Though regarded as one of the towering figures in the action-adventure genre, H. Rider Haggard's body of work is sometimes regarded as slightly lacking in terms of thematic heft and thought-provoking insight. Doctor Therne proves that assertion wrong. The novel is a fascinating glimpse into nineteenth-century medical ethics and the creation of the smallpox vaccine, but yet is still filled with the kind of pulse-pounding suspense that has earned Haggard legions of fans and literary acclaim.