Great Light Publications has newly republished the 1885 classic King Solomon's Mines. What a nice addition to a home where lovers of adventure literature reside!

Alain Quartermain is the original Indiana Jones--an action hero beyond compare, a renaissance man who can talk and think his way through dangerous scrapes, and a friend to the civilized gentleman and tribal king alike. In King Solomon's Mines, Quartermain finds himself on a dangerous journey to aid two of his fellow Englishmen in the quest to find a lost brother. Into the African interior they go, facing death and danger at every turn. Dry desert, near starvation, wild animals, and eventually a tribal war present exciting edge-of-your-seat scenarios. This is quality storytelling!

I read King Solomon's Mines aloud to my 12-year-old son, and 10, 8, and 6-year-old daughters. Initially, I found it heavy on descriptions and a bit tedious to wade through, thinking that perhaps the book was better suited to an older child or adult reading alone. We stuck with it, however, and about a third of the way in we found ourselves laughing aloud and shaking our heads at the funniest moment of all. We still chuckle about it, but of course I won't give it away. You'll have to see for yourself!

Author H. Rider Haggard dedicated King Solomon's Mines "to all the big and little boys who read it." But I propose that this is a book for adventurous souls who like a good story, regardless of gender. My three young daughters and I enjoyed it as much as their spirited brother, and I'm certainly glad I included the girls in our reading. A fun read all the way around!

Product review by Kendra Fletcher, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, April 2010