1 review for Cleopetra
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Cleopetra
by H. Rider Haggard
Description:
The Story Is Set In The Ptolemaic Era Of Ancient Egyptian History And Revolves Around The Survival Of A Dynasty Bloodline Protected By The Priesthood Of Isis. The Main Character Harmachis (The Living Descendant Of This Bloodline) Is Charged By The Priesthood To Overthrow The Supposed Impostor Cleopatra, Drive Out The Romans, And Restore Egypt To Its Golden Era. As Is The Case With The Majority Of Haggard’s Works, The Story Draws Heavily Upon Adventure And Exotic Concepts. The Story, Told From The Point Of View Of The Egyptian Priest Harmachis, Is Recounted In Biblical Language, Being In The Form Of Papyrus Scrolls Found In A Tomb. Haggard’s Portrait Of Cleopatra Is Quite Stunning, Revealing Her Wit, Her Treachery, And Her Overwhelming Presence. All Of The Characters Are Mixtures Of Good And Evil, And Evoke Both Sympathy And Loathing.
About The Author
Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE (22 June 1856 – 14 May 1925), known as H. Rider 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. After returning to England in 1882, Haggard published a book on the political situation in South Africa, as well as a handful of unsuccessful novels, before writing the book for which he is most famous, King Solomon’s Mines. He accepted a 10% royalty rather than £100 for the copyright.
A sequel soon followed entitled Allan Quatermain, followed by She and its sequel Ayesha, swashbuckling adventure novels set in the context of the Scramble for Africa (although the action of Ayesha happens in Tibet). The hugely popular King Solomon’s Mines is sometimes considered the first of the Lost World genre. She is generally considered to be one of the classics of imaginative literature. and with 83 million copies sold by 1965, it is one of the best-selling books of all time. He is also remembered for Nada the Lily (a tale of adventure among the Zulus) and the epic Viking romance, Eric Brighteyes.
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 Umslopogaas 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.
Three of Haggard’s novels were written in collaboration with his friend Andrew Lang who shared his interest in the spiritual realm and paranormal phenomena.
Haggard also wrote about agricultural and social reform, in part inspired by his experiences in Africa, but also based on what he saw in Europe. At the end of his life, he was a staunch opponent of Bolshevism, a position that he shared with his friend Rudyard Kipling. The two had bonded upon Kipling’s arrival at London in 1889 largely on the strength of their shared opinions, and the two remained lifelong friends.
Skryf Review
Amazing Read. It’s a very interesting book. I would say that Schiff’s approach to Cleopatra was not only feminist, but also, and possibly foremost, critical. She did not take historians’ accounts on their face value; she vigilantly evaluated everything they said, and provided her own commentary. Her images of Cleopatra, Cesar and Mark Anthony are fascinating, and the portrayal of Egyptian, Roman and Middle Eastern society quite eye opening. First and foremost this is a history book. The plot is taken from real time 2,000 years ago. It hasn’t been bloated with fantastical elements or intense drama. In fact, if you were reading this book as you would a work of fiction, you’ll find yourself sadly lacking that same kind of connection to Cleopatra as you would to a main character in a novel. Why? Because Cleopatra is nearly unknowable. And she’s not a fictional character. She’s spoken of from a distance, seen more through the eyes of men around her than through her own lenses. If you’re not interested in Caesarian Roman or Ptolemaic Egyptian history, you might not get much out of this book. But if you are, and you want to know more about the elusive Cleopatra, not the Elizabeth Taylor or Shakespeare version but the real person garnered from firsthand accounts and a few words out of her own mouth, you’ll guzzle this book up as if it were your life force.