Prester John is a 1910 adventure novel

Adventure novel

The adventure novel is a genre of novels that has adventure, an exciting undertaking involving risk and physical danger, as its main theme.-History:...

 by John Buchan. It tells the story of a young Scotsman named David Crawfurd and his adventures in South Africa

South Africa

The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

, where a Zulu uprising is tied to the medieval legend of Prester John

Prester John

The legends of Prester John were popular in Europe from the 12th through the 17th centuries, and told of a Christian patriarch and king said to rule over a Christian nation lost amidst the Muslims and pagans in the Orient. Written accounts of this kingdom are variegated collections of medieval...

. Crawfurd is similar in many ways to Buchan's later character, Richard Hannay

Richard Hannay

Major-General Sir Richard Hannay, KCB, OBE, DSO, Legion of Honour, is a fictional secret agent created by Scottish novelist John Buchan. In his autobiography, Memory Hold-the-Door, Buchan suggests that the character is based, in part, on Edmund Ironside, from Edinburgh, a spy during the Second Boer...

.

Buchan was a strong supporter of the British Empire

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

 and the British Commonwealth

Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...

, and this can be seen in this novel. Containing the racial stereotypes and caricatures of its day, the book was popular, and constitutes an excellent example of early 20th century adventure novel. It is still in print today and much of the novel's theme of cultural clash is still relevant.

Buchan's rich, lively descriptions of the South African landscape, which he knew well, are memorable.

It contains the notable line: "Perfect love casteth out fear, the Bible says; but, to speak it reverently, so does perfect hate."

Plot

The setting is contemporaneous with publication: the beginning of the twentieth century. Crawfurd's father dies, and he goes to work as a shopkeeper in a place called Blaauwildebeestefontein. Then there is a rising of the Zulu people.