King Solomon's Mines

King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard (1885)

Allan Quatermain leads an expedition into uncharted Africa to find a missing man — and discovers the legendary diamond mines of King Solomon. The original adventure quest that set the template for Indiana Jones.

Historical Significance:
Haggard wrote King Solomon's Mines on a bet with his brother that he could write a novel as good as Treasure Island. Published in 1885, it became the first English adventure novel set in Africa and created the "lost world" genre. Allan Quatermain — tough, experienced, modest — became the archetype for every adventure hero from Indiana Jones to Lara Croft. Steven Spielberg and George Lucas have both acknowledged the novel's direct influence on the Indiana Jones franchise.

This public domain classic was originally published in 1885. Free to read and share.