When Treasure Island was released in 1885, one of the author’s brothers wagered
that Haggard could write something as good, if not better. It was then that Haggard
began King Solomon’s Mines. It was an instant success, touted as the ‘most amazing
book ever written’. Haggard quickly followed it up with a sequel, Allan Quartermain
and later, with She, which remains one of the best-selling books of all time. Today,
he is primarily remembered as one of the foremost English writers of adventure
fiction and the father of the ‘lost world’ genre of Victorian fiction.
