King Solomon's Mines

Set in an unexplored region of Africa, this adventure novel follows Allan Quatermain and a group of explorers on a quest to find a missing brother. Quatermain, a big game hunter and progressive figure, embodies a sympathetic view of the native people, often portraying them as heroic despite the European-centric perspective of the narrative. As the first English fictional adventure novel set in Africa, it establishes a significant precedent in literature, blending themes of exploration and cultural complexity.