Publisher's Synopsis
The more books I read by H. Rider Haggard the more convinced I am that he is a vastly under-rated author. This book, for me, even surpasses his more famous ones, King Solomon's Mines and She. It starts out rather slowly, in England, where the great hunter Allan Quatermain is making one of his rare trips outside Africa. I say slowly, meaning action-wise, but not at all boringly. The pheasant-hunting contest was riveting. The story moves back to Africa and Quatermain recounts the failed gold mine speculation. Meanwhile, events begun years ago in England are progressing and the other characters are arriving in Africa for the real action.
