Set in Africa, the novel is part of a series of novels with Allan Quatermain as the main character.
The novel begins with an extract from the diary of Allan Quatermain, in which he tells of the early death of his son Harry and the desire to return to the place of his first adventure, Africa.
Reading the life of the author affects the fact that, a few years after the publication of the book (released in 1887) the first child dies still small of measles (1891).
But let's go back to the book.
Allan Quatermain, also known as "the hunter" or even Macumazahn, is joined by old adventure friends, Sir Henry Curtis and Captain John Good. Friends had not seen each other since their previous adventure in Kukuanaland, three years earlier, in search of King Solomon's mines.
In a few moments the old friends decide to leave the civilization and leave for Africa, looking for a fantastic white-skinned tribe living isolated in a valley of a mountain chain not yet explored: the people of Zu-Vendis .
The adventures follow each other without stopping. The three friends meet along the way Umslopogaas, a noble Zulu fighter, already their traveling companion in the previous adventure. They fight against savages, fight against monsters and risk dying in the waters of an underground river, through the lava of a volcano, among the giant monster's claws ...
Then, finally they arrive at the destination where two beautiful queens, Sorais and Nyleptha save them from death, welcome them and fall in love ... but with love the troubles also arrive!
In fact, "Hell has no fury like a woman scorned", and if the woman is a queen ...
Alessandro Rugolo
