That’s “Allan” with two “l”s and “Quatermain” with one “r”. Like his contemporary Arthur Conan Doyle, H. Rider Haggard created an enduring character while trying to write accessible popular fiction; I imagine a lot of “serious” authors from the same time are now long forgotten. (In fact, Haggard created two enduring characters – at least enduring enough to show up in Hollywood movies: hunter Allan Quatermain and mystical quasi-goddess Ayesha. The twain meet in one novel). This collection has 15 of the Quatermain stories as a single e-book, and they are all enjoyable and engaging. I am unapologetic for enjoying this sort of thing. Allan is unassumingly brave although not afraid to admit when he’s frightened; full of private praise for the Africans he meets although not particularly reluctant to berate them in public (there are appearances to keep up), and generally naïve when it comes to the opposite sex like so many other fictional heroes – Allan’s two main inamorata, Marie Marais and Stella Carson, are quickly killed off to avoid cluttering up his life (as is his only offspring, Harry – maybe Haggard was planning a “Son of Allan Quatermain” series but had second thoughts). The Zulu princess Mameema is, of course, racially incorrect (and is also killed off, which doesn’t stop her from making occasional appearances from the other world in later novels). Although Allan encounters some other eligible ladies later on he keeps them at arm’s length – to be fair, it would seem to be imprudent to get involved with a lady whose epithet is “She Who Must Be Obeyed”, and Lady Ragnall, despite apparent willingness on her part, is just too upper class for Allan.


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. ( )