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Cargando... The Allan Quatermain Series: 15 Books and Stories in One Volume (Unexpurgated Edition) (Halcyon Classics)por H. Rider Haggard
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Although the Zulu warrior Umslopogaas is cast as the “faithful native companion” in some of movie versions, this role actually belongs to the Hottentot Hans, who is usually portrayed as being smarter and wiser than Allan (although excessively partial to gin). Hans has the misfortune of being killed twice in the novels, once by a Cape buffalo and once by demonic elephant; apparently Haggard lost track. Umslopogaas only appears in two of the novels (She and Allan and Allan Quatermain, although he also gets his own book (Nada the Lily, unfortunately not included in this volume).
The definitive Quatermain novel is the first one, King Solomon’s Mines; Haggard then followed up with a long series of sequels and prequels (despite killing Allan off in Allan Quatermain); fortunately Allan left a lot of manuscripts scattered around and also had his after-dinner stories copied word for word by attentive friends. Allan must hold the record for Most Lost Tribes And Cities Discovered In Africa, as he conveniently stumbles across them often enough to keep the adventures rolling. He’s present at almost all the major military events in South Africa, including Dingaan’s Day and Isandlwana (although not Majuba Hill).
This collection is prominently noted as “Unexpurgated”; the only thing I can think of that’s objectionable is Allan’s single use of the N-word (and only to say how much he hates it) and some anti-Semitic remarks. There is no hanky-panky in the bush although I expect contemporaries might have been scandalized when Allan gets a kiss from Mameema.
Allan has turned up a lot in Hollywood, usually in versions of King Solomon’s Mines and at the City of Gold (the setting of Allan Quatermain. He’s resurrected in Allan Moore and Kevin O’Neill’s graphic novel series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen; I thought his depiction was fairly faithful to the original, despite having him start our as an elderly opium addict but eventually coming through to win the love of ex-Dracula victim Mina Harper (and getting rejuvenated on a return visit to the magic mountain of She in Africa). He’s played by Sean Connery in the unpleasant movie made of the series – not Connery’s fault.
Escapism, to be sure, but fun. Cheap for a Kindle. ( )