ERIC BRIGHTEYES - A BOOK THAT INSPIRED TOLKIEN. With original illustrations.
Rider Haggard is among a small selection of Victorian and Edwardian writers whom Professor J.R.R. Tolkien (author of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit) acknowledged by name. In her introduction to this new edition Cecilia Dart-Thornton says, 'Haggard's classic is an action-packed adventure filled with Viking feasts duels, battles on land and sea, romance, treachery, magic, beautiful women and brave heroes. In a description that could be straight out of "The Lord of the Rings", Haggard writes that Eric "was strong and great of stature, his hair was yellow as gold, and his grey eyes shone with the light of swords."' 'For both authors, landscape plays as important a part as any character, and is described in concise yet evocative language. Haggard plunges his readers among the dizzying precipices, waterfalls, fast flowing rivers, icy winters and stormy seas of his fantastic Iceland, much as Tolkien sweeps us into Middle-Earth.' Enriched by almost sixty vibrant vignettes and illustrations by the hand of artist Lancelot Speed, this book is a close replica of the 1891 edition, published when Tolkien was one year old. He read it during the formative years of his youth, absorbing, no doubt, the lavish details of the pictures as he perused the tale. Speed was a highly accomplished and prolific fantasy illustrator during Tolkien's lifetime, and he illuminated many titles Tolkien is known to have read. A dwarf-forged sword wrested from Barrow Dwellers, its bright blade engraved with runes; the appellation: 'Ring-giver'; poetry and song; a hero with grey eyes - these and many more resemblances of style and content exist between Haggard's classic tale and 'The Lord of the Rings'.

Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE (22 June 1856 - 14 May 1925) was an English author. He wrote adventure novels in exotic settings, chiefly colonial Africa, where he lived, worked and travelled for several years. Professor JRR Tolkien greatly enjoyed Haggard's novels, in particular 'She' (1887) and 'Eric Brighteyes' (1891). Fantasy author H.P. Lovecraft, too, praised Haggard. Several of Haggard's books contain references to volcanoes. Reading them, one is reminded of Tolkien's descriptions of Mount Doom. In 'She', Haggard depicts marshlands reminiscent of the Dead Marshes in The Lord of the Rings. Haggard's protagonists, like Tolkien's, make long journeys, endure painful ordeals, travel underground and are often swept into wars. They encounter beings who are either impossibly long-lived or immortal. Landscape, rock formations and geography play a vital role in Haggard's adventures, as they do in Tolkien's work. To 21st century readers, some of Haggard's work may seem 'politically incorrect'. He was a man of his time, as we are people of ours. His books are not devoid of racism, sexism and ruthless exploitation of wild animals; it is best, however, to with-hold judgement and not allow it to spoil the pleasure of reading literary classics.