Customer Reviews

Fire in the Steppe [Pan Wolodyjowski] (The Trilogy, Book III)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book can only have its strongest impact if you've read the first two books of the Trilogy first. I can't say more about the shock of the ending without giving the plot away entirely, but, having all of the strengths of the first two novels -- historical accuracy, epic story-telling style, characters who, fictional or historical, are alike human and complex, deep sense of the vagaries of religious belief, the occasional touch of humor and love-stories on the Great Romance scale -- it is really this one, where the diminutive Pan Michal finally finds love and Poland finds its long home, that truly rocks the reader's soul.

Without reciting the book cover, this book and the trilogy it came from is one of the finest pieces of literature ever created. It is easy to quickly consume and dispose of a Steven King novel or any in the popular genre, but the skillful crafting or characters and fascinating plot in Sienkiewicz trilogy deserves the respect and admiration of any one who claims to love literature.

I suggest it strongly. Reading it was a life changing experience for me. Consistent with the theme, it truly "uplifts the hearts." Of the Polish nation and now with the masterful translation by Kuniczak, a young man in the United States too!

I am not Polish or of Polish descent nor does one have to be to read and enjoy these masterpieces.

I could not put down any of the books in this series. The heroes, the villians and the women were enthralling. I particularly enjoyed the Catholic Christian aspect of the books and the importance of the spiritual to the soldiers involved. I would most highly recommend Sienkiewicz to any person who loves adventure, fidelity and God.

Like the other two books in the trilogy, this is a sweeping epic. The characters (many of them drawn from Polish legend) are extremely compelling and despite it's 1000 plus pages, the book reads like the wind. You are thrown from one adventure to the next. A must read for anyone who likes swashbuckling, war, history or lovestories. It's all in there. I definitely recommend reading the earlier books in the series. However, the book stands on its own.

I bought this book in softback, based on the cover and the reviews from Mitchner and Author (also, wrote Quo Vadis) sharing the 'Peace Prize' for his efforts. The Polish surnames were difficult causing me to keep a pencil and pad nearby for the first 100 pages. Once I had these memorized, though, I was free to read and enjoy. I found the story absolutely captivating. Based on the first of four or five invasions across Poland between 1630 and 1685, this is a tale on strong ethics, willingness to die for betrothed, village, country or God, this story brought up such strong emotions within me, I doubt I'll ever again tell a 'so-called' Polish joke. Without the Polish will, most of western europe would have come under flame had the these hordes from the east been stopped. However, being such an advocate of the book, as you see here, didn't translate to three friends who read, or attempted to read it. With almost 1,200 pages (paperback) of tight print, two finished it, one saying it was very good, the other average. Personally, I don't think they got by the polish surnames, though, but won't fess up to this. Each of the three are highly educated and enjoy reading. Another possibility, the size of the book might be too daunting to begin, unless on vacation. Later, I read the two following sequels, with equal enjoyment. Know what they did to their enemy's, after coming home to find town and family butchered? I won't ruin it for you, but I'll say this, there are a few people in the world who deserve this type of slow death, for example, Hitler, Stalin, .... Enjoy

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.

The final book of Sienkiewicz's massive masterwork 'With Fire and Sword Trilogy'. The power, action, humour and warm characters (especially Zagloba, Kmita and Michal) take over your conscious mind. Read it to know what great and passionate writing is all about.

If you like history and epic stories (Dumas, Walter Scott), then "The trilogy" (this being the third book after "Fire & Sword" and "Deluge") is definitely a must-read - great story, battles, romance are all there and even though the events that are covered in the trilogy are probably unfamiliar to most US readers, that should not detract from enjoyment.
As many other people said, this is an abashedly partisan view of history, from one side only and you should not try to use this book as your guide to Eastern European history. I don't see that being a problem for a fiction novel, though.

The translation, I thought, was decent but definitely less than perfect and the cutting out of epilogue is really just too bad

As a young girl in Poland I must have read all of Sienkiewicz's books many many times. They are well written, interesting and deal very well with the topics at hand. This edition is well made and the translation is good (although nothing beats reading it in Polish!) I would recommend this book for anyone who wishes to be engulfed in a powerful story of loyalty, patriotism, courage and love. Definitely two thumbs up!!!

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.