Three Adventure Novels:  She, King Solomon's Mines, Allan Quatermain
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • She was even better than I remember
  • The Granddaddy of Occult Flavored Action Adventure
  • Indiana Jones before America was a power
  • fun stuff
  • Fabulous pre-twentieth century adventure.
Three Adventure Novels: She, King Solomon's Mines, Allan Quatermain
H. Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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  5. King Solomon's Mines (Modern Library Classics) King Solomon's Mines (Modern Library Classics)

ASIN: 0486206432

Book Description

"She," is the great mythic creation of the 19th century, while "King Solomon’s Mines" and "Allan Quatermain" are surging tales of adventure, full of sensational fights, blood-curdling perils, and extraordinary escapes.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars She was even better than I remember.......2007-03-19

I remember reading about "her" when I was in my teens and I never forgot the impression that Mr. Haggard left in my mind. She was just as beautiful and yet vulnerable in the end to risk everything to go for her ideal. I love the footnotes which add believability to the story and there was so much that I had forgotten from the first read that it was even more enjoyable the second time. The mystery remains, in our time, would someone try to get back to that fountain of youth, or is it better left to keep our normal mortal coil. Enjoy!

5 out of 5 stars The Granddaddy of Occult Flavored Action Adventure.......2007-01-06

If you have never read these novels--the cream of Rider Haggard's work--prepare yourself for sleepless nights, meals untasted, and a blessed relief from the stultifying dullness of modern life. Profound pulp doesn't get any better than this. All Hail H. Rider Haggard!

4 out of 5 stars Indiana Jones before America was a power.......2006-08-16

I read these three novels when I was much younger (I'm now 58) and I remembered them with some fondness - this book is part of my library for that reason. When we, as a family, watched one of the Indiana Jones movies and my two boys (aged 12 and 9) were enthralled, I thought back to Rider Haggard. Perhaps one of these novels would be a good bed time reading!

I chose to reread 'King Solomon's Mines' and I did enjoy it, despite the war that fills most of the middle of the novel - it adds colour, valour and courage but doesn't really contribute to the narrative of the story. For that reason I won't read the stories to my boys, but I suspect that when they are a little older they may well explore these yarns themselves. 'King Solomon's Mines' reads very well despite the passage of years and the changes that have occurred - different views of native peoples, different views of nationalism, different views of women, different views of class......

The 'devices' used to add excitement to the story line are at least as inventive as any of the ones you find in the Indiana Jones movies. And, in fact, I think I like Alan Quartermain better than Indiana Jones - but that might just be a hangover from my British background.

Other recommendations:
'Heart of Darkness' Joseph Conrad

4 out of 5 stars fun stuff.......2006-03-22

good bang for the buck, fun, lightweight, escapist reading: just right a warm day, a shady tree and a crisp apple

5 out of 5 stars Fabulous pre-twentieth century adventure........2005-07-08

Prior to the twentieth century, the thought of an undiscovered civilization in Africa was still believable. These books, based on that premise, are fabulous escapist literature. Haggard milked the concept for all it was worth, and thoughts of hidden diamond mines and the existence of a mysterious female ruler fueled his novels. Escape with Haggard and imagine untouched civilizations probed by unknowing explorers.
Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: The Mines of King Solomon (Gladstone Comic Album Series No. 1)
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • What he said
Walt Disney's Uncle Scrooge: The Mines of King Solomon (Gladstone Comic Album Series No. 1)
Carl Barks
Manufacturer: Gladstone Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0944599001

Book Description

Uncle Scrooge buys tickets to take Donald, Huey, Dewey, and Louie to 1200 places in 69 countries with 16 crossings of the 7 seas.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars What he said.......2007-05-03

I must be getting old, because I've started seeking out certain nostalgic items that I vaguely remember enjoying when I was younger. Of these, the most enjoyable and satisfying by far are the Gladstone comic albums.

Carl Barks breathes such life into the Disney characters he drew. Rather than cluttering each panel with inside jokes or obscure hidden meanings, his spare style and great use of perspective makes the stories flow extremely well.

There's absolutely nothing negative that can be said about the content of these fantastic volumes. The binding, on the other hand, leaves something to be desired. Like the previous reviewer stated, the cover pops off the bound pages so quickly it's like they used a mixture of flour and water for the glue.

Comic book purists may want to turn away now, but the easiest way I found to put it all back together is to run a thin bead of Gorilla Glue along the inside of the cover, shove the pages up against the glue, and leave it overnight. Ain't pretty, but that cover's never coming off again.

These comic treasuries are highly recommended.
King Solomon's Mines (Modern Library Classics)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Super Reader
  • Cat Club Review: www.freewebs.com/hlgstrider
  • An All-Time Adventure
  • Good adventure yarn
  • Great story, but skip this edition
King Solomon's Mines (Modern Library Classics)
H. Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Modern Library
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0812966295
Release Date: 2002-12-10

Book Description

Touted by its 1885 publisher as “the most amazing story ever written,” King Solomon’s Mines was one of the bestselling novels of the nineteenth century. H. Rider Haggard’s thrilling saga of elephant hunter Allan Quatermain and his search for fabled treasure is more than just an adventure story, though: As Alexandra Fuller explains in her Introduction, in its vivid portrayal of the alliances and battles of white colonials and African tribesmen, King Solomon’s Mines “brings us the world of extremes, of the absurdly tall tales and of the illogical loyalty between disparate people that still informs this part of the world.”

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Super Reader.......2007-08-26

King Solomon's Mines is a story of a man's search for his brother, and told from the point of view the famous hero and hunter, Allan Quatermain.

He is the man they turn to for help, and become is solid and steadfast companions. The search for the Mines, the battles, the evil witch woman and the African setting are all excellent.

3 out of 5 stars Cat Club Review: www.freewebs.com/hlgstrider.......2007-07-13

King Solomon's Mines is a straight forward adventure story. Two friends enlist the services of a crusty guide and a strong minded native to tramp across Africa in search for a missing brother, a brother who in turn was lost while searching for one of the greatest treasures known to legend (see title). To do so they must cross the desert, climb the mountains, confront an evil witch, and fight an epic battle.
It's a quick read and a pleasant one. Only one bit goes down sour, a bit of racism residual from the time period. While one of the lead characters, Umbopa, is a strong, intelligent African man, an interracial love story is cut short by death, followed by the observation that white and black cannot marry anymore than day and night. Not exactly the most enlightened point of view.
I love the writing and the story. If you could cut out that paragraph all would be well and this at least a four star book . . . but I suppose that would be revising history and literature, and so the book stands, or falls, as it is.

5 out of 5 stars An All-Time Adventure.......2007-06-14

I got lost in this wonderful African adventure as I followed Allan Quatermain on a quest to find the lost mines of King Solomon.

At age twenty-nine, Haggard made a whimsical bet with his brother that he could write a story as good as Robert Louis Stevenson's "Treasure Island" (1883). Six weeks later, Haggard completed King Solomon's Mines (1885).

This is proof that given the right time, circumstances, and motivation a novel can come forth quickly. See my review of "Singer in the Shadows," by Irving Litvag and my comments on Joseph Smith composing the Book of Mormon. Click here, then scroll down to my review of Litvag's book. SINGER IN THE SHADOWS the Strange Story of Patience Worth

Also highly recommended as an African adventure is "Cry Wolf," by Wilbur Smith. Cry Wolf

4 out of 5 stars Good adventure yarn.......2007-02-27

Although fiction is not my normal fodder, I found this book to be refreshing. It narrates the harrowing quest of a few men for diamonds, for a missing brother, and for home. The villians were truly vile, the heroes were larger than life, and it was fun to be with them on their journey. No major theses were given, no important life questions were answered, but it made a few of my evenings a little more enjoyable.

2 out of 5 stars Great story, but skip this edition.......2006-07-09

This review covers only the Gateway Movie Classics edition, softcover, 1999.

What a thrill to revisit this gripping story that I enjoyed in childhood so much. Good writing, excellent story-telling, if you're not too squeamish to tolerate late 19th century colonialist literature.

But skip this edition. Mainly because of the numerous typos scattered inanely through the book...periods dropped into the middle of sentences, rogue exclamation points, and words inaccurately transcribed as though an original text had been OCR scanned without any professional quality checking. Inexusable in a professional publication. And, frankly, I don't think the movie is all that great, so the cover photo of a film version Quatermain doesn't do much for me.

Get another edition!
In Search of King Solomon's Mines
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Not the "Real Ethiopia"
  • "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes."
  • beauty in poorness
  • A delightfully entertaining trip to Ethiopia
  • Drawing upon a map discovered by chance
In Search of King Solomon's Mines
Tahir Shah
Manufacturer: Arcade Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1559707240

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not the "Real Ethiopia".......2007-03-23

Traveling to Ethiopia often for months at time, Shah showed me a side of it I've never seen, despite my time spent in local homes, hotels and villages. My only fear is that this book will leave some with the impression that the places he describes are in fact the real Ethiopia. I am happy to say they are not. In fact the flea bag hotels and bars he frequented are mainly frequented by truckers and those looking for action and are easily identified by all inhabitants. The majority of bars, even in smaller towns, are quite respectable and serve espresso and smoothies too. I've been to countless ones all over the country. I've also stayed in hotels in many regions. Yes the majority of hotels are for truckers and are flea pits with easy access to prostitutes, but we've always been able to find decent accommodations that don't double as brothels. I really felt that his descriptions failed to reveal the diversity of people who live in the country and focused on a select group, often among the poorest.I also wondered if his guide didn't mislead him at times. Ethiopian people are extremely hospitable and very protective of foreigners. Frequent concerns about violent attacks are contrary to anything I've experienced there. I wondered if the guide's warnings weren't just a way of manipulating Shah to buy drinks or prostitutes for his friends to make him look good. I am not questioning that the story took place as described, just that Shah evidently saw a very tiny slice of the real Ethiopia, one which is fortunately not seen by most travelers there. The storyline was engaging and well written. The history was informative and the scenic descriptions accurately portrayed the lush landscape and sometimes harsh conditions. Overall an excellent read, just be careful to to judge the people based on his impressions. In 20 years of traveling there I haven't yet met most of the people he describes.

4 out of 5 stars "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes.".......2006-09-27

After coaxing a shopkeeper in Jerusalem's Old City to part with his "not for sale" heirloom treasure map for a whopping six hundred shekels, Afghan author Tahir Shah sets off on an adventure to find the legendary gold mines of King Solomon. He speculates that the mysterious Ophir the Bible describes as the location of the mines may likely be found "just a short boat trip down the Red Sea" in Ethiopa, a land with extraordinary reserves of gold and ostensibly the home of the Queen of Sheba. Known as Makeda in Ethiopian texts, the Queen of Sheba, according to Ethiopian legend, purportedly bore a son, Menelik, by King Solomon through whom the imperial family of Ethiopia descends.

Tahir journeys Ethiopia first to Addis Ababa, south to Kebra Mengist and Bedakaysa, east to Harar and Dire Dawa, north to Lalibela, the Danakil Desert, and Debra Damo, then west to Tallul Wallel. Along the way, the reader comes to know a little about the land and the people of Ethiopia. Where even a haircut or a bus ride or encounters with guide-dogs for the blind are laden with danger, Tahir insists "the thrill lies in surviving".

Somehow the discordance between Shah's engaging brusque humorous style and the stories that reveal to the reader the bleak reality of existence for many Ethiopians works, as he makes the reader want to laugh, sigh, and cry all at once. I highly recommend this colorful travelogue/adventure story/geography-culture-history book as it is an exciting, entertaining, and educational read.

5 out of 5 stars beauty in poorness.......2005-10-05

La búsqueda del oro de Salomón acarrea la cuasi prueba de que, efectivamente, mucho del oro de la antiguedad egipcia y hebrea provino de la antigua Abisinia, lo mismo que la reina de Saba. Luego, muestra la pobreza enorme de una zona mayoritaria del territorio etíope, la riqueza situacional de pequeños sectores asociados a la minería del oro y el efecto negativo de la riqueza o la promesa de riqueza repentina sobre la fidelidad a las tradiciones y religiones....Es un libro que acarrea tristeza con su lectura y donde Tahir Shah, porfía con su gigantesca capacidad para exponerse a dificultades y, en este caso, de hacerlas subrir a su ayudante. Un descarnado vistazo de esa desconocida y prejuiciada Africa.

5 out of 5 stars A delightfully entertaining trip to Ethiopia.......2005-05-04

In a shop close to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem the author spots a map. The owner of the shop informs the author that the map depicts King Solomon's mines in Africa, the mines from which gold was extracted to build his famed temple. The fact that the map was not genuine (Shah finds an identical copy in the same shop soon after) does not deter Shah from embarking on his journey. Like many other travelogues by Shah, it is the experience but not just the goal that counts.

This is not to say that the author wanders about aimlessly. Quite to the contrary, he even risks his life for his quest, for e.g. in crossing deserts in northern Ethiopia with the infamous (for killing) Danakil tribe. As a review on the back cover of the paperback edition puts it: "...Shah wins you over with the mad purity of his quest." I can't agree more.

Apart from the very beginning, the book situates itself in Ethiopia. From the country's epicenter and capital Addis Ababa some of the major sites the author visits: are Kebra Mengist to the south, Harar to the east, Lalibela (where the churches carved from crevices -- like Petra of Jordan -- are located), Debra Damo (the monastery located on top of a mountain top plateau) and Mekele to the north, and Tullu Wallel to the west.

The rich historical and anecdotal background Shah provides together with his wonderful sense of humor make for a powerful concoction. A group of eccentric characters make appearances, Shah reveals his reverence for Victorian era adventurers, and at times ponders over why his job is so much difficult compared to others'. There was hardly a dull moment during my read.

5 out of 5 stars Drawing upon a map discovered by chance.......2004-10-12

In Search Of King Solomon's Mines is the travelogue of Tahir Shah, a man who is determined to find the legendary source of the Bible's wisest king. Drawing upon a map discovered by chance, a multitude of fascinating clues, hits from ancient texts including the earliest form of the Bible, and much more, author and traveler Tahir Shah sets out on a captivating journey of discovery. An inset selection of black-and-white photographic plates adds a visual touch to this rich and enjoyable saga.
King Solomon's Mines, She and Allan Quatermain
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Jungle Adventure - Powerful Women
King Solomon's Mines, She and Allan Quatermain
Henry Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Smithmark Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0706410629

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Jungle Adventure - Powerful Women.......2004-11-16

All three novels follow exploits of explorer Allan Quartermain. All three novels, although most centrally She, include the powerful idea of the Woman a primal force seen through the eyes of a man not a feminist. Also all three are currently analyzed for racism, since they are written by a British person and set in Africa. But regardless of analysis all are action packed well written stories that are easy to read.

Plot summaries:
She - The title refers to She Who Must be Obeyed. In this novel Allan Quartermain is charged with looking after a deceased friend's nephew, Leo. They travel to Africa in search of a discovery that was also left to Leo - an advanced and hidden civilization in the heart of Africa.

King Solomon's Mines - The sequel to She also stars Leo and Allan on another quest for a hidden and advanced civilization. This time the civilization is not ruled over by a powerful queen, but features warrior women.

Allan Quartermain - Three explorers journey into the heart of Africa in search of the usual. This time they find a civilization ruled over by twin queens. Things get complicated when one of the explorers falls for a queen.

Basically these are good fun adventure stories. I recommend reading She first, since it has been analyzed by Sigmund Freud, and generally is treated as serious. Like all of the stories She was written as entertainment. If you like that one it is worth it to read the other two novels. Even though the plots all deal with tough women rulers/warriors in the heart of Afica, they are different in the details and not at all repetitive.
King Solomon's Mines
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • King Solomon's Mines from a kid`s perspective
  • African Adventure!
  • Awesome Adventure
  • If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked.
King Solomon's Mines
H. Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Broadview Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1551114399

Book Description

When first published, in 1885, King Solomon's Mines was an enormous popular success. The narrative follows the explorations of Allan Quatermain, a fortune hunter who travels to Africa in search of ancient treasures and a lost fellow explorer. Written as an adventure story, the novel is also a late-Victorian imperial romance that illuminates the politics of British imperialist capitalism in 1870s and 1880s South Africa.

This edition includes a provocative critical introduction that discusses the novel's relations to Victorian anthropological thought. The appendices include contemporary reviews, other writings by Haggard on Africa and romance, and documents focusing on imperialism and diamond mining in South Africa in the 1870s and 1880s.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars King Solomon's Mines from a kid`s perspective.......2007-02-11

As a kid I loved this book. The story was an amazing story with wonderful characters. In a way the story was suspenful because of the standoffs between different characters.

5 out of 5 stars African Adventure!.......2006-03-05

This is a Victorian era novel of adventure in unexplored Africa. The plot centers on the search for a lost diamond mine, but contains daring treks through the wilderness, a civil war among African natives, and colorful descriptions of the landscape and people of Africa. This book represents the definition of the romantic image of the Age of Exploration during the Victorian era: intrepid explorers heading off into the wilds in search of fame and fortune. Several movies have been based on this book (and subsequent Haggard stories about Alain Quatermain), and the character Indiana Jones was based largely on Haggard's Quatermain. None of these films have manged to the capture flavor of Haggard's book on the big screen. If you liked the movie King Solomon's Mines with Stewart Granger and Deborah Kerr (undoubtedly the best of all the films), you will probably like this book even more. The main drawback of this book (at least for 21st century readers) is Haggard's subtle and not-so-subtle racism. The native Africans are at best noble savages, and often Haggard considers them to be much less. I've read elsewhere that Haggard wrote this after having read Treasure Island. He supposedly felt that he could write a better adventure story. This is the first of his twenty or so novels written at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century. If true, he succeeded. This is a highly entertaining escapist read and I strongly recommend it.

5 out of 5 stars Awesome Adventure.......2005-07-28

This is a great story! It's like Indiana Jones in 1895. I suspect that George Lucas based Indy on Allan Quatermain to an extent. Quatermain is a hunter in Africa, and has obtained an old map - drawn in blood no less - that gives directions to the fabled diamond mines of the biblical King Solomon. Accompanied by two other English men in search of treasure and a long lost brother, and a Zulu warrior who is not what he seems, they begin their arduous trek. Blazing deserts with no water, freezing mountains, an insane leader of a lost tribe and an evil witch all present challenges to the companions.
Both humour and adventure are commonplace in this tale, and anyone who dreams of treasure should pick up this gem.

Relic113

5 out of 5 stars If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked........2004-09-09

I grew up on the movie so it was quit a shocker to read the book. As stated in the beginning there are no petticoated women in this book. It is a men's adventure written by a man for men. You can not miss the hand of H. Rider Haggard as he has a unique sense of humor that pops up at the strangest times. He may be a little verbose but every word has a use. And as with written stories this one is much more intricate than the movie adaptations. You will find many assumptions of the time such as any complex construction must have been built by white people and natives on their own may turn savage.
The story is told first person by Allan Quartermain. Nevil is off to make his fortune by finding King Solomon's lost diamond mines. Allan sends him a map to help. This is the last anyone heard from Nevil. Turns out that Nevil is really the estranged brother of Henry Curtis. Sir Henry Curtis now wants to make amends and he with his friend Captain John Good, bribe Allan Quartermain to take them across an endless desert and trough impassible mountains to an adventure that will hold you to the very end. Along with them is their self imposed helper Umbopa who carries a secret of his own.
If you get a chance to also hear the recording, an added plus is narration by John Richmond; He brings the characters to life and adds to the mystique that this story has been passed down.
King Solomon's Mines (Penguin Popular Classics)
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Imperial Minds
  • If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked.
King Solomon's Mines (Penguin Popular Classics)
H.Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Penguin Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0140621237

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Imperial Minds.......2005-06-14

When the film RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK was released in 1981, more than one commentator observed that its hero owed much to another fictional adventurer introduced almost a century before: Allan Quartermain, the creation of Victorian novelist H. Rider Haggard. (And that the actor who later played Indiana Jones's father would go on to interpret his other 'father' as well creates a sort of symmetry.) It is worth noting, however, that in KING SOLOMON'S MINES, the first of 16 novels and numerous short-stories to feature him, Quartermain appears as a small man in his mid-fifties, with false teeth and a bad leg, who seems to take pride in regularly declaring himself a coward. The Jones comparisons owe more to later, adjusted depictions of Haggard's protagonist in both print and performance.

The modern reader may also find discomforting the cultural and racial condescension (at best) which the character expresses as a British imperialist in southern Africa. Careful attention to the unfolding story, however, suggests that the author, if hardly immune to the prejudices of his day, sensed something of their fallacy. His native African people gradually emerge as fully developed, and fully human, individuals -- capable not only of either great nobility, wisdom, and intelligence or wretched evil, but of a complete spectrum of intermediate humours. Quartermain himself undergoes a broadening of outlook through his experience, so that for a while at least he comes to address (and perhaps truly to regard) as equals people he had previously felt should 'know their place'. Later, reflecting on his adventures, he recoils at old pejoratives which still habitually turn up in his vocabulary, and he writes to his son, 'What is a gentleman? ... I've known natives who ARE, and ... mean whites with lots of money and fresh out from home, too, who ARE NOT.' Given the period in which Haggard was himself writing, this is a remarkable insight.

Still, it is a mistake to read the novel as an early parable on social conscience. The author's purpose was simply to compose a rousing tale of 'derring-do' in the spirit of Stevenson's TREASURE ISLAND, and in this he achieved adequate success. That he also provides a contemporary glimpse into the absurdities and injustices of a bygone era is a bonus he probably never foresaw.

5 out of 5 stars If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked........2005-04-15

I grew up on the movie so it was quit a shocker to read the book. As stated in the beginning there are no petticoated women in this book. It is a men's adventure written by a man for men. You can not miss the hand of H. Rider Haggard as he has a unique sense of humor that pops up at the strangest times. He may be a little verbose but every word has a use. And as with written stories this one is much more intricate than the movie adaptations. You will find many assumptions of the time such as any complex construction must have been built by white people and natives on their own may turn savage.

The story is told first person by Allan Quartermain. Nevil is off to make his fortune by finding King Solomon's lost diamond mines. Allan sends him a 300 year old map to help. This is the last anyone heard from Nevil. Turns out that Nevil is really the estranged brother of Henry Curtis. Sir Henry Curtis now wants to make amends and he with his friend Captain John Good, bribe Allan Quartermain to take them across an endless desert and trough impassible mountains to an adventure that will hold you to the very end. Along with them is their self imposed helper Umbopa who carries a secret of his own.

If you get a chance to also hear the recording, an added plus is narration by John Richmond; He brings the characters to life and adds to the mystique that this story has been passed down.
Solomon, Falcon of Sheba: The Tombs of King David, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba Discovered
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • love it
Solomon, Falcon of Sheba: The Tombs of King David, King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba Discovered
Ralph D. Ellis
Manufacturer: Adventures Unlimited Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Early CivilizationEarly Civilization | Ancient | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | World | History | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Archaeology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1931882126

Book Description

Ralph Ellis has discovered indisputable links and comparisons between the Egyptian and Judaic royal lines, that demonstrate that King David and King Solomon were actually pharaohs of Egypt. This is why there is no evidence for these monarchs in the archaeology of modern Israel; for the evidence, including the tombs, sarcophagi and death-masks of these famous monarchs, are actually located in the north eastern Nile Delta. The Queen of Sheba was also related to this royal line and, as befitting the great 'Queen of the South', her sarcophagus was discovered at Deir el Bahri in Luxor. The book also shows the location of King Solomon's Mines and the true historical identity of Hiram Abif, the hero of the Masonic 3rd degree.

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars love it.......2006-04-28

This is a third book of the sequel "Jesus", "Tempest" and "Solomon" by Ralph Ellis. And even though it's not necessary to read the previous books to get the author's point, it's a good idea to get them as well.
The author's theory, equating Hyksos to Israelities, finds more evidence when he comapres Historical figures of Pharoahs of 21st Dynasty to their biblical couterparts.
What I like the most about the book is that not only it describes interesting alternative history theory, but that author seems to be able to substantiate his theory with the evidence taken from historical accounts, from Bible, Koran and other scriptures.
You should read this book with open mind, knowing that it is a radical alternative history book, as Ralph appropriately warns in each of his book.
H. Rider Haggard: She, King Solomon's Mine & Allan Quartermain (Gramercy Adventure Library)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Jungle Adventure - Powerful Women
H. Rider Haggard: She, King Solomon's Mine & Allan Quartermain (Gramercy Adventure Library)
H. Rider Haggard
Manufacturer: Gramercy
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

19th Century19th Century | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ShakespeareShakespeare | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ContemporaryContemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0517150565
Release Date: 1996-09-18

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Jungle Adventure - Powerful Women.......2004-11-16

All three novels follow exploits of explorer Allan Quartermain. All three novels, although most centrally She, include the powerful idea of the Woman a primal force seen through the eyes of a man not a feminist. Also all three are currently analyzed for racism, since they are written by a British person and set in Africa. But regardless of analysis all are action packed well written stories that are easy to read.

Plot summaries:
She - The title refers to She Who Must be Obeyed. In this novel Allan Quartermain is charged with looking after a deceased friend's nephew, Leo. They travel to Africa in search of a discovery that was also left to Leo - an advanced and hidden civilization in the heart of Africa.

King Solomon's Mines - The sequel to She also stars Leo and Allan on another quest for a hidden and advanced civilization. This time the civilization is not ruled over by a powerful queen, but features warrior women.

Allan Quartermain - Three explorers journey into the heart of Africa in search of the usual. This time they find a civilization ruled over by twin queens. Things get complicated when one of the explorers falls for a queen.

Basically these are good fun adventure stories. I recommend reading She first, since it has been analyzed by Sigmund Freud, and generally is treated as serious. Like all of the stories She was written as entertainment. If you like that one it is worth it to read the other two novels. Even though the plots all deal with tough women rulers/warriors in the heart of Afica, they are different in the details and not at all repetitive.
King Solomon's Mines (Great Illustrated Classics)
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked.
King Solomon's Mines (Great Illustrated Classics)
H. Rider Haggard , and Jack Kelly
Manufacturer: Abdo Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

GeneralGeneral | Classics by Age | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
FictionFiction | Siblings | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | British | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1596792442

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars If you are thinking Debra Kerr you will be shocked........2007-06-16

This is a review of the unabridged audio of "King Solomon's Mines" by H. Rider Haggard; narrated by John Richmond.

I grew up on the movie so it was quit a shocker to read the book. As stated in the beginning there are no petticoated women in this book. It is a men's adventure written by a man for men. You can not miss the hand of H. Rider Haggard as he has a unique sense of humor that pops up at the strangest times. And as with written stories this one is much more intricate than the movie adaptations. You will find many assumptions of the time such as any complex construction must have been built by white people and natives on their own may turn savage.

The story is told first person by Allan Quartermain. Nevil is off to make his fortune by finding King Solomon's lost diamond mines. Allan sends him a map to help. This is the last anyone heard from Nevil. Turns out that Nevil is really the estranged brother of Henry Curtis. Sir Henry Curtis now wants to make amends and he with his friend Captain John Good, bribe Allan Quartermain to take them across an endless desert and trough impassible mountains to an adventure that will hold you to the very end. Along with them is their self imposed helper Umbopa who carries a secret of his own.


An added plus is narration by John Richmond; He brings the characters to life and adds to the mystique that this story has been passed down.

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