Sir H Rider Haggard

Finished (Illustrated) Sir H Rider Haggard

"Finished" comprises the third book in H. Rider Haggard's so-called Zulu trilogy, the first two novels being "Marie" and "Child of Storm." This is a magnificent set of books that deals with the downfall of the Zulu people, as personally witnessed by Allan Quatermain, the hero of 14 of Haggard's novels, including "King Solomon's Mines." "Finished" has all the elements that Haggard's fans have come to expect from him: a great and fast-moving story, scenes of big-game hunting, interesting and amusing characters, bloody and well-described battles, all with a dash of mysticism and some supernatural elements thrown into the mix. It is a real rouser. In the first half of this book, our hero Quatermain gets personally involved in the problems of a young couple in the bushveld in Africa, but the entire second half of the book details his stay with the Zulus, their war councils, and the great battles that the Zulus fought against the English in the late 1870s. The tone of the book is suitably elegiac, mourning the passing of proud people and culture. It is set against the background of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879, covering events leading up to the war, and ending with the death of Cetewayo. Quatermain is depicted as being one of the few survivors of the Battle of Isandhlwana. Like others in the series, several real-life characters appear, such as Cetewayo and Anthony Durnford.