Customer Reviews

The People Of The Mist

5 star:		(35)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Sir Henry Rider Haggard, the so-called "Father of the Lost Race Novel," didn't write such stories featuring only Allan Quatermain and Ayesha, She Who Must Be Obeyed. For example, his 17th novel, "The People of the Mist" (1894), is a smashing, wonderfully exciting, stand-alone lost-race tale featuring all-new characters. But the first third of the novel is hardly a lost-race story at all, but rather one of hard-bitten African adventure. In it, we meet Leonard Outram, a penniless British adventurer who is seeking wealth in the wilds of the "Dark Continent" after losing his family lands and estates (through no fault of his own, it should be added). He becomes involved in the rescue of a young Portuguese woman from the largest slaving camp in Africa, and this thrilling and quite suspenseful section of the book offers more entertainment value than most entire novels. But it is only after Leonard and Otter (his four-foot-tall Zulu sidekick) rescue Juanna Rodd that the book really takes off, and the hunt for the People of the Mist, and their legendary jewel horde, begins. Once the lost race has been discovered, Leonard & Co. become embroiled in a plot involving the impersonation of gods and priest vs. king politics, and Haggard throws in some violent sacrifices, a giant crocodile god, a "toboggan" escape along a precipitous glacier, some romances and a good deal of humor (thanks to that wonderful Otter character) to keep the reader consistently amused. The theology of this lost race is nicely detailed and, as is fortunately common in a Haggard tale, the author offers many commentaries on the side regarding his philosophies of life. For those readers who have enjoyed other tales by Sir Henry (I've read 30 or so at this point; the man CAN prove addictive!), "The People of the Mist" will resonate all over the place, bringing to mind both earlier and later Haggard works. For example, the character of Soa (Juanna's insanely jealous nursemaid) is similar to Hendrika the Baboon Woman in "Allan's Wife" (1889). Otter himself is a precursor of Quatermain's Hottentot sidekick Hans, especially when he attempts to fight the giant crocodile god, much as Hans would later fight the monstrous snake god in "The Ivory Child" (1916). (These giant animal gods, it should be noted, are likely inspirations for all those similar monstrosities in the tales of Robert E. Howard, just as Hendrika was a likely inspiration for Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan.) But there is no way in the world that a reader--even one familiar with the author--will guess how things turn out for our intrepid explorers, in this continuously engrossing tale. That said, it should be noted that Haggard is guilty of a few slips in the course of the book. A huge gem of the crocodile god is carved from a sapphire; several hundred pages later, it has become a ruby. The motto of Leonard's family is said to be "For Heart, Home and Honour"; later on, that motto is said to be "For Home, Honour and Heart." But these are minor matters that only the sharpest-eyed readers will notice (my personal curse, I suppose). The overwhelming majority of readers, I feel, will be so busy being thrilled and entertained that they will never notice these little goofs. The bottom line is that "The People of the Mist" is still another wonderful page-turner from H. Rider Haggard. Now, when is some respectful filmmaker going to spend $200 million to bring THIS ONE to the big screen?

Sir Henry Rider Haggard wrote many great works - "She," "King Solomon's Mines," and this underappreciated treasure, a beautifully written, exciting, and moving tale of adventure, love, sacrifice and a lost civilization in Africa. My favorite character is the African "Otter" who is both funny and heroic, he seems foolish but actually he is far wiser than his white English employers. I first read and loved "People of the Mist" at the age of 15 when is was reprinted as part of that great Ballantine Adult Fantasy series by Lin Carter (which also introduced a new generation of readers to all time fantasy greats like Dunsany, Lovecraft, Cabell, and Clark Ashton Smith). I've read about ten times in the last quarter century and it is still an excellent, sweeping spectacle. Read it, buy it, reprint it. Haggard was the granddaddy of them all, before Burroughs, Mundy and Lamb, before Robert E. Howard, before Buchan and Wilbur Smith, there was Sir Harry.

A beautiful masterpiece, truly Haggard at his best. It depicts an English youth, who lost his fortune and his fiancee's hand. Swearing with his brother to win back their home, he ends up in Africa, trying to make a fortune. It is only afterwards that he rescues a maid from a slave-dealer (for payment, of course!) falls in love with her, and ends up in a place no one has ever heard of. Narrow escape, love, intrigue, and more make this book great! It's worth every penny!

What a great tale. Leonard and his brother are brought to ruin by their father's careless living and eventual suicide. The brothers determine to gain back the family estate that in the end had to be auctioned.

They travel to Africa swearing to one another they will strike it rich or die trying to buy back the family estate.

There is so much action, adventure and romance in this book. At first it is very interesting and exciting. But then it starts to take a turn from which it never seems to recover.

This exotic novel complete with dashing gentleman and a fiery and beautiful lady becomes mundane about half way through. Leonard does and says exactly (and irritatingly) exactly what you would think. The young lady is fiery and spirited exactly how you think she would be. And they both long for one another exactly how you think they would....

Further, the story is preachy about all the topics of that period.

Had it kept up the pace and intrigue that it had for the first half of the book, it would have made a great story. As it was it made a half way story.

What a great story! Haggard wrote adventure fiction like no one else. His pace is slow but it feels right. He isn't in any hurry. He sometimes spends a paragraph or two with stunning descriptions, painting a picture in the mind. But the unfolding plot is totally gripping, and I don't mind the time it takes to make it through.

Haggard's characters are lovable. It is what makes his stories so effective. If you don't genuinely care about the characters, then you won't care about all the dangers they encounter. Watching Leonard, Juanna, and Otter face death over and over is gripping because you like them.

Haggard's settings are fantastic! He really knew how to create a vivid fantasy world. His descriptions are carefully integrated into the plot too. At one point in the novel, Leonard (a "guest" of the People of the Mist) is led by natives through a dark tunnel to a wide-open space in pitch blackness. Leonard can hear the sound of water rushing as if far below. He can hear the murmuring of crowds of natives as though from afar. Leonard waits the coming dawn when the natives will perform a ritual. How Haggard slowly doles out information as the dawn slowly breaks is amazing. While it is still dark, Leonard probes around with his foot. He discovers that about 2 feet in front of him is a drop-off. Then as the light begins to dawn, he can see that he is suspended far above the ground with snow capped mountains all around. Then as the light increases, he realizes he is standing on the outstretched palm of a huge monstrous idol he had seen from far off. The palm isn't nearly large enough for comfort, and a hundred feet below him is a river and a crowd of natives. He looks up to discover that his love, Juanna, whom the natives think is a goddess, has been placed a hundred feet above him, on the head of the idol. Once this weird stage is set, the action is ready to begin, and its action you'll never forget.

Haggard was also a thoughtful man. He often has poignant insights into the human condition: desire for love, the nobility of sacrificing yourself for a friend, loyalty, and the impossibility of complete happiness in this life, to name a few.

I have read 5 or 6 Haggard novels now, and People of the Mist may be the best yet. If you like adventure, fantasy, romance, with a touch of philosophy and humor thrown in, you'll love Haggard. My question is, why don't people write like this anymore? And another question, Why hasn't anyone done a film of this story? It would beat out "Indiana Jones" any day of the week.

This was a lucky find for me. I had never heard of Henry Rider Haggard until I read THE PEOPLE OF THE MIST! It is a beautifully written masterpiece. My favorite character has to be Otter a native of Africa. He is uneducated but has great insight into the problems the group is faced with. The four main characters are so completely developed that you feel like you know them. They confront African slavers and defeat them to rescue and free the slaves from the slave compound. This is the final step that takes the group the the land of The People of The Mist and possibly the treasures of King Solomon's mines!

The descriptions of Africa are beautifully done. The suspense is high and keeps you turning the pages. This is a book worth reading more than once. To think, I may not have bought it not having heard of the book or Henry Rider Haggard, but it was free on Kindle. Thank you, Amazon.

This is a brilliantly conceived book. It is amazing that it is still such a fun read after 120 years. The most remarkable thing about the book is that there are several very interesting plot twists that are wonderfully constructed, and completely outside the realm of what I would have guessed would happen.

Enjoy!!

I was not familiar with the author before reading. I was looking for something with an old world, classic feel. This book was wonderful, beautiful yet simplistic imagery to describe the natural surroundings. The story was great. There are deserts, waterways, slave-camps.... This was a wonderful adventure tale that took me back to another time. If you are truly a fan of reading, and don't just skip paragraphs to further the plot, this book is well worth your time.

This is an incredible adventure, complete with terror, tears and laughs! After a brief introduction into the scenario, the pace and mystery picks-up to a 'can't-put-it-down' pace! After lending my tattered copy to someone years ago, forgetting who, and searching for a copy ever since, I've FINALLY FOUND IT!!! Thanks,AMAZON!!!!!!!!

I had never heard of this book or author, but given the intriguing plot summary and the free cost as a kindle book, I thought I would give it a try. Since other reviewers have done an excellent job summarizing the plot, I will forego that exercise, and instead, will present some discrete thoughts on the novel:

1. Like a black and white movie from the 30's, "People of the Mist" is very much a product of its time. The age of the book is well evidenced not only in its language (some of which is archaic) or in its Victorian-era descriptions of the interactions between the characters (particularly the heroine and all of the men), but also, in some of its cringe-inducing stereotypes (including those of jews and blacks). (I do note that some of these stereotypes were actually cartoonishly positive, so I am not suggesting the author was seeking to insult any racial group). In any event, for me, these stereotypes are neither good nor bad, but instead, are reflective of an era happily now gone by.

2. In many spots, this novel is a "rollicking good time." The author was quite talented in relating action sequences, some of which were very exciting, and kept me up way past my bedtime.

3. I often laugh at novels which contain idealized character descriptions (both positive and negative)--be they regarding physical, intellectual, spiritual or other characteristics. This is very much one of those novels. So the heroine is "the most beautiful," the black dwarf slave is "the most brave," and the african king is "the most ethical and honorable." Again, not good or bad, but a stylistic device reflective of the genre.

4. One of my favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the various motivations and dealings of the characters. In this book, "everyone has an angle." Each of the characters wants something, each is prepared to give (and not give) something to get it, and each of the characters strategically discloses information in a manner to best suit their goals. The author's use of these factors gives the novel a complexity and realistic feeling I wouldn't have otherwise expected in a period piece of this type. A definite plus to me.