Book Anatomy · King Solomon's Mines
King Solomon's Mines: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for King Solomon's Mines by H. Rider Haggard. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1885, 81,974 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1885, 81,974 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
81,974 words. Modern thriller and adventure often runs 80,000 to 100,000 words, so this is in the usual range today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 82,000 words, the book is longer than modern adventure thrillers (typically 70,000 to 80,000) but shorter than epic fantasy. It is substantial but not bloated. The length suits the journey narrative and multiple plot threads.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1885, 81,974 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The book was not serialised. It was published as a complete novel in 1885. However, it reads as if it could have been serialised: each chapter ends with tension or revelation, and the arc has natural breaks at chapters 6, 11, 14, 17, and 20.
Chapters: Ch 6, Ch 11, Ch 14, Ch 17, Ch 20
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps: Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (adventure, ancient treasure, team of specialists), The Lost City of Z by David Grann (exploration, jungle, obsession), Tomb by F. Paul Wilson (treasure hunt, danger, friendship).
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Today it would be shelved as adventure fiction or historical adventure. It appeals to readers of Indiana Jones style stories, colonial-era adventure, and classic adventure literature. It is taught in schools as a foundational adventure novel.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: violence (battle, execution, witch-hunt), death (multiple characters), racism and colonial attitudes, brief romance, starvation and survival horror. The book is not graphic but deals with serious themes.
Chapters: Ch 4, Ch 10, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 17
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
Three men and a mystery: when a hunter is hired to find a missing heir and a legendary treasure, he discovers that the greatest wealth is friendship. A thrilling adventure across African wilderness, lost kingdoms, and sealed tombs.
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title is direct and iconic: King Solomon's Mines. It names the prize and promises adventure. This is typical of Victorian adventure fiction, which favoured clear, treasure-focused titles. Modern adventure often uses subtler or more mysterious titles.
Ask King Solomon's Mines a question about its craft (free beta)
Answers cite chapter and paragraph, and every quote is checked against the text. (3 free questions a day).
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