.
2. Beatrice
I'm honestly not sure about this one. It appears
3. The World's Desire
co-written with Andrew Lang. A sequel to Homer's "Odyssey". A Heroic fantasy depicting Odysseus and Helen of Troy's further adventures in Egypt.
The volume also contains three short stories, all featuring Allan Quatermain:
4. A Tale of Three Lions
5. Hunter Quatermain
6. Long Odds
All are African hunting stories
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 11
The 11th volume of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology.
This volume contains the following four books:
1. Joan Haste
A romance (?).
2. Doctor Therne
A medical drama, based on the controversy about compulsory innoculation of children against smallpox.
3. Swallow
An African adventure fantasy, telling the story of the Great Trek of the Boers in South Africa.
4. Lysbeth
Historical romance, set in 16th century Holland.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 12
The 12th volume of my H. Rider Haggard Anthology,
with the following four books:
1. Pearl-Maiden
A fantasy adventure story set in Jerusalem at the time of its destruction by Rome in 70 AD.
2. Stella Fregelius
Supernatural love story, invention of a device that induces telepathy between sympathetic parties, and ultimately leads to communication with the dead. The characters emotional lives and turmoils parallel Rider's actual experiences, this being his most autobiographically inclined of all his novels, with many deeply personal passages.
3. The Brethren
A medieval supernatural romance of Saladin and the Crusades, one of Haggard's best stories, even though not as widely known or appreciated as his African fantasies
4. Fair Margaret (Illustrated!)
A Swashbuckling romance of old Spain.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 13
This 13th volume of my H. Rider Haggard anthology.
It contains the following books:
1. The Way of the Spirit
This is a painful, realistic love story, but with just enough "mystic" touches about undying, eternal love (i.e., love that survives the grave) to lend it a hint of supernatural interest. The plot was inspired during Rider's journey to Egypt.
2. The Ghost Kings
An African fantasy adventure with a lost race, occult powers, tree magic, and a divine maiden. Rudyard Kipling assisted with the plot.
3. The Yellow God
Fantasy adventure set in Africa and England. Magic mask and other weird fetish objects; lost race; reincarnation, plus a sort of vampirism by an immortal woman whose many husbands she has preserved as mummies.
4. The Lady of Blossholme
Historical novel set in 16th century England. Some fantasy content (witchcraft, etc).
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 14
This 14th volume of my H. Rider Haggard anthology,
contains the following four books:
1. Red Eve
An occult historical novel, in which the Black Plague is a personified presence with many magic powers. Originally serialized in The Red Magazine 1 December 1910 through 1 March 1911
2. The Mahatma and the Hare
Haggard had been an avid hunter until an encounter with the ghost of a beloved hound convinced him animals had souls and that their lives were as sacred as those of humanity. This wonderful fantasy novelette was the result of his conversion; he never hunted again.
3. The Wanderer's Necklace
Fantasy adventure; memories of former life in medieval Scandinavia.
4. Love Eternal
Love story with spiritualism, reincarnation and occult powers.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 15
This 15th volume of my H. Rider Haggard anthology,
contains the following books:
1. Moon of Israel
Biblical fantasy originally serialized in The Cornhill Magazine January through October 1918.
2. Smith and the Pharaohs and Other Tales
Collection of 6 short stories (or two novellas and four short stories, to be more accurate). Includes the Allan Quatermain story "Magepa the Buck".
3. The Virgin of the Sun
Serialized in Hutchinson's Story Magazine July 1919 through March 1920. This South American fantasy adventure is set in 14th Century Peru, when a shipwrecked sailor became the legendary white god of the Aztecs.
4. The Queen of the Dawn
Love story set in ancient Egypt and Babylon.
Haggard, H. Rider: Haggard Anthology Vol 16
The 16th - and final - volume of my edition of the collected works of H. Rider Haggard. This volume contains Haggard's final two novels, plus an older non-fiction travel diary.
The books in this volume are:
1. Mary of Marion Isle
Shipwreck and adventure. Published posthumously following Haggard's death.
2. Belshezzar
Haggard's last novel, finished in 1924, published posthumously. A fantasy of ancient Babylon.
3. A Winter Pilgrimage
A travel diary of a 1901 journey Haggard made to Italy, Cyprus, and the Holy Land. A fascinating snapshot of the hazzards of travel at the turn of the 20th century.
Haggard, H. Rider: Autobiography-The Days of My Life
The autobiography of Sir Henry Rider Haggard, author of "King Solomon's Mines", "She", and so many other notable books. An absolutely fascinating read.
That completes my publication of Haggard's works. We now have the complete works, with the exception of a number of minor and exceedingly uninteresting non-fiction works on such subjects as gardening and the Salvation Army.
Hope that people find these 16 volumes of Haggard's works enjoyable. He is a writer who is largely forgotten today but (IMHO) deserves greater exposure.
The posting of this book concludes my posting of the (pretty much) complete works of Haggard. Hope that other people enjoy his books as much as I do.
collected, edited, published by HarryT (from mobileread.com/forums)
Unknown, Haggard Anthology Vol 00-Guide
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