Sir H Rider Haggard

The Wizard (Illustrated) Sir H Rider Haggard

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," all of which are highly recommended by the readers. "The Wizard" tells the story of Thomas Owen, a British missionary who ventures into the wilds of south-central Africa to bring the Good Word to a tribe called the Amasuka, or the Children of Fire. A previous missionary had been killed by the tribe for his failure to work Christ-like miracles, but Owen, who Haggard eventually refers to as a saint, is undaunted. His advent at the tribe precipitates all manner of problems, including a poisoning attempt on its king, Umsuka; the seemingly inevitable conflict with head medicine man Hokosa; and a civil war between the princes Nodwengo and Hafela. One seldom finds an Haggard's book that doesn't feature several action sequences, and "The Wizard" is no exception. Owen undergoes several trials by fire against the wizard guild--trials that resemble chicken runs with lightning--and the civil war that ultimately erupts in the land of the Amasuka features several exciting battle scenes and sieges. Haggard was a master at clearly describing these epic battle sequences to make them easily visualized by the reader, and his skill is in full flower here.