Long Odds

Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.9

Word count: 33K words
Chapters: 4

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Long Odds by H. Rider HaggardAuthor: Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925,Language: English, Class: PR: Language and Literatures: English literature, Release Date: Mar 31, 2006

Editor's review

Long Odds comes from H. Rider Haggard, a master of adventure fiction, and belongs to the exotic adventure tradition he made his own. The title itself carries a sense of gambling and risk, and the story turns on characters who face the stakes of fate in lands far from home, with the plot advancing through an alternation of coincidence, courage, and moral choice. Its value lies not in psychological depth but in the narrative rhythm and worldview of late Victorian adventure literature: action first, clear good and evil, and exotic space as a testing ground. As a public-domain ebook, it works well as a specimen of genre history, helping readers understand how later adventure and popular fiction inherited this formula; it also suits light English reading for travel or spare moments. Note that its period markings are obvious, and some phrasing reflects colonial-era perspectives that today's readers may not share.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Genre readers who enjoy Victorian adventure fiction and exotic settings
Literature students studying H. Rider Haggard's work and the adventure tradition
English learners who want public-domain ebooks for extensive reading and language intuition
Readers interested in the theme of fate and adventure who can accept an old-fashioned narrative voice

Not a good fit for

Serious literary readers seeking modern psychological depth and complex character arcs
Readers sensitive to colonial-era perspectives and old-fashioned phrasing who prefer to avoid such content
Historical fiction fans expecting tight logic and realistic detail

Reading tips

Read the opening chapters first to gauge the narrative pace, then decide whether to read closely or extensively; do not force yourself to weigh every sentence
Read it within the genealogy of adventure literature and note how later works inherit and revise its plot formulas
Mark passages with obvious period prejudice and reflect on them after finishing rather than getting stuck mid-read
For English extensive reading, advance chapter by chapter and, after finishing, retell the main line in a few sentences to check comprehension

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book similar in style to King Solomon's Mines?

It belongs to the same Haggard adventure tradition, emphasizing risk, courage, and turns of fate in exotic settings; the specific plot and characters differ, but this book offers another entry point for understanding his genre pleasures.

What period limitations should I watch for while reading?

The work carries the colonial-era perspectives and stock characters common to late Victorian adventure literature, and some phrasing may clash with contemporary values. Read it as a historical text, understanding its context rather than accepting it wholesale.

Is this book suitable for learning English?

It suits learners with a certain vocabulary who want extensive reading. The narrative moves through action and sentences are relatively direct, but old-fashioned expressions and exotic vocabulary create obstacles; use a dictionary and keep a steady chapter rhythm.

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About the author

Haggard, H. Rider (Henry Rider), 1856-1925 Author

H. Rider Haggard (Henry Rider Haggard, 1856–1925) was an English writer best known for his adventure and fantasy novels. Because public information is limited, his detailed life and educational background are not discussed here. The library holds 64 of his works, including representative titles such as King Solomon's Mines, She, Allan Quatermain, Nada the Lily, The People of the Mist, She and Allan, and Wisdom's Daughter. His writing often centers on African settings and exotic exploration, blending treasure hunting, ancient civilizations, mysterious women, and lost worlds into tightly plotted, highly imaginative stories. Characters such as Allan Quatermain have had a lasting influence on adventure literature, and his works have been translated into many languages and remain popular with readers.