Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

afp01
I have read the two other novels in this trilogy by another translator. They were superior and more exciting I could not put them down. This book translated by Jeremiah Curtin is absolutely terrible, I can't force myself to read it. I can not recommend this translation of a terrific trilogy.

Dude... I cried at certain parts of this book...
and that never happened before. I will confess I picked up this book because of the cover. I was waiting for a study group at the main library at Boston College. It was a new release and had on the cover a beatiful painting of charging polish hussars. I said to myself this looks real cool. I read the first chapter standing at the lobby because my stupid study group was late. I was instantly addicted. I borrowed and finished it in less than a week and then borrowed that second volume.

It was such a moving experience. Pan Andy, Fat Zagloba, and Mikey just leapt from the pages and off I went on a high adventure with these guys. This is better than Tolkien or any fantasy adventure ever written. I really felt like I was with these guys trying to free their country from oblivion.

Grand Entertaining Sweep of History
I own a ninety year old translation of With Fire and Sword.The translation is a bit stilted (as was our English back then),but the cover is falling off from my avid reading.When I found the Kuniczak translation of The Deluge, I couldn't wait to read more, and this does not disappoint.The fresh idiomatic English is mostly smooth, (although a few expressions stand out as more modern slang).Once again, Pan Zagloba roars across the pages and the "little colonel" Wolodyovski does his best defending the Motherland, and at the same time, to catch the eye of pretty girls.The drama and characters of 17th century Polandand Lithuania cannot help to inspire an interest in this area.I was amazed when I read the true story of the politics and shifting alliances of the region, and to imagine a powerful SWEDISH army (oxymoron these days). A true classic that never gets old.

Outstanding, with lessons for today
The stormy romance between Andei Kmicic and Olenka Billevich seems like an allegory of the relationship between the Polish szlachta and Poland itself. The petty squabbling, quarreling, and self-serving behavior of the szlachta alienates them from their country as Kmicic's headstrong and reckless behavior alienates him from the woman he loves. "It seemed to Kmita then that Poland and Olenka were one and the same, and that he had doomed them both and handed them voluntarily to the Swedes" (Kuniczak translation, p. 753). Sienkiewicz obviously wishes to leave a clear lesson here for the free people of any nation.

The story foreshadows two issues that emerged during the Second World War: the Germans who were "only following orders" and the Vichy French who collaborated with the Germans. What is one supposed to do when his superior orders him to do something that is obviously wrong? At what point does acquiescence to a victorious invader for the purpose of avoiding further harm to one's country become collaboration with an enemy? Can someone collaborate with the enemy for the purpose, as Janusz Radziwill claimed, of turning on him and overthrowing him at a more opportune moment? (The few colonels who went along with Radziwill were in a semi-feudal system in which a retainer obeyed his lord and the lord was supposed to obey the King. Radziwill's foreign mercenaries had no such dilemma because they owed their loyalty only to their paymaster.)

During the 1970s, the United States began to lose the manufacturing capability that led to victory in the Second World War. Our Congress has its own Opalinskis and Radziwills, people whose first priority is their own political success as opposed to service to the country. They are unwilling or unable to understand that wealth must be created through agriculture, mining, and manufacturing, and that it cannot be legislated into existence. The Senatorial filibuster isnow used to block judicial appointments, as the Liberum Veto was once used to break up the Sejm. The jester Ostrozka showed how the handwriting was on the wall for the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth's ideological successor and heir, the United States, needs to take the same warning very seriously lest it suffer the same fate.

Lost in the Translation
By all means, buy this edition if it is your only way to enter the marvelous world that Sienkiewicz has given to Poland and to posterity. Discover why the Trilogy has been a best-seller in its native land for more than a century. Epic adventure, star-crossed love, villains, heroes, treachery, heartbreak and humor. Sienkiewicz wrote to lift up the hearts of his people, and if he doesn't lift yours, see a cardiologist immediately.

But beg or borrow if you can, and steal if you must, the translation by W.S. Kuniczak that was published in the early 1990s. Discover what happens when a novelist translates. Kuniczak is true not just to the sentences, but to the spirit of the work. He blows the dust out of the century-old writing and lets it shine. And for readers not on intimate terms with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 17th Century (admit it), he effortlessly drops in helpful hints.

Here's how Curtin starts:

There was in Jmud a powerful family, the Billeviches, descended from Mendog, connected with many, and respected, beyond all, in the district of Rossyeni. ... Their native nest, existing to this day, was called Billeviche; ... In later times they branched out into a number of houses, the members of which lost sight of one another. They all assembled only when there was a census at Rossyeni of the general militia of Jmud on the plain of the invited Estates.

And Kuniczak:

In the part of the old Grand Duchy of Lithuania that was known as Zmudya, and which antedated the times of recorded history, there lived an ancient family named Billevitch, widely connected with many other houses of Lithuanian gentry, and respected more than any other in the Rosyen region. ... Their family seat, known as Billevitche ... so that in time they split into several branches that seldom saw each other. Some of them got together now and then when the Zmudyan gentry gathered for the annual military census near Rosyen on a plain called Stany...

Honestly, which version would you rather spend 1700 pages with? The native nest or the family seat?

(And just by the by, when will a smart publisher sell the Sienkiewicz Trilogy alongside Tolkien? Why do they squirrel it away with the Serious Literature in Translation that mostly gathers dust? There's millions and millions of dollars in these books, lying around, waiting for someone to market them properly.) ... Read more

Product Description
Translated by Miroslaw Lipinski. Available for the first time in one volume are three memorable Sienkiewicz stories: The Old Servant; Hania; and Selim Mirza. Follows the volatile friendship of two young men, as they share confidences, court the same girl, and ultimately fight side-by-side in the Franco-Prussian War. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

If you like Sienkiewicz novels, don't overlook this jewel.
This storyis about a young man and his two friends, one a girl and the other a boy.Both boys love the girl.A familiar plot but as told by this master storyteller, very engrossing.

Read Hania and you'll be hooked on Sienkiewicz forever
There's nothing to add really to the previous review, I would just like to stress that Hania (the second story) is so good it would deserve 5 stars on its own.

Two out of three ain't bad when they're this good.
"The Little Trilogy" is three loosely related stories from thepen of Henryk Sienkiewicz, most famous for "Quo Vadis" and hisTrilogy.

I discovered Sienkiewicz through "With Fire andSword", the first book of the Trilogy, and I have been stalking hisremaining books like a ravenous wolf ever since.This man constructs plotslike Alexander Dumas and ranks with Tolstoy's greatest novels for sheerscope.He is, quite simply, the best writer I have ever been exposed tofrom a literary standpoint as well as from the sheer enjoyment I've gleanedfrom his novels.

"The Little Trilogy" is only a peek at whathe's really capable of, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.The first story is acharming example of his ability to create characters that you just fall inlove with.The second story is the longest of the three and, by far, themost fully realized.It's a romance that transforms itself into a story ofalmost gothic tragedy.The characters grab you, and I could not put itdown!The last piece is a military story that meanders a bit and lacks thecharacterization and tight plot structure that are Sienkiewicz's hallmarks.

Enjoyable, beautifully written, but probably essential only toSienkiewicz groupies. ... Read more

Product Description
The period embraced in this set is "one of the most dramatic and fruitful of results in European Annals - remarkable for work and endeavor, especially in the Slav world," the author writes. Among Western Slavs, the great events were the Hussite Wars and the union of Lithuania and Polant. The Hussite Wars were caused by ideas of race and religion (born in Bohemia.) The period of Bohemian activity began in 1403 and ended in 1434, with the battle of Lipan.

Known for their great narrative power and contain vivid characterizations, Sienkiewicz' work includes the great trilogy of historical novels began to appear in 1883. It is composed of With Fire and Sword (1884), The Deluge (1886), and Pan Michael (1887-88). Set in the later 17th century, the trilogy describes Poland's struggles against Cossacks, Tatars, Swedes, and Turks, stressing Polish heroism in a vivid style of epic clarity and simplicity.

Henryk (Adam Alexander Pius) Sienkiewicz (1846-1916) was a novelist, born in Wola Okrzejska, Poland. He studied at Warsaw, travelled in the USA, and in the 1870s began to write articles, short stories, and novels. His major work was a war trilogy about 17th-c Poland, beginning with Ogniem i mieczem (1884, With Fire and Sword), but his most widely known book is the story of Rome under Nero, Quo Vadis? (1896), several times filmed, notably in 1951 by Mervyn Le Roy (1900-87). He received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905.

Translated by Samuel A. Binion, who was also the translator of Quo Vadis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Glad I read it!
With Fire and Sword, Vol. 1I had never read any of Sienkiewcz.I had seen the movie Quo Vadis long ago.When I came across the title and learned that he had won the Nobel prize, I decided to give the book a try. I know nothing about the civil wars that were a part of the period and compounding that lack of knowledge with a litany of very unfamiliar names, the battle scenes for me were difficult to get through.HOWEVER, the more personal story of the the two lovers and the princess' flight to avoid a barbaric lover,and the individual profiles of various warriors and their relationships was extremely interesting. The descriptions of the lands after the battles gave a graphic picture of the grotesque nature of the people at that time. The descriptions of the superstitious nature that played an integral part of these peoples's lives created, as well, a tone that many modern authors fail to achieve. If you are expecting any resolution on the last page, you will be disappointed. The plot moves immediately to part two with the last sentence.

Gripping
This book, and its two sibling books "The Deluge" and "Fire in the Steppe," were recommended to me by a Polish person because they were "good stories."What I found were three of the most gripping pieces of literature I have ever read.I couldn't put them down - the story, narration, wit, humor, romance, and intrigue were all amazing. And I learned a lot about the history of Poland and Eastern Europe to boot. This last part deserves some attention - I didn't pick up the book with the intention of learning about Polish history (honestly, I was disinterested), but the history turned out to be very colorful and amazing.

Regardless of whether someone is interested in Polish history or not, this is a timeless and unforgettable read for anyone who wants a good epic adventure & romance novel.

21st century American history written in advance?
Actually it's a trilogy: Fire and Sword. Deluge. Fire in the Steppes. You can read it as an epic historical novel about 17th century Poland, and what an epic it is!I don't think Hollywood with its cast of thousands and all its money could tell this story vividly as did Sienkiewicz using only the printed word.Believe me, from page 1 you are there.

But I wish this was the only reason to read this book.

Unfortunately, you can't help noticing parallels with Poland then and the USA now, which are many and disquieting. Two constitutional politcal systems; one a republic, the other an elective monarchy--both relatively pluralistic and tolerant in hostile and violent time. Circling foreign powers.Short sighted quarreling and wrangling among the leaders.A huge border problem; large and less than 100% loyal minorities.Holding all this in check are massively powerful militaries.In Poland's case, this wasn't enough. Poland so exhausted itself fighting internal rebellions and foreign invasions that it was easy prey for partitioning in the next century.

So it's a good old fashioned read and a very sobering read at the same time.

East-European History 101
For students of East-European history, a sort of thoughtful GONE WITH THE WIND with footnotes. This Victorian-era, historical romance belongs to an eminent tradition that begins with Walter Scott, a tradition that includes Victor Hugo, Dumas (here the main influence), Pushkin, Tolstoi, etc., etc. Of special note, for a fuller perspective on the subject--the unraveling in the 17c of the grand Polish empire ("commonwealth")--read Gogol's Ukranian perspective in TARAS BULBA (made into a silly Hollywood movie, naturellement, with Yul Brynner and Tony Curtis), Isaac Singer's Polish-Jewish lament in SATAN IN GORAY (calamities effectuate religious enthusiasm, or haven't you noticed?), Daniel Defoe's Anglo-gloating in MEMOIRS OF A CAVALIER, and even Isaac Babel's RED CAVALRY (does the horror of the plunder scene in Kosinski's PAINTED BIRD plunder the gleeful horrors in Sienkiewicz's narrative?; the latter never misses an impalement). The treatment, by the author of QUO VADIS?, would eventually inform Hollywood's world-view: super heroes, super damsels in eminent distress, super villains and sort-of villains (unlike Hollywood, the author follows the aristocratic tradition of granting a brave and skillful enemy his due), no sex (save "Tartar fashion"), and lots and lots of blood and guts (literally; after all, this is East Europe). As I said, Hollywood. Essential reading--along with THE DELUGE (mighty!! Sweden picks on sweet, peace-loving Poland) and FIRE IN THE STEPPE (the mighty Turk picks on peace-loving Western civilization)--for students of European history, especially of East European. The collapse of Poland in the 17c would lead to the rise of two great European powers--Germany via Prussia, and Romanoff Russia. In tone and theme WITH FIRE AND SWORD prepares the reader for 20c European history. Incidentally, tho written by a Polish patriot in the 19c, there is very little of the religious issue either as it may have been felt in Poland or as it helped precipitate the war (rebellion) in the Ukraine (the lords of Poland failed to showsensitivity to the religious sensibilities of Cossacks): a curious omission in a portrait of Eastern Europe in the 17c (but compare with the sequel, THE DELUGE, wherein the shoe is on the other foot). Another aside: Sienkowiewicz's persistent adoration of the decorums of feudalism as a 19c romantic imagined them, tho risible to a 21st century North American (and quite sinister and ominous, unless one trusts NPR), is somewhat in a European tradition that would endure until, and thro, the Great War (WW I); think of Tennyson's "kind hearts and coronets" or read the boys magazines published in England, 1914 - 1918 (or watch Masterpiece Theatre). To cite just one example from our author: on the eve of battle with Sweden's army (in THE DELUGE), the inert, effete Polish nobility (according to the author) suddenly pulses as one with that "inborn capacity of the nobles for war." (For an eminent rejoinder, read Conrad's LORD JIM.) As I said, somewhat risible but sinister and ominous from a contemporary perspective up here. Rendered in a lively, brisk, popular style well suited to the magazine serialization that marked the book's first appearance (as with Dickens). Quite early on the author's works achieved canonicity in Polish letters and literature (criticise at your peril). As a young man Stienkiewicz crossed America (shortly after the Civil War), and his published reflections on the new republic remain trenchant and pertinent (and, on at least one subject, politically incorrect).

one of the best historical novels ever
If you've read only "Quo Vadis" (or not even that one) by Sienkiewicz, you must read this one. It's not set in the same time but much later, in the Medieval Poland, a strange mix of civilisation (it was the only real democracy in those times' Europe - even the king was elected by poll!) and savagery. The Chistian Pollons - the most fervent of Catholics even now - of the Middle Eve show alternate sensibility and cruelty, are capable of the most gentle love but could butcher carelessly an opponent, are trustworthy or the biggest liars - and all of them breathe in the pages of this novel. You might have problems with the names - but this is to be expected; you don't have to learn Polish in order to love this book...
Young "polkovnik" (equiv. colonel) Skrzetuski falls inlove with a panni (miss) he's only spoken to for a little time. The girl's guardians promise him the maiden's hand in marriage... But as soon as he's away , the Tartars destroy the mansion and all knowledge of the inhabitants is lost. Kept a prisoner by the Tartars, allied with the Kosaks, Skrzetuski is freed only to find his lover gone. The Kosak Bohun, also inlove with Helena, kidnaps the girl and carries her away. As much as he'd want to go to her rescue, Skrzetuski has military duties to fulfill and will go to war instead of finding his heart's desire. But as he desperately tries to put love aside (and never really succeeds) his loyal friends go in search of Helena. Pan Zagloba, the biggest braggart of all times, and young Michal Wollodijowski manage to rescue her from her keepers and even wound Bohun. But after they hide her in a monastery in a protected city, and give the good news to the delighted Skrzetuski, they learn that the city was overtaken by the enemies and the monasteries sacked, the maidens there raped and murdered. Devastated, the young colonel decides to try to find death as a hero or join a monks order, if he'll survive all battles...

this is only the mainline and could tell nothing of the beauty of the prose... You actually are transported back in time, all the characters have substance and are credible. You'll want more - and there are more of them. Just have one try... You'll never regret it. ... Read more

Product Description
CONTENTSYanko the MusicianThe Light-House Keeper of AspinwallFrom the Diary of a Tutor in PoznanComedy Errors:A Sketch of American LifeBartek the Victor ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Product Description
This powerful novel, "a Polish Gone with the Wind" (New York Times Book Review), is set in the 17th century and follows the struggle of the kingdom of Poland to maintain its unity in the face of the Cossack-led peasant rebellion. Foreword by James Michener. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (51)

With Fire and Sword (The Trilogy, Book I)
I was pleasantly surprised at the condition of the book. I knew it was used and except for some ink spots on one page it is in great conditon. Thank you for making it possible for me to make this purchase. Buying the book was very important to me.

An Opportunity to Gain an Interest in Eastern European History
As an American with Polish, Lithuanian and Cosack ancestors I looked forward to this first book of The Trilogy with high expectations and I wasn't disapointed.Like the Shaara's trilogy of the American Civil War, Sienkiewicz makes effective use of the novel device to draw the reader into the tumult surrounding horrendous times when a nation's total existence is threatened by civil war.

Some have criticized Sienkiewicz for being overly biased in his presentation of Polish versus Cosack life in this book.I don't feel that he has been unfair.Being somewhat familiar with Cosack life through stories handed down by my paternal grandfather, I find the wild, free, independent life Cosacks lived and yearned for, well depicted in the story.After all Cosack can be translated as "Freebooter".The closest analogy we can find in our history is the Native American.

Anyone who has labored through the archaic language of any of Jeremiah Curtin's translations of Sienkiewicz's works will appreciate W. S. Kuniczak's new translation.Kuniczak has done an excellent job translating the original work and updating the language of this book which was first published in 1884.

The book is long.It is like reading Tolstoy or Hugo.The heroes have too few faults to be totally believable.On the otherhand there are few true villians.Sienkiewicz gives a balanced view of the conflict between the value of centralized control through a strong monarchy that existed in most of Europe and the more republican oligopoly that existed in Poland.

The book represents a real opportunity for American's to get some understanding of the history of Eastern Europe while enjoying a good story.

Brilliant read
This particular translation is a brilliant read. Knights of yore at the European crossroads of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with adversaries on all sides. I would have no trouble recommending the purchase of this trilogy (includes Deluge x 2 books & Fire in the Steppe) if it meant spending your yearly discretionary entertainment budget. Great fun & will remain with you.

fascinating and surprisingly entertaining
With Fire and Sword takes place in 17th Century Poland, and it chronicles the war between the Cossacks and the Polish gentry, from the perspective of the people involved. Once again, I'm reminded that this is an immeasurably more interesting way to view history than rote memorization of names and dates, and I wish I could go thump all my history teachers over the head with this big fat book.

It's mostly about Pan Yan something-or-other (the names gave me fits), a distinguished young lieutenant in the service of Prince Yeremi (or Yarema--I never did figure out the difference--I'm guessing one is the familiar form?). He's returning from a mission, when he sees a man who's been attacked and nearly killed, so he rescues him. The man turns out to be Hmyel...whatsis, whose feud with his neighbor is what starts the Cossack rebellion.

Pan Yan meets a young woman and falls in love, but her family has promised her to Bohun, of whom she's afraid. Much of the book concerns Pan Yan and his friends' attempts to rescue her and get her back together with Pan Yan, with an extremely brutal war in the way. Pan Yan is a romantic hero, a knight in shining armor, full of honor, devotion to duty, and devotion to his lady.

His friends are fascinating and entertaining characters. There's his squire, Zjendjan, who's a tricky young man, always out to make a profit, but nonetheless absolutely loyal. There's the giant Podbipyenta, who's vowed to remain celibate until he can best his ancestor's record and chop off three heads with one stroke. There's the diminutive Michal who's a master swordsman. And there's Zagloba, fat, older, prone to extreme exaggeration, a drama queen, who's a reluctant hero.

The Prince, Bohun, the rebel leader, and the government officials are more minor characters, but like the main characters, they're made real, and their motivations and doubts and emotions are all clearly drawn.

The story goes from one hair-raising situation to the next, and just when it looks as if things will be okay after all, something even worse happens. I think I read, either in the foreword, or in my research when choosing this book, that it was initially serialized in a newspaper. If it wasn't, it should have been, because that's how it reads. I could easily imagine reading one of the segments and then anxiously waiting for the next edition so I could find out what happened next.

I was quite pleasantly surprised by how entertaining and readable it was, by how engrossed I became in the story, and by the fact that I wasn't tempted to put it down and read something else, even though it took me the better part of a week to read it.

So, why only 4 stars? It's purely for the enjoyment factor. I did enjoy it, but it's not something I'll ever read again, and not even something I feel enriched by. I didn't finish it thinking "what a great book!" I'm not a student of history, or of eastern Europe, so the fact that it's written from apparently the wrong side of that conflict completely escaped me (until I read the reviews that pointed it out, of course).

I'm glad I read it, and I'll remember the characters, but I doubt I'll look for the other two books in the trilogy, or by Sienkiewicz's other works.

Poland once ruled from Berlin to Moscow!Intrigued
The great Polish/Lithuanian empire ruled all of central europe at one point - from Berlin to Moscow.I'm betting most of you weren't even aware of that.I wasn't either until I started reading more of european history.In developing a friendship with some people of Polish descent they recommended this author and his nobel prize winning novels to me.I was daunted by its length and by the date of when it was originally written.However, I started reading and have been hooked on these books ever since. I have come to believe that Mr. Sienkiewicz is the father of the modern novel.This is not a stilted 18th century read!
It gives you history (from a polish perspective) with fictionalized characters and a compelling story behind the backdrop of the calamitous decline of a once proud and powerful empire.The characters are heroic, tragic, conflicted and wonderful to follow.You will love this book and the several sequels in this decades spanning story.
One doesn't win a Nobel prize in literature if they can't write and Mr. Sieniewicz earned his. ... Read more

Product Description
A new edition of the classic work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (60)

What I think -

I loved the book about the Roman Emperor Nero and the first Christians.
This particular printing of the book is too small for people who have sight problems. Wearing my glasses helped little, so I re-ordered the book. The print was bolder and larger.
Select the version with the illustration on its cover. Much easier to read -

Where are you going, Lord?
Terrific book about the early days of the Church and how the light of the world spread to the most pagan city on the planet. These same challenges exist today and we must be vigilant in our faith, Not necessarily recommended for young adults due to violence and the obligatory orgies that were common in those days (asalso these days).

most recommended book
I recommend this book more than any other book.Each person that has read it has thanked me.

OK book
This is an ok read. It tells the story about the first European christians in a setting of Nero's Rome. Still the person descriptions are a bit too simple and shallow for my taste. It was first published at the hight of the epic novel in the last part of the 19th. century, but as said the person descriptions never go beyond the kind of Victor Hugo like characterisation. The most interesting character of the account is definitely Nero himself, I am not sure that the author intended it to be this way. It rather seems like that the account was written as a praise to Christianity.

Fascinating...
First, I want to be clear about which edition of "Quo Vadis" I am reviewing here: it is the edition from Hippocrene Books, ISBN 0781805503, translated by W.S. Kuniczak.I spell this out because I believe the translation is of great importance.Kuniczak already cut his teeth with a splendid version of Sienkiewicz's "trilogy."

I really ordered this book out of curiosity. "Quo Vadis" was the generally-accepted American view of Nero's Rome and the rise of Christianity when I was a boy: the mammoth film spectacle was released in 1951.Yet it seems pretty certain that the "narrative" presented by "Quo Vadis" --- "Christianity good, Roman paganism bad" --- is pretty much dead in the water (or, even worse, a laughingstock) by the early years of the 21st century.I was also curious to look at one of the very first global best-sellers: "Quo Vadis" was translated into 40 languages, and sold millions of copies.

What surprised me was that reading just the first five or ten pages really hooked me.The book starts out as a passionate love story: the patrician pagan Vinicius, by all accounts a phenomenally handsome man who lives at the top of the pagan status-heap, is stricken by a fatal love-at-first-sight for a girl he does not even know.A few more pages, and canny readers will understand that the girl, Lygia, is a secret Christian --- and then you start wondering how all this is going to work out.

Besides that, the novel's most memorable character is Petronius, who is master of the revels for the megalomaniac Nero.He is at first scornful of Vinicius's "total love" for Lygia, but he is a very intelligent (if cynical) man who is finally forced to admit that, in this case (as in others) Aphrodite and Eros are the supreme gods guiding human affairs.

And then Sienkiewicz begins raising the question --- sometimes gently, and sometimes forcefully --- a question which boils down to "which side are you on?"Despite all of our sentimentality about "the grandeur of Rome," is it not finally self-evident that Rome had to be destroyed, and replaced?If you doubt that, then reflect on the massive amount of slavery, tyranny, sadism, and cruelty which was the daily fare in Rome.Even if you have only seen "Gladiator," you have a good idea of what the Romans considered to be a good show --- men and beasts slaughtering one another to entertain the masses.Sienkiewicz also provides good insights into pagan philosophy (mostly via Petronius).

On the other side, you meet the secret and persecuted community of Christians, along with memorable portraits of St. Peter and St. Paul.

In sum: I found this to be a fascinating and very well researched historical novel.Biased?Of course it's biased.Everyone who picks this book up will probably be biased as well.But biased towards which side?:-)

If you are a fan of Gibbon's "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," this is probably a good volume to read at the same time.

And it's a fascinating story. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Well satisfied
The book arrived promptly and in the condition as stated. I'm very satisfied with the product.

A Powerful Conclusion to the Trilogy
Reading the entire Trilogy (With Fire and Sword, the Deluge, and Fire in the Steppe) is a long, remarkable journey through Polish history.I've just completed Fire in the Steppe, and am deeply moved from the experience.

Some have said this is the weak link to the Trilogy, and about 100 pages in, I shared that opinion.The following 600 pages changed my mind completely.Sienkiewicz does use a standard plot device (a virtuous woman lusted for by the villain) in all three novels.But what's interesting is how that device evolves from one novel to the next.

Kuniczak's translation is fine, often going more for the spirit of Sienkiewicz's words, rather than a word-for-word translation.His afterword succeeds in tying together the loose ends in a way that strengthens the impact of the story.

As a whole, the Trilogy is one of the greatest works of historical fiction ever produced.As a novel, Fire in the Steppe is a powerful and fitting conclusion.

Excellent Book
This book is a modern translation of 1800's Polish literature. When I started reading this book I had a difficult time putting it down. I think it was a good idea to first watch the movie, Colonel Wolodyjowski, as the characters feel fully developed and give a good mental visual while reading.

Tremendous conclusion
Having just finished this final book of the Trilogy, I feel like I'm saying goodbye to close friends I have lived with, fought alongside, and laughed with for years.I suppose that statement, all by itself, is testament enough to Sienkiewicz's skill as a writer.

Although I loved this book very much, I must be objective in reviewing it.Truth is, Sienkiewicz's plot deployment was a little scattered this time out.The first part of the book is political, then there's a romance, then a short section depicting life at a Polish outpost (which dragged a bit and at times almost descended to burlesque), then there's the adventure of Basia's flight, and finally a battle against the Turks.Each section is very well done, of course, but there's no character, tone, or narrative thread tying it all together.It ends up being rather disjointed, so I have to give it 4 stars rather than the 5 stars I want to.

All that aside, the writing here is unbelievably masterful.The battle against the Turks stands toe to toe with Homer's Iliad in it's grandeur and power.And the end of the book was a shattering surprise (no spoilers, don't worry), and I was deeply affected by it.The translator's afterword has a few sentences about Pan Zagloba that made me feel like I swallowed a rock.I'm a 38 year old man not given to sentimental outbursts, but I totally lost it at the end of this story.

I started reading "With Fire and Sword" for the first time almost ten years ago, and I would love to keep reading about these characters for another 3,000 pages.Luckily, I have all these books in hardcover so I can rejoin these wonderful characters whenever I like until I'm so old my eyes stop working.Well done, Henryk, and kudos to the translator for bringing this literary masterpiece into the English language.

Memorable ending to a great trilogy
I still get a feeling in my gut when I remember finishing this book. It is that good and that powerful. The characters are easy to get attached to -- and like many 19th century novels the author is not sparring in playing his reader's emotions. This is a worthy culmination to an amazing set of books (starting with "With Fire & Sword"). While no book is for everyone, I have recommended this series to a diverse group of friends and family members and always been thanked for doing so. There is romance, drama, and action all rolled up into a real page turner.
If you are reading this review, my guess is you have not read the first two parts of this series or else you would be hooked by now. If that is the case, track down a copy of With Fire & Sword and start there. You will not be disappointed. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

The best Kindle free book I've read so far
I'm cheap.I love the free Kindle books.Now I have no excuse to not read all of the classics.There are some spelling glitches in the free edition, but not too distracting.Dialogue that includes thee and thou tends to slow me up, but the story more than makes up for any inconvenience.This is powerful, honest, and unflinching.I agree with the other review that this is not mainly a Christian story, but one that takes into account different belief systems and is sympathetic to how non-Christian beliefs may also lead to happiness and the sense that one has led a good life.The depiction of Nero is timeless and the legend of his "fiddling" as Rome burned makes much more sense.This is the best free classic I've read, despite the glitches.I would rate the Kindle editions of War and Peace and Moby Dick both a close tie for second, but not quite as good as Quo Vadis.

What A Gift
Quo Vadis is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and having it in kindle for free is amazing... People who have not read this ... you are lucky because you are in for a lovely captivating read ..

this edition leaves a lot to be desired
I am sure this is a great book as the other reviews have said but so far the Polish to English translation is very choppy and leaves a lot to be desired. I am going to check out a sample of some of the other Kindle editions to see if paying for this book might get me a little more readability.

Great book
I read this book for the first time when I was a teenager and 20 years later still love it. It's great for anyone who loves history but also a story with love and humor. Sienkiewicz outdid himself. I recommend it hands down even if it was not free.

Best Work from Nobel Prize Winning Author
Shame that this Nobel Prize winning author isn't better known in the English speaking world. Sienkiewicz won the Nobel Prize for his epic writing, Quo Vadis being his best know work. This is a magnificent novel. I love its strong plot, heroism, and visualization of the Roman period. Truly one of the classics of literature. No need to take my word for it, just consider the Nobel Prize committee's enthusiasm.

Kindle 2 formatting is good. No Table of Contents or jogability. ... Read more

Product Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Four short works
This is the first time I've read this author, and I like how he writes. The four pieces in this book are completely different from each other. First is an essay about Zola's writings, then a piece that is set up like a play but has only 2 characters, so it's more like a conversation between two ex-lovers. The third work is about a bet between Hermes and Apollo, and the last is a tragic play about 3 men competing for a woman. All are very well written and worth reading, though I skimmed most of the Zola essay. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Used "With Fire and Sword"
I have been looking for an older version of this book for awhile and was able to find this copy. It came as described and was shipped faster than I thought it would take. I recommend this seller to anyone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Not very useful
This book is not an overview of the historical times in the Trilogy, but rather a description of the translation and publication issues that were faced in order to origonally produce the novels. There is a brief description of Poland's history in the beginning, but it was simply an overview defining the organization of the rulers and the Commonwealth; with very little historical explanations which can not be found on a simple Google search, sadly. There are also chapters dedicated to how the books were accepted by their readers from when they first appeared to when the world-wide crowds got a look of them, saying that "It is a phenomenon that approached the Bible, Sienkiewicz's trilogy became a national bestseller which would stay on the top charts in Poland for 100 years...."

The only useful segment for people eager to understand or at least have a firmer grasp of the books is a character glossery near the back, featuring a very fine list of over 50 names. One would find it difficult to find such a useful list anywhere else.

The only reasons to buy this book are to understand the translation issues as well as the problems faced during the publication, as well as the glossery in the end. Any historical curiosity of the books' plots' time periods will prove this companion to be a failure.

Disappointingly thin
I was hoping that this book would provide details of the historical background of the trilogy, and place the literature in the context of the events it represents.Instead, the historical information is about what one would find in a typical encyclopedia article on Poland.The rest of the book consists introductions originally written for the three volumes of the trilogy in the Kuniczak translation, but no longer published with them, and some discussion on the history and problems of translating Sienkiewicz.These latter seem intended to glorify the Kuniczak translation, but I for one was not convinced by the examples provided.I read With Fire and Sword in the Curtin translation and The Deluge in the Kuniczak, and I was put off by the modernisms and obvious inserted connective material that appears in the latter.

On the other hand, it was fun to read about how Sienkiewicz produced his work, and his relationship with his contemporary translators.

A good aide to reading the trilogy
Henryk Sienkiewicz's trilogy can be difficult to get through without a good grasp of Polish history, which, to be truthful, is hard to come by here in the States.I therefore recommend this guide to all those who wantto really understand the books instead of just taking them for face value. I think that having this guide really involved me in the books and gave mesomething extra that the average reader would leave the book lacking. ... Read more

Product Description
Sienkiewicz's 1896 masterpiece served as the basis for MGM's monumental epic motion picture in 1951.Sienkiewicz writes of Marcus Vinicius, a Roman officer in Nero's army, who risks his career, his family, even his life, when he falls in love with a Christian woman named Callina Lygia. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Melodramatic soap operas are not my style....
We're trying to build a family library of "great" books, and this is one that I saw recommended from several sources.Quo Vadis tells the story of a pagan soldier Vinicius in the Roman Empire who becomes intrigued by a beautiful girl Ligia that happens to be a Christian and will stop at nothing to get her.And then he becomes a Christian himself.This edition is put out by Focus on the Family as part of their Great Stories series, with the text compiled from two different translations.

The book does give you a good feel for the Roman Empire, especially how Christians were treated in the days of the apostles.Given the time period, it was obvious there were going to be some dramatic events, like Christians being thrown to the lions.But even so, the book was way over the top.Ligia's experience is relatively melodramatic, even among the persecuted Christians.There are many melodramatic events associated with Vinicius' obsession with Ligia, including abductions, street fighting, imperial intrigues, etc.And the strange attraction between the two is overdone (as much or more than Romeo and Juliet) and doesn't seem realistic.And note, that because of the violence throughout the book, Focus on the Family does not recommend it for children under age 14.

As has been mentioned by another reviewer, the good characters seem to be all like Melanie Wilkes in Gone with the Wind, goody-goody, except that they seem less real than she did.They are more like cardboard cutouts than real people.I will agree that the "bad" characters were more interesting, in that they had more depth to them.I also did not find Vinicius' conversion process that convincing near the end.

There are some significant portrayals of the apostles Peter and Paul in the book.I'm always a bit sensitive about fictional portrayals of real people, whether characterization is accurate, etc.And that's especially concerning to me with people that are present in the Bible.Our perceptions have the potential to be influenced by fiction and to color our reading of the Bible, without us being necessarily aware of it.Also, Peter is definitely elevated above Paul by the author, which is not surprising as he was Roman Catholic and thus believed Peter was the first pope.

There are chapter-by-chapter study questions in the back of the book if you want to use it with homeschooled children or for a book club.But, partway through the book, the editor omitted a chapter, and for the rest of the list, the questions don't match the chapter number they are listed under.This is horrible editing!

I would not recommend this book.The plot is way over the top for my tastes, too many improbable events, cardboard cutout characters.The book is also too long at over 500 pages.Note, I have read and enjoyed books longer than this; it's not that I can't handle long books.But, this book was dragged out too much, especially toward the end.Now, if melodrama and a lack of realism in plot and character doesn't bother you, there are some nice descriptions of life in the Roman Empire, but they are not enough to redeem the book.I spent the last half of the book just waiting for it to be over.

A Triumph of Literature
Quo Vadis is not for the faint at heart.It is gut-wrenching, soul-piercing, and heart-rendering and not for the casual reader.The author makes you an eyewitness to the atrocities from the hand of Nero.The mental pictures given to you as a reader are unforgettable.This is not a trashy romance, but a love story that transforms the protagonist of the book.It is a book about the cosmic battle between Good and evil, not just an epic about the days of Rome.It does have so many parallels to society today, especially here in America.Take heed, people.History repeats itself.This was one of the finest works of literature I have ever read!!! I highly, highly recommend it!

Reads like a romance novel
This book reads a bit like a trashy romance novel. That is to say, it is a very easy read, the vocabulary is relatively simple, and the story gets you hooked from chapter to chapter. Not to mention it kind of _is_ a trashy romance novel. But on the other hand it does give one a nice picture of the first Christians and Rome in Nero's time. The characterization of Nero is especially funny. Not to mention it has a nice/happy ending so you feel all warm and fuzzy at the end in spite of all the nasty things that happen in between. (Hope that was not too much of a spoiler) All in all, an entertaining read, but don't expect big revelations.

Completely dependent on the translator.
There are some foreign language books, like the Odyssey, or the Three Musketeers, or perhaps Ibsen, that endure lingual translations, despite the incompetency of the translator.Quo Vadis is not one of those books.Sometranslations are terrible and flat, while others ring true with thelucidity of brilliant writing.The W.S. Kuniczak edition is probably thefinest rendition currently available in English.However, if one islooking for a biblical work of fiction that truly inspires in English- tryBen-Hur, by Lew Wallace.

Gorgeous book- but stiff as a board and just as lifeless!
OK, I've tried to read "Quo Vadis" several times and... man, I just couldn't dig it!!The descriptions are nice enough, if you don't mind the wordy style of Victorian times, but what rubbed me wrong was how theChristians vs. pagans battle was portrayed.The Christians are dull andpretty stupid- almost intolerably goody goody, and *insipid*!The pagansare bad, but they're bad in an interesting way.Sure, they're going tohell in the end, but in the meantime, they're so dynamic and fun- and Nerocan sure plan good orgies.Read the New Testament and you'll see the earlyChristians in there are almost anything but stupid, and certainly not dull!(I imagine St Pete himself was a pretty exciting cat to know.) I get thefeeling old Henryk knew that he had to write in the 'Christians' as theheroes, but his heart wasn't really into it.He really knows how todescribe a party, and all the superficiality it entails.But theChristians in this book- they're NOTHING like the truly spiritual people ofmy acquaintance. They come across like Victorian stage characters, posingin the accepted holy poses, having visions in the accepted style ofvisionaries. (Angels come out and lights abound; all the acceptable props,you know.) So, read "Quo Vadis" for the gorgeous detail andornate dialogue, because I can't say it's not technically well done.Butif you want something that gets into the heart of soul of aspiritual/religious quest, than you'd better go elsewhere. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (22)

Well written...
This is a well written novel that does have an epic scope and is overall an entertaining story.However, the author uses this book to show off Polish Nationalism, and it does hurt the book.The Teutonic Knights are shown as faceless, evil men, while the Polish heroes are hansom, perfect knights.It is almost too stereotypical to bear.I would still recommend reading the book,but take everything in it with a grain of salt.

Sienkiewicz, Poland's National Hero of Literature
The sheer volume of this book was in itself discouraging. The amount of information contained in this book was just staggering.It really took an effort to remember the name of each character, the name of the towns they visited and to follow the intricate plot as the story unfolds in the chaos created by the Teutonic Knights in Central and Eastern Europe.

It was all well worth the effort, even when I think how I carried this hefty book with me everywhere I went for nearly a month.
The cast of characters are memorable as the book itself: Jurand, who swears revenge, Danusia, the innocent damsel, Jagienkathe feisty virago, Hlawa, the noble squire, and Tougay Bey, the merciless Tartar warchief, just to mention a few.

I know I read a translation. Usually W.S. Kuniczak translates Sienkiewicz's books, but Alicia Tyszkiewicz did an excellent job in translating this lenghtly book and in doing so, she rendered a story in a style worthy of the Polish Laureate, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1905.

Through Sienkiewicz we feel the courage of the Polish people. A country ravaged by wars, and several invasions, coveted by neighbors, and fiercely defended by her children, the spirit of Poland lives through Sienkiewicz novels

In my opinion, Henryk Sienkiewcz is one of Europe's greatest writers. "Teutonic Knights", "With Fire and Sword" and "Quo Vadis?"are among the best novels I have ever read from a Polish author, and maybe, the best novels written in the 20th century!

Propaganda
This book offers a historically very inaccurate, one-sided and propangandistic accounts of the Knights, intended to serve the nationalisitc purposes of the author.

I Loved This
I stumbled on this book quite by accident, with no idea who Sienkiewicz was.What a great thing to stumble upon!
I'm a great fan of Walter Scott, and considered this very much in the same vein, a terrific adventure story with heroes and villains, although paced faster than Scott.Particularly, the first 500 pages or so of this big book move very quickly, the events leading compellingly onward through the narrative almost breathlessly.
The historical context of the book (Poles v. Germans) is interesting to note.Taking the book in the context of the development of the novel---well, Sienkiewicz isn't particularly interested in the psychology of his characters.The bad guys here are reeeeallly bad.The hero is not only good, he's unbearably handsome, too.But this is an exciting book and I will read more of this guy now that I've found him.

Timeless Values Win Over In This Timeless Struggle
Sienkiewicz provides the endless, legendary story of good versus evil. This time, it is of knights who stand up for their beliefs against knights who hide behind the Teutonic Order - a once upon a time establishment for virtuous beliefs.

The Nobel Prize winning author paints a picture of how a confederation is forged between unlikely candidates when confronting an overwhelming enemy.And, they learn that to "love thy neighbor" truly has value in protecting the ones you care for.

The Teutonic Knights are portrayed as the well armed, well trained and well fed antagonists. Likened to the medieval version of the Roman Legions, they are disciplined in the arts of war, but lack the heart to passionately pursue what they believe is right and just.

Our hero Zbyszko learns through his adventures what chivalry and love mean. The polish knight also learns that kindness works best when acting as a courageous, committed and honorable leader. Such values gain more friends and allies across borders of principalities, cultures and religions than the Teutonic Knights predicted.

The values taught through this book are timeless, but they truly do not write such greats like this one anymore! ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Novel
Not as engaging from the first pages as "Quo Vadis" but a good read all the same!

Linguistic Glory
This book is written beautifully and patriotically, you find yourself wanting to postpone evrything around you so can immerse you totally in the book
a well written novel bythe master story teller sienkiewicz
definatly a keeper you will read it again
Have a good day

When Poland saved Western civilization
Countries have a long history of ingratitude towards those who save them from peril. This book, in fictional form, was the first part of a planned trilogy detailing how the Polish army under King Jan Sobieski rescued the Western world from the encroachment of the Turks, by relieving the siege of Vienna in 1683. Without that victory, our entire history would probably have changed. What thanks did Poland receive for this tremendous accomplishment? It was dismembered by the very countries it had saved!
Sienkiewicz was a fine writer, unfortunately nearly unknown in these times. This is a robust work, but there is a dominant theme of patriotism infusing his characters. Rarely is love of country shown so clearly as in this work. It is also a love story, and a well-told one at that. The book has Sienkiewicz's usual elements: star-crossed lovers, strudy and loyal heroes, hissable villans, and characters who offer welcome comic relief. The writing is a bit old fashioned at times, but the patriotic feeling with which it was written practically leaps off the page at you. This book is much shorter than Sienkiewicz's other works that I have read, but its brevity does not diminish its impact.

I wish the trilogy had been written!
First of all, as much as I love this book, I'd suggest that the first Henryk Sienkiewicz book a person should read be either Quo Vadis or With Fire and Sword.They are long but worth it.This book - incredible as itis - is almost just a fragment compared with the giant scale and spirit ofhis other books that I've read.Even so, it is head and shoulders abovemost literature in so many ways.

You really get a sense of the timesfrom Sienkiewicz, and this book is no exception.The descriptions of thearmies and the countryside and the people in them establish a very concretesetting.Even so, Sienkiewicz infuses everything in the book with thematicrelevance, but it is all done so very subtly that only gradually does thereader cumulatively percieve what the author wants him to understand.Thismust have been very difficult to accomplish, but he makes it seemeffortless.

All the characterizations are centered on ideals and you cometo know the people in the story through what they stand for and do.Ithardly matters what any character's goal is.What's important here is theidealism and purity - or lack thereof - with which they pursue those goals. The heroes are extremely idealized, and the villians are predatory andevil.The "damsel in distress" is not typecast as a ditz.Sheis a full participant in the action - almost the main character - and hernobility is played off to great advantage against the trials she goesthrough.It's hard to resist such larger than life portrayals.Plus, theaction is fast paced and always interesting.

Admitedly, this novel wasthe first of a planned trilogy that Sienkiewicz never completed and itshows a little.On the Field of Glory stands on its own, but it is stilljust a first act.Jacek's character is probably developed more fully inwhat would have been book two.In On the Field of Glory, we see powerful,passionate people who are being swept up into a greater conflict, but we donot get to see that greater conflict.

An excellent book that stands onits own, but it's a great loss to world literature that Sienkiewiczcouldn't complete the trilogy! ... Read more

Product Description
Translated By Samuel A. Binion ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Sienkiewicz is brilliant
I have read all of the Sienkiewicz's books... they are all amazing. Story is great and the history accurate.

earlier edition-in 2 volumes
this edition was printed in 1898 in two volumes.this volume is 1 0f 2.the translation of this edition was done i believe by mr. curtis.his translation of the, knights of the cross, or the teutonic knights is h. sienkiewicz is not the definitive tramslation.the difinitive translation of the teutonic knights, and the more famous work, the trilogy, which the first volume was , with fire and sword, was done in the 1990's with a companion book identifying the characters in thetriligy plus the history, was published by stackpole books.
when you put this on amazon, indicate that it is volume 1. you need volume 2 to finish the novel. this is a reprint of the curtis edition of 1898-1900 ... Read more

Product Description
This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process.We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide.We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Pan Michael (previously released as "Fire in the Steppe" etc
A wonderful read, "Pan Michael" rounds out the Trilogy that has bridged stylistic centuries and proven there is an ageless recipe for plot, drama, character and objective.NO reader, regardless of ethnic background can fail to feel for the incredibly detailed main characters in this novel, such as Pan Michael or the daring woman, Basha.Action is not stinted and combines with the other elements in this colorful and sweeping epic to demonstrate history in one of the least well-documented areas of 17th century Europe.In Poland and Lithuania, where the edges of three great religions, and dozens of ethnic groups ebbed and flowed over the multicolored plains in endless kaleidescopes of struggle, Sinkiewicz paints a vast landscape of dramatic and epic action. He does this without losing the artist's eye for color or the political opportunist's artful demonstration of back-room dealings and rationales used by the shakers and movers of the novel's time-period (for it IS an historical novel).Not only is this clearly done with analogies for the time in which the novel was written (pointed examples clearly exist to parallel conditions in 19th century occupied Poland), but it resonantes with us in our hearts across the intervening century-plus, and in this, or any great republic.There is no doubt the reader will be more curious about the history of the period, and will want to read the other two novels in The Trilogy (With Fire and Sword, and The Deluge), but this is a stand-alone novel as well.The other books do not need to be read, but if I could impose upon the reader only one bit of advice:all of these books are precious, and they are in chronological order.All three will cause sleepless nights where you will be unable to put down the books, so it might be best to schedule them for a vacation!Written by the novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1905 for Quo Vadis, these earlier books (The Trilogy, of which Pan Michael is the third book) for which he received grief from the critics but kudos from the reading public, were probably greater works, and are certainly recommended by this writer for all who would have the common reader love their creations.

A Wonderful Read
Pan Michael, like any Sienkiewicz work, is a wonderful read due to its prose, his wonderful characterization and due to his ability to bring color to his works.

Reading Pan Michael, like reading Teutonic Knights or Fireand Sword, is like opening a doorway into another time......this particulartime....medieval Poland.Stepping through this doorway, you encounter allof the sights, the sounds and the lives of the characters within.

Ihighly recommend Pan Michael, and any other book you may find bySienkiewicz. ... Read more

Product Description
The deluge. An historical novel of Poland, Sweden, and Russia. A sequel to "With fire and sword." (1893, c1891) ... Read more