Classics Club #20: She by H. Rider Haggard
She is the landmark fantasy/adventure novel by H. Rider Haggard that has influenced authors like J.R.R. Tolkien, Rudyard Kipling, and George R.R. Martin. It has appeared on lists like Fantasy: The 100 Best Books, Horror: The 100 Best Books, and Classics of Science Fiction. Serialized from 1886 to 1887, She was one of the first “lost world” stories, and laid the foundation for stories featuring characters like Doc Savage and Indiana Jones.
In She, Horace Holly narrates the tale of his journey with his adoptive son Leo Vincey to the heart of Africa. There they reach a lost kingdom ruled by the mysteriously beautiful queen Ayesaha, known as “She“, or “She-who-must-be-obeyed“.”
I mostly enjoyed reading the tale of She-who-must-be-obeyed, but there were more than a few sections that dragged too much for me. There were some unforgettable scenes, however, and once I reached the halfway point of the novel, I became hooked. I liked the narrator, Horace Holly, and Ayesha herself was a fascinating character. But Leo Vincey, the supposed hero of the story, was quite a disappointment after his promising introduction.
Overall, if you like Victorian fantasy by authors like Lord Dunsany, or if you want to explore the origins of modern science fiction and fantasy, then She is a must-read.
She: A History of Adventure by H. Rider Haggard
First edition London: Longmans, 1887
Kindle edition Open Road Media, 2014
Printed length: 269 pages
