Cleopatra

Sir Henry William Rider Haggard KBE [Knight Commander ] (22 June 1856 - 14 May 1925) was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. His stories, situated at the lighter end of Victorian literature, continue to be popular and influential. One of his best works, Cleopatra: is an Account of the Fall and Vengeance of Harmachis. The story is set in the Ptolemaic era of Ancient Egyptian history and revolves around the survival of a Dynasty bloodline protected by the Priesthood of Isis. The main character Harmachis (the living descendant of this Bloodline) is charged by the Priesthood to overthrow the supposed imposter Cleopatra, drive out the Romans and restore Egypt to its Golden era. As is the case with the majority of Haggard's works, the story draws heavily upon Adventure and exotic concepts. The story, told from the point of view of the Egyptian priest, Harmachis, is recounted in biblical language, being in the form of papyrus scrolls found in a tomb. Haggard's portrait of Cleopatra is quite stunning, revealing her wit, her treachery, and her overwhelming presence. All of the characters are mixtures of good and evil, and evoke both sympathy and loathing. While much of the material on ancient Egyptian ritual is overdone, the often brilliant dialogue and the fateful interactions between the principal characters make the book quite unforgettable in comparison to Haggard's better known but more conventional adventure novels. "Cleopatra" goes unrecognized in most discussions of Haggard-perhaps because of its stilted language. (Wikipedia)