With Fire and Sword

by Henryk Sienkiewicz, Jeremiah Curtin, Evert Van Muyden

Overview

With Fire and Sword is a historical novel, set in the 17th century in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the Khmelnytsky Uprising. It gained enormous popularity in Poland, and by the turn of the 20th century had become one of the most popular Polish books ever. Despite some deviations, this book's historical framework is genuine and the fictional story is woven into real events. Many characters are historical figures. The author, Henryk Sienkiewicz, researched memoirs and chronicles of the Polish nobility for details on life in 17th-century Poland. The author's writing style intertwines epic plots and heroic scenes with historical accuracy. His vivid language makes this book one of the most popular books about that particular place and era of the Polish history.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9788027308415
Publisher:	E-Artnow
Publication date:	12/30/2020
Pages:	476
Sales rank:	252,816
Product dimensions:	5.98(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.96(d)

Editorial Reviews

The Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth still controlled eastern Europe in 1647, but during that year everything changed. The first sparks appeared in the Ukraine, where a domestic dispute between Bohdan Hmyelnitzki and his neighbor mushroomed into a full-blown Cossack rebellion against the gentry. Long-smoldering resentments flashed into a wildfire of rape, pillage, and murder as the peasants joined the Cossack army and fought their way toward Warsaw, bringing with them the dreaded hordes of Tartars from the east. Fighting in this epic conflict, Yan Skshetuski, commander of armored knights in the prince's army, falls in love with the beautiful Helen, only to have her stolen by the Cossacks. Thus, the string of ensuing battles becomes not just a struggle for Poland's survival but a search by Skshetuski and his fellow knights for Helen, the symbol of all Poland was and now stands to lose. With Fire and Sword , the first installment of Sienkiewicz's ``Trilogy,'' will take its place beside such works as the Iliad as one of the great pieces of epic literature. The Polish author, winner of the 1905 Nobel Prize for Literature, captures the historical essence of a culture in eclipse, expressing it through characters at once larger than life and engagingly human. While his Quo Vadis? is widely known, until now the ``Trilogy'' has been virtually unread outside Poland because it lacked a readable translation and was suppressed by Poland's Communist government. However, Kuniczak's magnificent rendition now offers this literary gem to a wide audience. As the next two volumes appear, the applause will surely grow. Most highly recommended.-- Paul E. Hutchison, Pequea, Pa.

Library Journal