H. Rider Haggard 
The Wizard 

Dodo Collections brings you another classic from H. Rider Haggard, ‘The Wizard’.




 




‘The Wizard, ‘ H. Rider Haggard’s 21st novel out of an eventual 58, was initially released as a serial in a publication called ‘The African Review’ and then in its complete form in the October 29, 1896 ‘Arrowsmith’s Christmas Annual for Boys.’ It was the third of four African novels that Haggard wrote from 1895-97, the others being ‘Black Heart and White Heart, ‘ ‘Swallow’ and ‘Elissa, ‘. ‘The Wizard’ tells the story of Thomas Owen, a British missionary whom ventures into the wilds of south central Africa to bring the Good Word to a tribe called the Amasuka, or the Children of Fire.




 




H. Rider Haggard practically invented the ‘journey-to-a-lost-civilization’ adventure genre, which captured the public’s imagination.  He traveled the world, spending much time in southern Africa.  These exotic experiences influenced all his works.  He wrote best-selling adventure stories on a dare. All his writings reflect a deep appreciation of humanity in the midst of extraordinary fantasy and adventure. In all, he wrote over 40 novels.




 




Haggard — was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a pioneer of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform throughout the British Empire. His stories, situated at the lighter end of Victorian literature, continue to be popular and influential.




 




His novels portray many of the stereotypes associated with colonialism, yet they are unusual for the degree of sympathy with which the native populations are portrayed. Africans often play heroic roles in the novels, although the protagonists are typically European (though not invariably). Notable examples are the heroic Zulu warrior Umslopogaasi and Ignosi, the rightful king of Kukuanaland, in King Solomon’s Mines. Having developed an intense mutual friendship with the three Englishmen who help him regain his throne, he accepts their advice and abolishes witch-hunts and arbitrary capital punishment.